The 20th day, collapse!

There are just a few zoeas floating. The majority died off in the last two days. I am not sure what was the problem this time.
I was looking forward to raising Amanos. I will probably try breeding Amanos next year again (will rest from them a bit). Instead I will try to breed less demanding species like Neocaridina denticulata sinensis-red and some other nicely colored Caridina/Neocaridina species, that desire no marine/brackish condition for rising the young.

14th day of full salinity

I changed 2 liters of water today and scarped the green phytoplankton off of the walls, so there is lots of food particles floating around. I will not feed for next 3-4 days, thanks to that.
It is hard to count, but there is approximately over 40 larvae floating around.
Some of the larvae are 18 days old.

7th day in marine water

Most larvae are alive and doing fine. Some of them still get caught in the surface.
I feed very little every second day, but rather stir the bottom with a spoon to lift all the settled phytoplankton food up, 3 times a day. I observed a few larvae holding on to a green piece of phytoplankton. It is impossible to make photos in this greenish water. I hope I will be able to make some good shots when the larvae transforms into the mysid stage.

Since the other two females didn't release their eggs (hatched) and started refusing food, I decided to return them back to the 180 liter main tank. I took them out of the main tank too soon. Two weeks sooner. many say that if the eggs have two eye like dots, the eggs are very close to hatching (in a few days). I don't think this is true, because my females eggs had those dots after carrying them for just two weeks. Scroll down the page to see the photo.

One female is ready :-)

Today one of my females released all the eggs. They hatched in the early morning hours. I returned that female back to the main 180 liter planted tank. She is behaving as normal.
After a few hours spent in freshwater hatching jar, the larvae are transferred to the marine water tank. I could count around approx 40 larvae, could be more.
So far I changed the water 3 times (20%). Water salinity is maintained at 1.025 SG (33.2).
I fed today a bit more with phytoplankton.
I had a problem with larvae getting stuck in the water surface. I read Noren's article again where he mentions this problem and increasing water flow (air flow through the air stone) should fix that problem. Now the water flow is a bit stronger.
Two females to go. I fed the females (in the hatchery jars) with very little algae Hikari food today and they are eating it.

The second batch added

Yesterday one of my Amanos released approx 20 more zoeas. I was waiting to see will more eggs hatch, but on my disappointment...nothing. I took 2 liters out of the salty tank (first water change) and poored in the water from the hatching jar together with the free floating zoeas. The spec. gravity went down to 1.023 (30.5 ppt). I poored enough of the prepared salty water from the 1.5 liter bottle to raise it back to 1.025 SG (33.2 ppt).
I didn't performed any water change by now because there was no need for it. I did not feed the larvae for the last 5 days because the water was still greenish from the food (sign that there is some food left in the water). All I did is occasionally stir the water with a spoon to raise the food fallen to the bottom (3 times a day). I fed a little amount of phytoplankton food today just to make sure everyone has enough of it.
Now there is approx. 40 zoeas floating.
Even though there is no surface film, some larvae get caught in the surface. Strange?
When that happens, I simply push them back into the water. I realised this was happening because of the air bubbles. The air stone was reduced but this time I reduced it even more, so there is only a few bubbles coming out of it now.
The water in the hatching jars is changed totally every 3-4 days. I don't want to put my females in danger from ammonia/nitrite poisoning. The water is conditioned with dechlorinator.
The more zoeas, the more food, the more water changes :-) is what I am going to do.
NOTE; the Amano females still carry lots of eggs.