Bali Catshark Breeding

[Crumbs]

Hi everyone!

I just wanted to share with you the most recent shark species that I have bred and hatched, Atelomycterus baliensis.

Catsharks have been my biggest passion for as long as I can remember and I have truly dedicated myself to this family of shark... and several others.
To my knowledge this species has only been bred in Oari Aqua World in Japan. I would love to hear if anyone knows otherwise.



Here is a sexy time video
http://youtu.be/xDhzjCkxmSE


Stages of embryo development
http://youtu.be/YxpusFAS-Is


and finally my first baliensis neonate. It's a boy!
http://youtu.be/Iip9d2x77aE


If interested, feel free to subscribe to me on youtube and checkout my sites for more info. There will be many more videos to come!

Chris

[stopsharkfinning]

Hi everyone!

I just wanted to share with you the most recent shark species that I have bred and hatched, Atelomycterus baliensis.

Catsharks have been my biggest passion for as long as I can remember and I have truly dedicated myself to this family of shark... and several others.
To my knowledge this species has only been bred in Oari Aqua World in Japan. I would love to hear if anyone knows otherwise.



Here is a sexy time video
http://youtu.be/xDhzjCkxmSE


Stages of embryo development
http://youtu.be/YxpusFAS-Is


and finally my first baliensis neonate. It's a boy!
http://youtu.be/Iip9d2x77aE


If interested, feel free to subscribe to me on youtube and checkout my sites for more info. There will be many more videos to come!

Chris

thats great news Chris, well done

[betazxczxc]

Congrats!

Sent from my GT-N7000 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App

[Zoodiver]

Nice job Chris!

[krj-1168]

Congrats, Chris.

[Crumbs]

Thank you!

Here are several pictures of the system which has helped contribute to happy sharks.

My lab- water testing


LSS


Prefilter, with filter bag and filter floss


Highly oxygenated bio reactor with Kaldnes media


From the left, 200 lb sulfur Autotrophic denit system, UltimaII, Kaldnes reactor, Accupac 650 bio media degas tower.


Kaldnes close up


Accupac 650 close up


RK2 PE 25, Sander O3 generator, Peristaltic Pump feeding FW and calcium hydroxide to precipitate PO4


And I had to cut my ceiling open to fit the surging bio tower in that I built. hehe

[Crumbs]

and before I look like a hypocrite

[Zoodiver]

I love that set up. Are you pretty happy with the sulfur set up?

[Mount_Prion]

Wow, incredible accomplishment and setup. You are the man.

[Crumbs]

Thanks

Matt, I am not sure if you are referring to the method of denitrification or the reactors. Here is my take on it.

Heterotrophic bacteria, the methanol based denitrification method is already obsolete, troublesome, requires orp controller to regulate the flow rate and has a higher risk of fouling and hydrogen sulphide production. Especially aquarpur systems are set up to crash and burn and need automation. So I give that method two thumbs down. I would not trust using methanol or less efficient vodka with my eggs or sharks anyways.

That leaves the Autotrophic bacteria method with sulfur and a secondary chamber of crushed coral. There is a much lower risk of hydrogen sulphide production, it does not require automation and will not produce a heavy bio film and clog like the method above. I have my denit system discharge into the RK2 fractionator where it makes O3 contact and then is passed threw the degas chamber to be safe. H2S oxidises quite easily. I have a greater ratio of crushed coral then sulfur and welcome the extra buffering.

When the fractionator discharges into the degas tower, it is also mixed at the top of the reactor with water from the other side of my LSS with the two bead filters.

As far as the reactor goes, I was trying to maximise the size of the reactor in the space available while getting the best bang for my buck. If I had deeper pockets, I would have built the reactor out of acrylic. You could use a typical sand filter but with a low flow and wider base I feel there is a greater chance for the flow to channel resulting in anaerobic pockets but it would make life easier to back flush. Because I can not backflush the unit, I taped a 1/4" valve on the input that I hook up to compressed O2- pic below. I close the valve to the pump so I don't spin the impeller backwards and blow the motor- blast with O2 to loosen the media up and then flush it out.
I am happy with my system.

I would advise to use a narrow reactor with distributor screen. If you smell rotten eggs it is going anaerobic and you simply increase the flow.

Denit output

Denit input, with 1/4" compressed gas valve for loosening media and flushing.


Anyone looking for the easiest and safest denitrification method, I recommend NP Active Pearls. They can be used aerobically or anoxically with greater efficiency and are available from Dr. Tim's. The bead acts as its own source of organic carbon and I give it a thumbs up. This method is produced by Aquaculture Systems Technologies, watch out for other products that do not use organic sources to produce the beads and could be harmful when they break down.