FS: Banggai cardinal fry - Calgary

[syncro]

Originally Posted by canadawest

PS... I used to sell my fry to local hobbyists for $15ea or 2 for $25, so 28 for $55 is very generous. Hopefully someone has the time and desire to help most of these fry grow to saleable age (around 6-8 weeks). It's very rewarding to see the fry grow and be able to pass them on to others to live on to adulthood.

Wow, I didn't realize they went for so much. What percentage of a batch were you able to raise? My first batch I had about 40% survival to 8 weeks before selling - most of the loses were near the end. I was trying the wean them off BBS but most wouldn't eat anything else.

[syncro]

Sold. Thanks.

[canadawest]

Keep in mind this was over 6 years ago that I raised Bangaii fry, I have no idea what the going rate for them would be today, but back then $15 for a tank raised fish seemed like a good deal (and kept local hobbyists from having to take wild caught)

I actually had pretty good success with them. I had a little acrylic 12 gal all-in-one nano tank that acted as a perfect nursery tank. After I figured out the timing of the first batch or two, I was getting about 75% survival rate. I found I would lose several the first week, then like you would lose a few more just before saleable age (8-10 weeks). I found having an artificial long spined urchin in the tank helped (perhaps lowered their stress?) and did only small weekly water changes. (also less stress?) I also supplemented my bbs hatch water with Selcon, not sure if that helped them be more nutritious? And I dumped live and unhatched eggs into the nursery tank, cause they would eat the unhatched cysts too. Most of mine were weaned to frozen mysis (finely shredded) before selling.

Originally Posted by syncro

Wow, I didn't realize they went for so much. What percentage of a batch were you able to raise? My first batch I had about 40% survival to 8 weeks before selling - most of the loses were near the end. I was trying the wean them off BBS but most wouldn't eat anything else.

[EmilyB]

Thanks Brian!

I have no intention of raising them to make money on them. If that kind of good fortune smiled upon me, I would find them homes.

I am hoping to at least have a couple survive. I used to have them everywhere, sump, overflows, etc.

[canadawest]

Best of luck with your new fry, hope they all fight (and you give them a fighting chance) to get to adulthood! :-)

Originally Posted by EmilyB

Thanks Brian!

I have no intention of raising them to make money on them. If that kind of good fortune smiled upon me, I would find them homes.

I am hoping to at least have a couple survive. I used to have them everywhere, sump, overflows, etc.

[syncro]

Originally Posted by EmilyB

I have no intention of raising them to make money on them. If that kind of good fortune smiled upon me, I would find them homes.

If you put in the work to raise them you deserve the rewards.

[EmilyB]

[Timbits]

Originally Posted by EmilyB

Soooo cute!!!!!!! Are they in your display tank? Won't it be easier to raise them in a tank of their own? I would imagine the strong flow might be a little hard on them and also harder to feed.

O btw I absolutely love that colorful knife urchin u made

[EmilyB]

There is no major flow in the tank at the moment. We are water changing from the sump and the tank is looking better than it has in a while, lol..

I use a syringe with a hose tube on it and feed into the urchin. Seems to work quite well actually.

Hubby made a slight calculation error with regards to the size of the holes in the containment area.....or they wouldn't be in there, trust me.

They will be getting a larger urchin made with straws this weekend to give them more room. That one was for the container.

[canadawest]

Originally Posted by EmilyB

That's brilliant! I also made an artificial ls urchin when I used to raise them, I think it makes a big difference in their survivability.

Hoping to see them all make it to saleable age, it's good for the hobby and rewarding too!