Breeding O.bimaculoides

[cephalopoder]

Hey Colin, Tony and every one else its been awhile since I have stopped by but I have some good news. I have mated my first pair of O.bimaculoides this season and I am now the proud owner of lots of captive breed baby bimacs! The project started back in september and this weekend the eggs started hatching and I must say compaired to the O.mercatoris I reared last year the baby bimacs are a much bolder, larger and friendlier hatchings. They are eating like pigs and are day active. At night they all cling to the tanks glass to sleep.So far about a dozen have hatched and momma still has more she is brooding. The ones that hatched this weekend must have been the first eggs she laid. I have more details and some pics up at the follwing link below. And oh yeah, the little ones will all need good homes in a couple of months should all go well.
Chris
http://www.reefcentral.com/vbulleti...2fe7f10a9829d26109cb0aa450b1b&threadid=145620

 

[Colin]

Great news Chris

I know for a fact that people here will be keen to support you in breeding the bimacs and buyig babies from you rather than wild caughts... Now i just need to concentrate on the UK side of things!

Are you going to batch rear or individual rearing?

 

[cephalopoder]

I am currently keeping them in the main tank. They seem to be doing fine in there so far. I have several reaing systems so I may swith them over shopuld the need arise. I have not witnessed any fighting between the hatchings so far. I need to find a home for one of the captive ffexpress babies so if there is any one in the NH/MA/ME area and you are interested please contact me directly. I am not prepaired to ship at this time, but I will be as soon as I get heat packs, bags, and more boxes.
Chris

 

[Rona]

O. bimac babies

Wow! That is so cool. I too have raised O. bimacs in captivity, and it was a blast! Heads up though. There will be cannibalisim soon. Happy babysitting Chris, Rona

 

[cephalopoder]

Thanks Rona
Did you actually mate a male and female? Or did you get a gravid wild caught female? What was your clutch size? How many were you able to rear to adult size?I posted a pic on the same link of the two bimacs mating.
-chris

 

[LittleMatt]

Sweet. I'm from MA. I am going to be setting up a tank soon that will hopefully contain a bimac. When do you plan on selling the babies? I must commend you on being able to breed these awesome creatures. Good luck and I hope everything goes well.

 

[cephalopoder]

Thanks Littlematt
I think it will be at least a good month before they are any where near ready to go to a good home. But I am guessing 2 months. Any one interested email mail me directly and I will put you on a waiting list should all go well. There is a lot to plan for concerning shipping. So far today I have counted over 20 and the number is growing day by day.

 

[cephalopoder]

Here is a pic of one of the little ones eating a mysid shrimp.
They are doing extremely well and are very active.
chris

 

[corw314]

Excellent pictures!!! I'm on a camera hunt!! What kind do you use?

Carol

 

[cephalopoder]

Carol
I use several. The pics of the babies are stills taken from a sony tvr530 digital video camra. The mating pic is from a old agfa 1280. I am also trying a fuji finepix A303. The sony is the best all around for macro shots.

 

[corw314]

I've been leaning towards a Sony S85 cause from what I've read, the optics are excellent, and you can take unlimited video, and it likes low light!!!!!

Thanks!

Carol

 

[manny]

Hi Cephalopoder
congrats on your new babies I am interested in adding one or maybe even two to my home i am in New York let me know whats up, how much ,if your shipping or not maybe I can take a drive up there what part of NH
Manny

 

[reefan]

What size is the main breeding tank?
GOOD JOB
JJ

 

[rrtanton]

Congratulations on your success!

This is the perfect opportunity for me...I would pounce on the chance to have one of these babies, but... ...sigh...I already HAVE an octo, and I'm afraid cute little baby bimac will either eat my little Gollum or Gollum'll eat the bimac. And I don't have the space for an extra tank. Well...if you're hoping to breed regularly I will most definitely pay attention, as I'd so enormously prefer to get a captive-bred baby.

rusty

 

[sideways]

Congratulations, the babies look awesome. I'm planning on emailing you to get on a waiting list for one of your baby bimacs. Two months or so sounds about the right time frame for me. Could you give me an idea of about how much you'd want for one with shipping to North Carolina? That would help me make my mind up. Thanks, John