So you’re telling me that no one has successfully tank bred or captive bred tangs? Is it a matter of figuring out a way to catch and remove the eggs? How deep of a tank do you need for a successful ascend? Sorry for all the questions Andy, This has become a fascination of mine lately. Six months is a long time to invest just to fail at the end. I would imagine that people would quickly become discouraged. I have Ronald Thresher's book on order, any other books you recommend?
The build thread: 430gal. display
- Thread starter Ummfish
- Start date
That's what I'm telling you. That's the holy grail of ornamental fish aquaculture. The first person that figures out how to (a) successfully, (b) reproducibly, and (c) cheaply captive breed yellow tangs will have a gold mine. But, it's pretty much the same story with cleaner shrimp. Four months in the plankton at least, and the only hobbiests that I know that have done it always end up with one shrimp at the end. That's a long time for one shrimp! Yet there's supposed to be a place in Europe that's supplying the whole European market with captive-bred cleaner shrimp. It can be done.
The problem with tangs is that it seems that they need a large tank to get along but also one with a tall water column to get successful fertilization of the eggs. You can get fertile eggs from them, but you basically need to keep them in a swimming pool.
Then comes the hard part, figuring out a succession of feeds starting with a very small first food at the right times and in the right order and always in the right quantity and you can't screw up for at least six months. And if you do screw up, you have to start all over again. And if you ever figure it out, then you have grow out and get to deal with all the tang aggression issues. How big would that tank have to be? Say for 1,000 yellow tangs?
Ah, but if you managed to raise one, every aquaculture company in the world would be banging at your door with offers for your expertise. They'd upscale your ideas into huge saltwater ponds in Asia.
But, what'll probably happen first is what's happening for Maculosus angels. Someone trained collectors to go out and find just-post-metamorphosis juvenile fish. They catch them and raise them in captivity. They let nature take care of the first foods. Tons and tons of the angels normally die as juveniles, so by growing them out they wind up with many more angels than would normally survive. I think it might have been done with tangs but not on a large scale yet.
Reading. If you buy books off one of these two pages, you help to support marine ornamental breeding. These are very good lists!
http://www.reefstewardshipfoundation.org/reading.html
http://www.marinebreeder.org/phpbb/support.php?sid=bf0d8b76bbafd460f5256f12149d9ea0
The problem with tangs is that it seems that they need a large tank to get along but also one with a tall water column to get successful fertilization of the eggs. You can get fertile eggs from them, but you basically need to keep them in a swimming pool.
Then comes the hard part, figuring out a succession of feeds starting with a very small first food at the right times and in the right order and always in the right quantity and you can't screw up for at least six months. And if you do screw up, you have to start all over again. And if you ever figure it out, then you have grow out and get to deal with all the tang aggression issues. How big would that tank have to be? Say for 1,000 yellow tangs?
Ah, but if you managed to raise one, every aquaculture company in the world would be banging at your door with offers for your expertise. They'd upscale your ideas into huge saltwater ponds in Asia.
But, what'll probably happen first is what's happening for Maculosus angels. Someone trained collectors to go out and find just-post-metamorphosis juvenile fish. They catch them and raise them in captivity. They let nature take care of the first foods. Tons and tons of the angels normally die as juveniles, so by growing them out they wind up with many more angels than would normally survive. I think it might have been done with tangs but not on a large scale yet.
Reading. If you buy books off one of these two pages, you help to support marine ornamental breeding. These are very good lists!
http://www.reefstewardshipfoundation.org/reading.html
http://www.marinebreeder.org/phpbb/support.php?sid=bf0d8b76bbafd460f5256f12149d9ea0
Well, thanks y'all! There are actually two in there (they've been downstairs for a while now). It did take them a good 45 minutes to find each other. 
I have to say, the rock's growing on me. Having a sand bed in there helps. In fact, having half the sand blown up on to the rocks helps with the color. The only bummer is that the rocks don't provide a whole lot of shelter for animals. So I am going to have to add more rock so the animals feel comfortable.
I throttled down the closed-loop. I wish the sand would settle at some point....
I have to say, the rock's growing on me. Having a sand bed in there helps. In fact, having half the sand blown up on to the rocks helps with the color. The only bummer is that the rocks don't provide a whole lot of shelter for animals. So I am going to have to add more rock so the animals feel comfortable.
I throttled down the closed-loop. I wish the sand would settle at some point....
Dude that tank is way too small for those fish. I hope you plan on upgrading in the near future
That looks freaking awesome. Just think, they could have this humungaloid RBTA in there and it wouldn't be taking up the whole tank
If you're tired of the sand clouding the tank, you could always throw a canister filter on there with really fine media to get the sand out....
That looks freaking awesome. Just think, they could have this humungaloid RBTA in there and it wouldn't be taking up the whole tank
If you're tired of the sand clouding the tank, you could always throw a canister filter on there with really fine media to get the sand out....
I know. I'll be looking for a public aquarium for them soon.
I don't know. I like the look of big anemones taking over their tanks. Actually, I get the impression that's the best way to keep them for the most part. But what do I know? I've never kept one.
Heck, the sand'll settle eventually. I'd just forgotten about this part of the process and how long it took. But it looks like the diatoms are starting to settle the substrate down. (Great!!?!! Right?)
I don't know. I like the look of big anemones taking over their tanks. Actually, I get the impression that's the best way to keep them for the most part. But what do I know? I've never kept one.
Heck, the sand'll settle eventually. I'd just forgotten about this part of the process and how long it took. But it looks like the diatoms are starting to settle the substrate down. (Great!!?!! Right?)
I took some more pictures a couple of days ago, 'cause I know how you guys are about photos.
I have a couple of these guys hanging out in the filefish tank. The files seem to eat a little better when they have some fishy neighbors.
I'm really enjoying how the file tank is turning out. They've now been in my care for 74 days and two entire weeks in a tank with _no_ live corals.
BTW, some bad news. I lost my two butterflies yesterday. We noticed some spots on them a few days ago, removed the cleaner shrimp (maybe a mistake?) and reduced the salinity. By the next day, they were covered. So, got them into a hospital tank with low salinity and copper, but they didn't make it. The banggai in that tank is still looking okay, but I need to get a hospital tank going for him, too, before it's too late. Also, I can't find one of the dang clowns this morning. I'm having the worst luck with clowns lately. They had found a place to host and looked like they were settling down. This morning, no sign. Hmpph.
I have a couple of these guys hanging out in the filefish tank. The files seem to eat a little better when they have some fishy neighbors.
I'm really enjoying how the file tank is turning out. They've now been in my care for 74 days and two entire weeks in a tank with _no_ live corals.
BTW, some bad news. I lost my two butterflies yesterday. We noticed some spots on them a few days ago, removed the cleaner shrimp (maybe a mistake?) and reduced the salinity. By the next day, they were covered. So, got them into a hospital tank with low salinity and copper, but they didn't make it. The banggai in that tank is still looking okay, but I need to get a hospital tank going for him, too, before it's too late. Also, I can't find one of the dang clowns this morning.
I'm having the worst luck with clowns lately. They had found a place to host and looked like they were settling down. This morning, no sign. Hmpph.