Hello all,
As I mentioned in a few of my other posts, I recently moved to Virginia and because my mom fell in love with my African Cichlids, I was required to leave that tank at my parents house.... I did get to take 3 tanks with me tho....
My parents dont really do too much with the tanks. I told them how to make sure there is enough water, how to change the filters, and what to do to feed them and then I'm usually back here every few weeks and I do water changes and other maintence.... it really works out well.
So tonight (or I guess last night it is) I arrive home to visit for easter and I plan on doing my routine water changes in their two tanks. First I decide that the chichlids havent had a treat in a while so I chopped up some brocolli and sat and watched them eat it. All of a sudden I see something extremely tiny run out from under a rock, grab a piece of brocolli and run back in.... I did a double take.... couldnt figure out what was going on.
I knew that over the last month or so, the two blue lobsters that we had in that tank were very shy. They dug a gigantic hole under one of the rocks (and as I now know) that went clear down to the UGF.
.... yes ... I am a daddy....
Immediately I knew that it was important to get the babies out of there. I knew that the chichlids would have them for dinner once they decided to start coming out of the rocks. It being after midnight and now technically easter I was very concerned as to what I was going to do. I called Wal-Mart and thankfully they are open all day today.
I went and picked up a 10 gallon tank, a UGF, bubble wall, air pump, thermometer and all the odds and ends. I also picked up some goldfish food which I read on a site somewhere that this is a good item to feed babies.... that was about all the site was good for (so I dont even know if that was correct). I also dug out my old heater and powerfilter from one of my old tanks.
I did the typical set up routine and then took about 4 gallons of water from the cichlid tank and dumped it in the new 10 gallon. I then used bottled spring water to fill up the rest of the tank and heated each gallon in the microwave to approx 75F. I let this tank run for about a half hour to make sure the temperature was as close as possible (and of course will be checking it very very heavily while I am still here visiting and then instructing my parents to watch after that).
Then I took a few of the tulfa rock from my cichlid tank and added them into the 10 gallon. At this point the fun began. I started taking all of the tulfa rock out of the cichlid tank as the lobsters were hiding under them (this was good too because it was time for a REAL GOOD cleaning of that tank). As I got the bottom of the rocks my mom was standing by with a net to make sure that the cichlids didnt catch sight of the babies as I uncovered them. After each rock I checked for a baby. Also at this point I removed daddy (Im pretty sure its the male) and put him in a bowl temporarily. After taking everything out of the tank I found 2 of the cutest little lobsters ever
I moved them over to the new 10 gallon and dropped a few pieces of lobster food in as well as 2 or 3 goldfish flakes. I then gave the cichlid tank a good cleaning, put the rocks back in, and put daddy back in the cichlid tank. In all of this there was no site of mommy.
My assumption is that mommy died when having the babies and became food to the cichlids after that. I found two legs under the rocks so I assume those were her's. Do lobsters molt at the same time they give birth -- possibly why she was eaten?
So why do I need help? Well, first of all -- what did I do wrong? Anything? I am hoping that I did everything that I possibly could have. Any suggestions on what I should have done differently?
Also, what should I feed these babies? Is the goldfish flakes idea a good one or are they able to eat the crab and lobster bites that I feed the adult lobster?
Another question I have is this. I know that it is crucial to have aeration in a tank with lobsters -- this is why I got the bubble wall and the UGF. I also read somewhere that in lieu of the aeration, make sure they have a way up to the top for air. Do I really need to build a rock structure to the top of the tank or is the aeration plenty for the babies? I have never seen any of my lobsters climb to the top of the tank before (except on one occasion).
Also, I did add some salt to the new 10 gallon. Should I continue to do this on water changes? I know that salt is very beneficial to fish and also helps control certain diseases but how does salt affect lobsters?
One last thing -- I took some pics of the babies. As soon as I finish up checking email and such I am going to download them to my parents computer and I'll post them to the web and add the link to this thread.
Happy Easter to all and thanks for all the help that you have already been in my never ending schooling (pun) of fish
As I mentioned in a few of my other posts, I recently moved to Virginia and because my mom fell in love with my African Cichlids, I was required to leave that tank at my parents house.... I did get to take 3 tanks with me tho....
My parents dont really do too much with the tanks. I told them how to make sure there is enough water, how to change the filters, and what to do to feed them and then I'm usually back here every few weeks and I do water changes and other maintence.... it really works out well.
So tonight (or I guess last night it is) I arrive home to visit for easter and I plan on doing my routine water changes in their two tanks. First I decide that the chichlids havent had a treat in a while so I chopped up some brocolli and sat and watched them eat it. All of a sudden I see something extremely tiny run out from under a rock, grab a piece of brocolli and run back in.... I did a double take.... couldnt figure out what was going on.
I knew that over the last month or so, the two blue lobsters that we had in that tank were very shy. They dug a gigantic hole under one of the rocks (and as I now know) that went clear down to the UGF.
.... yes ... I am a daddy....
Immediately I knew that it was important to get the babies out of there. I knew that the chichlids would have them for dinner once they decided to start coming out of the rocks. It being after midnight and now technically easter I was very concerned as to what I was going to do. I called Wal-Mart and thankfully they are open all day today.
I went and picked up a 10 gallon tank, a UGF, bubble wall, air pump, thermometer and all the odds and ends. I also picked up some goldfish food which I read on a site somewhere that this is a good item to feed babies.... that was about all the site was good for (so I dont even know if that was correct). I also dug out my old heater and powerfilter from one of my old tanks.
I did the typical set up routine and then took about 4 gallons of water from the cichlid tank and dumped it in the new 10 gallon. I then used bottled spring water to fill up the rest of the tank and heated each gallon in the microwave to approx 75F. I let this tank run for about a half hour to make sure the temperature was as close as possible (and of course will be checking it very very heavily while I am still here visiting and then instructing my parents to watch after that).
Then I took a few of the tulfa rock from my cichlid tank and added them into the 10 gallon. At this point the fun began. I started taking all of the tulfa rock out of the cichlid tank as the lobsters were hiding under them (this was good too because it was time for a REAL GOOD cleaning of that tank). As I got the bottom of the rocks my mom was standing by with a net to make sure that the cichlids didnt catch sight of the babies as I uncovered them. After each rock I checked for a baby. Also at this point I removed daddy (Im pretty sure its the male) and put him in a bowl temporarily. After taking everything out of the tank I found 2 of the cutest little lobsters ever
I moved them over to the new 10 gallon and dropped a few pieces of lobster food in as well as 2 or 3 goldfish flakes. I then gave the cichlid tank a good cleaning, put the rocks back in, and put daddy back in the cichlid tank. In all of this there was no site of mommy.My assumption is that mommy died when having the babies and became food to the cichlids after that. I found two legs under the rocks so I assume those were her's. Do lobsters molt at the same time they give birth -- possibly why she was eaten?
So why do I need help? Well, first of all -- what did I do wrong? Anything? I am hoping that I did everything that I possibly could have. Any suggestions on what I should have done differently?
Also, what should I feed these babies? Is the goldfish flakes idea a good one or are they able to eat the crab and lobster bites that I feed the adult lobster?
Another question I have is this. I know that it is crucial to have aeration in a tank with lobsters -- this is why I got the bubble wall and the UGF. I also read somewhere that in lieu of the aeration, make sure they have a way up to the top for air. Do I really need to build a rock structure to the top of the tank or is the aeration plenty for the babies? I have never seen any of my lobsters climb to the top of the tank before (except on one occasion).
Also, I did add some salt to the new 10 gallon. Should I continue to do this on water changes? I know that salt is very beneficial to fish and also helps control certain diseases but how does salt affect lobsters?
One last thing -- I took some pics of the babies. As soon as I finish up checking email and such I am going to download them to my parents computer and I'll post them to the web and add the link to this thread.
Happy Easter to all and thanks for all the help that you have already been in my never ending schooling (pun) of fish
