We had babies between 11 & 1. Covered the tank at 11 when it went dark. About three days ago I cut the late night/morning low blues that ran from 12-4 and moved the other ahead an hour to end at 11. So wether it was just their time or wether it was not dark enough without covering it who knows. Peaked at 1:03 and saw mommy and daddy just a wriggling in the nem, but egg position was completely covered. Then I saw some little shiny eyes.
Woke the wife and she stirred the daughter. Both basically said yeah right! So I was on my own, I went down stairs to the fry tank and strained a jar of rotifers into it using its own water which I tinted a couple days ago, they were in DT water, but refrigerated so afraid I would throw off the temp. Then I headed back up to collect and swaddle the new grand babies. I held the phone for a light and a ladle to collect. Really didn’t think I was doing very well maybe catching one or two at a time. Did that for a considerable time (need a more focused and possible dimmer light that I can use hands free). and I maybe should have allowed them to gather more, but the light seemed to penetrate the tank so I was afraid the wouldn’t all come to the light.
Think the flashlight on my iPhone was probably too bright as I saw a couple kind of swirl in the light so I went back to the screen but really felt it cast too much light across too big of area. There happened to be a greeting card within reach so I placed it on the glass and then the phone blocking all but the very top 1/2-3/4” of the screen and it maybe worked better. At some point I saw my big eye squirrel cruising through the dark so I’m sure he got some.
Then I decided to try to siphon them with a vinyl hose just bigger than air line. Wasn’t too terribly strong as I had to get right up on them or they could swim away from it, but that scared me some so I switched to the fine mesh net recommended by vetteguy that I got at PetSmart (they had blue and pink so I got pink my wife’s favorite color, but does she stay up and use it NNNOOO!) I maybe got another dozen or so with it. All told it was an adventure.
They are in a 1/2 filled 20g with a dim blue light running 24/7 with all but 4” blocked with cardboard. I blacked out all four sides of the tank, but didn’t go clear to the top as I thought it was only to allow them to target the rotifers better? So I covered the remaining with a towel tonight and I will fill in the rest tomorrow (well ok later today). Have my rotifer culture running strong, so will hope to not crash it. Plan to feed around 1/4 of a harvest at a time at 8A, 1P, 6P, 11P-12A. Ordered brine shrimp hatchery and chromaboost so should be able to keep them going, if they survive.
The way the pair was a wiggling I’m wondering if they will lay again right away (so I put the terra-cotta pot I had soaking over the place the eggs were this time so we’ll see).
Big shout out to my R2R family love you all. Special thanks to
@vetteguy53081,
@ISpeakForTheSeas and
@UltraKelius for the personal attention they showed me through this. Got my rotifer cultures and kit from reef nutrition and it seems to be very healthy, I have harvested 5 times (blew it last night as I fell asleep with no alarm) so the first harvest after a three day leave it alone start was still alive and healthy as far as I could tell. I strained it and mixed with warm water and it looked like they were moving toward the light. Also to
@Eldredge who has walked me through a phyto culture setup which I will be starting in the next couple of days when his starters reach me.
I know the next 14 days are critical and no guarantee that many or even any will survive (that’s all in God’s hands) but hopefully if I’m diligent and care for them properly we will get some to color change.
With that I’m going to call it a night at 2:59 AM, well I might have a pop tart or two first, worked up an appetite.
