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Questions for experienced cuttle keepers

TQN

O. bimaculoides
Registered
Joined
Jun 27, 2007
Messages
69
As some of you may know from my cuttlefish journal, I am currently raising 5 bandensis babies. They are a month old now. I have them housed in small plastic breeder containers, which are floating in the main tank. I am keeping them in pairs, except for the largest, which has a container all to himself. Soon they will outgrow the breeders, so I am thinking ahead about the next step in housing them. They are still way too small to consider releasing them into the main tank. So here are a couple options I have thought of, if someone with more experience raising baby cuttles can give me some insight into the pros/cons of each choice so I can figure out what would be best for the little guys.
One idea is to separate each baby into its own container, so they would be less crowded. That would allow me to monitor each baby more closely, but I don't know if there would be a higher risk of fighting when I re-introduce them in the future.
Another option is to put all the babies into a HOB fuge to grow them up a little. I like the idea of raising them all together, but it would be harder to monitor each cuttle, and I don't want to risk cannibalism. But seeing as how I plan to breed them eventually, would it be an advantage to raise them up together?
Maybe it does not make much difference either way.
Any thoughts/ideas are much appreciated!
 
I think I released mine to the wilds of my 29 gallon about this time, but I don't remember. At about 5 months, I transferred them to the 55 gallon. If they are eating well right now, they will be fine in a larger tank. How big is the tank that holds the breeders? How big is your fuge?
 
Cuttlegirl, thanks for your response!
They are all eating well, but have not yet made the leap from live mysis to frozen mysis and live shore shrimp. I definitely want to get them on frozen or on bigger prey before I move them anywhere. (I figure they will be fine in the breeders for another 2-3 weeks, but I am trying to plan ahead).
They are floating in a 45, but with the cuttles at only 1/2" or so, I am afraid I would never find them again if I turned them loose at this point!
I will get exact measurements on the fuge when I get home. I actually have 2 different ones I could use, one that is roughly 3-4 gal, and one that is more like 5-6 gal. I figure that would be a reasonable step between the breeders and the adult tanks, but I don't want to risk cannibalism or fighting if I house them all together. Eventually, depending on how the sex ratio turns out, I am planning on housing them in pairs or trios in separate tanks.

So I guess what my long-winded question boils down to, is whether it would be better in the long run to raise the babies individually or in a group?
 

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