My first baby bandensis, one of many I hope.

[corpusse]

I picked up a clutch of eggs 8 days ago. Today the first one hatched! he is already changing colour and amazing to watch at less then a day old. I can see babies developing in several other eggs so hopefully more are on the way soon.

Copepods and even an amphipod or 2 have made it into the breeders net where I'm keeping the eggs so there is already a chance for food should he desire. I also have a small breeding population of mysid shrimp in my frag tank. I don't culture they self regulate so this is probably not going to be enough for all the babies. With that in mind I expect to get some more live ones next week.

I plan on keeping them in breeders nets in my frag tank. I've already bought several to keep babies, eggs and slower eaters separate. My frag tank is very mature and once they outgrow the nets I will place them in a 15 or 20g holding tank while the main tank is prepared. I plan on a 65g to house 3-4 adults. I've started buying equipment and plan on setting this tank up within the next 2 weeks and will use some new live rock plus rock from my current setups so in 2-3 months when the cuttles are grown their new home will be ready for them.

 

[tonmo]

beautiful little cuttle...

 

[octopi88]

aaawwww! hes cute!.lol at the beginning it looked to me that he was
trying o get out of the breeder net

 

[corpusse]

aaawwww! hes cute!.lol at the beginning it looked to me that he was
trying o get out of the breeder net

Yeah he was really pacing looking for an escape route. I've since put some cheato in and he's stayed hidden most of the time.

I am hoping some more hatch either tonight or tomorrow.

 

[octopi88]

hope they make it

 

[corpusse]

Baby number 2 was born last night

 

[corpusse]

A quick update.

I now have 3 baby cuttles but I don't think any are eating yet. The oldest is still only 4 days old so it could still be a bit.

I have 250 mysids in a 15g with tons of baby brine. I have seen no signs of cannabilsm other then the fact no dead ones arrived and were likely eaten on route. Customs delayed my package so I am hoping I will only have to order mysids one more time. I have some in my frag tank as well so hopefully in combination with the massive amphipod population and perhaps some tigger pods this will be enough until I can get them eating frozen or even larger live food.

I've isolated the 3 babies in their own breeder net since one will be at least 5 days older then the next baby. This one should start eating first and although I don't know which is oldest knowing its 1 of 3 is a lot easier then waiting until 5 are more are born.

Here's a couple of video clips. It's a new HD camcorder so I'm making full use of it.

mysids

2 of the 3 babies

 

[octopi88]

thats awsome

 

[corpusse]

I'm now up to 12! I think this constitutes a cuttlefish army

How obvious will it be when they start eating? I have been keeping several mysids in with them and some appear to have vanished but they could have possibly escaped. I did see one take a practice strike unless he was going for a baby brine or some other tiny creature that could also be in the net.

Once I actually see them striking I will add yet another breeder net, as I have my oldest 4 in their own net and the rest still with the eggs in another.

Here's a couple more photos.

 

[lance]

where did you order your mysid's from and the cuttle's look great.

lance

 

[corpusse]

I ordered them from reef nutrition.

 

[lance]

I ordered them from reef nutrition.

Cool, Thanks

lance

 

[corpusse]

There are now no fewer then 19 babies! looks like i'll be ordering more mysids. Although I've still yet to see any eat oldest is still only 1 week old the rest are at least 2 days younger with a bunch being born tonight.

I have noticed the mysids I'm keeping have been reproducing so I'll also look to isolate some of their babies.

 

[octopi88]

thats a lot of cuttles

 

[corpusse]

thats a lot of cuttles

Indeed.

Excellent news I finally saw one eat this morning! And another strike at a mysid but miss.

I'm going to add a 3rd breeder net and divide some of the second group which is at about 15 in one net. I'll probably take 10 of them out since I should still have a few more hatch. This is really exciting for me