clownfish eggs tip

so as some of you may know i have a mated pair of percula who regularly spawn. the past few batches however did not seem to properly hatch, I would wake up the following day of hatch night to one or two little larvae squirming about.

yesterday, a little out of frustration and a little out of anger I tried a little experiment. I took a razor blade (a cutter blade to be exact) disinfected it and gently cut the eggs at the base of the tile where my clowns like to lay their eggs.

i then placed the "cut" eggs in the nursery thinking "heck im just fouling my water as they will never hatch"....well guess what.... 5 mins later I went back to check on THE little guy that hatched on his own and to my delight found hundreds of little larvae swimming about. im sure with my orcish hands I maybe sliced a couple but now that I know this works ill be surgical about it.

anyway just a little tip/experience I thought I would share with you all....

for the record i know feeding shrimp promotes the "stickiness" of eggs on the surface they are laid but is it possible i am feeding something that makes the "egg shell" to thick or robust for the little guys to break free?

i really should not be intervening in the hatch....

 

I can't help on your questions but wanted to say thx for the tip and congrats on your hundreds of larvae hatch!

 

so maybe hundreds is a little exaggerated but a solid 50 for sure, thx for you kind words OFK