New babies

[DHyslop]

Well, they've been in the tank for about ten hours now! I've kept the light off and have been trying to leave them alone (although they don't appear to react to my presence).

I was shocked at how active they were when I took the bag out of the box! They were circulating around the bag flashing colors. Upon entering the breeder net, each one found a comfortable place to park, turn down the color and rest. None have really moved much since being put in. One of them was floating on the surface during acclimation, but came back to life with the new water. I wasn't expecting much from him, but he seems fine!

Tomorrow I'll turn the light on and perhaps they'll be a little more active (I hope they develop an appetite soon). In their white "resting" color, each has a slightly different sized dark spot on the dorsal mantle. I can't imagine I'll be able to use this to tell them apart in the long term, though.

Dan

 

[Nancy]

Congratulations on the new babies!

Nancy

 

[sorseress]

Dan, that's so cool! Congratulations!

 

[cuttlegirl]

Glad to hear they made it. How many did you get? Mine (probably brothers and sisters of yours...) spend most of the day hanging around on the bottom of the breeder, until I put food in with them...

 

[Black96WS6]

Well, they've been in the tank for about ten hours now! I've kept the light off and have been trying to leave them alone (although they don't appear to react to my presence).

I was shocked at how active they were when I took the bag out of the box! They were circulating around the bag flashing colors. Upon entering the breeder net, each one found a comfortable place to park, turn down the color and rest. None have really moved much since being put in. One of them was floating on the surface during acclimation, but came back to life with the new water. I wasn't expecting much from him, but he seems fine!

Tomorrow I'll turn the light on and perhaps they'll be a little more active (I hope they develop an appetite soon). In their white "resting" color, each has a slightly different sized dark spot on the dorsal mantle. I can't imagine I'll be able to use this to tell them apart in the long term, though.

Dan

Good luck Dan!

When does the re-education start? Tomorrow? Or has it already begun (I noticed you didn't mention food, so I assume you're holding it back from them until they swear allegiance to you)?

 

[DHyslop]

When does the re-education start? Tomorrow? Or has it already begun (I noticed you didn't mention food, so I assume you're holding it back from them until they swear allegiance to you)?

Honestly, I think they're planning to re-educating me!

I have five of them. I did have five small mysids and one or two amphipods in the breeder before I put them in, just to let them have their first meal on their own terms.

Once those are gone I'll start giving them food at different times of the day, as was suggested in the other thread.

Hey Righty, I don't suppose you have a hatching date for these little guys, do you?

Dan

 

[Thales]

I'll look up the hatching date. If I forget to, bug me.

I usually feed them at night, around 8, 9, 10. Around then they all leave the bottom of the tank and swim around and pounce on live food.

Glad they made it all right!

 

[Mizu]

PICS or it didn't happen

 

[DHyslop]

I usually feed them at night, around 8, 9, 10. Around then they all leave the bottom of the tank and swim around and pounce on live food.

Good tip--I'm adding it to my Google Notebook on cuttlefish! Is this about the time the light goes out, perhaps a little before or after?

They ate all the mysids overnight, so this morning I thought I'd test them by putting in the two smallest shore shrimp I could catch. Two cuttlefish made chase. The first tried once and then gave up when it got away. The second tried repeatedly, eventually got a good tentacle grab, drew him in, and tried unsuccessfully to eat him. He had his arms wrapped around the shrimp's abdomen (the body length of the shrimp being about twice the cuttle's ML and the combined mass was swimming around in circles for about 45 seconds before he decided to give up and let go!

I fished them out and put in a few more mysids for them. The mysids are kind of cool, but it'll be nice once the cuttles are big enough to take the shore shrimp (which love flake food!)

Probably won't have pictures for a while--don't own a digital camera.

Dan

 

[cuttlegirl]

My cuttles are all eating the shore shrimp. They don't like the heads though... The shrimp are at least twice their size. It is quite amazing to watch the fight, the shrimp always loses . At least now I can feed them once a day!

I put the five biggest P. vulgaris (about 1.5 inches) in my main tank in hopes that they might breed. I was shocked to find one in each of the breeder tanks with the cuttles. They had to climb out of the water to get in there... My daughter was a little worried they would eat the cuttles (I was too...) but I was able to remove them from the breeder tanks and they have settled into the live rock.

 

[DHyslop]

Coincidentally I've done the same thing with my big shrimp, but haven't had trouble with them in the breeder yet.

The size differential between my cuttles/shore shrimp seems about the same as yours. The trouble mine are having is surely psychological...they've travelled three thousand miles into a different water system and different food in only a couple days. I don't want to rush them into new food, too!

Dan

 

[DHyslop]

Worried

I'm worried about one of my babies. Since this morning he's been floating at the top, holding onto the net. If he loses grasp he'll swim around in right-hand circles. He doesn't appear interested in food, changing colors, or going lower in the water column.

Has anyone had a similar experience?

Dan

 

[Paradox]

Ive not seen that specific behaviour before, but perhaps you can isolate it, so it doesnt have competition in eating. ive had to do this before for the 'shyer' ones.

It being able to swim...even if its strangely in circles only is a good sign. When they get weak and die, they have difficulties swimming and sometimes become a clearer white color in which the bone can actually be seen.

 

[Paradox]

My cuttles are all eating the shore shrimp. They don't like the heads though... The shrimp are at least twice their size. It is quite amazing to watch the fight, the shrimp always loses . At least now I can feed them once a day!

I put the five biggest P. vulgaris (about 1.5 inches) in my main tank in hopes that they might breed. I was shocked to find one in each of the breeder tanks with the cuttles. They had to climb out of the water to get in there... My daughter was a little worried they would eat the cuttles (I was too...) but I was able to remove them from the breeder tanks and they have settled into the live rock.

Its funny how they leave the heads when they are still young!! its pretty exciting to watch the little guys grab shrimps 2-3 times larger then they are!!

 

[cuttlegirl]

Originally posted by Paradox
Its funny how they leave the heads when they are still young!!

I don't like the heads either!