> glQuestion Adrian - when you put them on peat, filter or whatever - did you
also seal them in the container that they would be traveling in? If there is a
buildup of something unpleasant from the peat/filter etc., it could change the
outcome. I was just wondering if you controled for that.
> I believe that it is important not to leave them in the vials too long so they
are sealed the day they are sent off. To move eggs quickly I take them to the
biggest mail facility that you have. In my case that's the airport. I can send
eggs to most places in the US for $3.00 and they almost always arrive alive.
That is unless you live in some tiny hole-in-the wall like Alice Springs/Aspen
:-) where the post office is non-existant. Eggs sent in this manner usually
arrive in 2 days. I have posted to this list (in a rather extensive note) on
how I send eggs but I didn't get a single comment. You might go back and take a
look if you are interested. Three things I find critical - 1) don't crowd the
eggs - 30 maximum to a 20 ml vial 2) eliminate as many infertile ones as
possible. Put them in a light solution of methylene blue the night before. The
infertile eggs will stain blue. I have had some sad sacs report that all of the
eggs turn blue - you are using too much MB if all the eggs turn blue! A few bad
eggs can spoil the whole bunch so it is important to weed them out. 3) Use a
piece of brand new yarn that has never been in the aquarium to separate your
eggs from one another, just in case you do get a bad egg. All of those nasty
little (usually harmless) critters growing in the mop have a field day with your
eggs and all of your eggs will be a nice grey mush once they get them. You will
be surprised at just how cold rainbow eggs can get and still be viable however
they won't survive freezing. I always ship eggs in a styro. Even overseas
shipments get put into a tiny styro to at least help with the temperature.
Also when packing, make sure the vials can't roll back and forth, that just
causes more wear and tear on the eggs. For overseas shipping label everything
very carefully so that it will go through customs in the quickest possible
manner.
...the conclusion that it is the result of handling during
shipment that causes the problems. They no doubt get subjected to extremes
of temperature and rough handling.
..As for Ron's Bowman methods, I have had a few reports that they haven't been
entirely successful at times....
>gl almost every time I've had a bad shipment from Ron it's been because he
didn't follow his own rules. 1) didn't Meth blue the eggs the day before 1-2
eggs ate the whole batch 2) sent eggs when the temp was way below freezing here
3) didn't tape down the lids adequately enough and they popped with the air
pressure changes. This stuff is possible to do reliably it's just that a great
many people that try and send eggs only follow half of the things needed for a
successful egg shipment (not a comment on Adrian's experiments as I don't have
any first hand knowledge of that). It might also be helpful to add a small
amount of extra general hardness in the way of Calcium. We know that adding
shell grit does help with the hatching of most eggs, maybe adding a KNOWN amount
of calcium chloride would also help. For those of you that had questions about
forcing eggs I also posted a quite extensive group of forcing techniques to this
list about a month ago.
>Gary Lange
Rainbowfish Study Group
gwlang at ccmail.monsanto.com