Baby’s Bangai’s in the small display!

[gmdcdvm]

Well,
The baby bangai’s finally made it into the smaller display tank. I apologize to those who showed interest. It’s been a struggle to coordinate sales due to time constraints or location, work trips, vacations.
Ended up with 12 babies. All eating really well. Need to confirm with my son, but I think he wants to keep 4. So probably sell 7 or 8 of them.
It’s been a cool ride. But after a while not worth the effort if you look at it from purely a financial stand point. I wonder how the commercial guys do it. They are finally easy. Eating whatever goes into the tank. No more baby brine shrimp!

Gerry

 

[ReyDeFarts]

I wish you were closer. I'd love to buy at least a couple of them.

 

[Fish Boss]

Its been really cool watching this project from start until now!

 

[gmdcdvm]

Some updated pics. I wish these fish would hangout like this when they get older. It is really cool to see them move as a group. With their patterns it creates a cool shimmer like effect. From what I have read or seen they will pair up and eventually kill off their competitors. Makes me wonder if you have enough of them together will it work out???? Still have twelve of them. It is interesting to see the size discrepancies. About 3 to 4 are quite a bit bigger than rest. Thankfully, the wrasse and clowns are leaving the little ones alone. Still have a total of 12.

 

[Alexander1312]

Some updated pics. I wish these fish would hangout like this when they get older. It is really cool to see them move as a group. With their patterns it creates a cool shimmer like effect. From what I have read or seen they will pair up and eventually kill off their competitors. Makes me wonder if you have enough of them together will it work out???? Still have twelve of them. It is interesting to see the size discrepancies. About 3 to 4 are quite a bit bigger than rest. Thankfully, the wrasse and clowns are leaving the little ones alone. Still have a total of 12.



View attachment 69910View attachment 69911

Very interesting that this is the case. My ‘first memory‘ of becoming very much fascinated and interested in a reef tank was a display tank in a public aquarium in either Singapore or Switzerland several years ago - cannot remember exactly where - which was dedicated to Pterapogon kaudeni only, a large number of them which seemed to swim in school formation (update: most likely Singapore). The light and everything was perfect and it was both my wife's and my favorite display tank. We always wanted them (not sure if they fit into my tank though).

 

[gmdcdvm]

How big was the display? I wonder if there is a critical mass where the aggression gets diluted out over too many individuals. But at $40-60 each I can’t see someone spending $400 or more to try that out and risk losing fish. I suspect it also depends on overall tank size. That’s why I wonder what happens if they all stay together. Keep toying with the idea of a long spine urchin.

I need to get a video at night when the main light is off and they get some indirect kitchen light. That’s when it looks cool.

 

[Fish Boss]

It will probably help that they all came from the same clutch too

 

[gmdcdvm]

Just another quick update. My son was looking at pics of the Bangai's and realized it has been 11 months since we saw the male brooding them babies in his mouth. That pic was from August of last year. So, it's almost time for a 1-year birthday party. We continue to have 12 of them and they are still shoaling together with some minor disputes. It does look pretty cool to have a large group and watch them move around. I need to get a good video and upload. I really want to add them all to the display. I think a shoal of 12 to 14 bangai's would look cool, but I am worried about how the two adults will handle it or if the other fish in the tank will show some aggression. I tried introducing my rhomboid wrasse and my male swallowtail angel wasn't having it.

Maybe if I add the bangais and the two baby clowns all at once there will be too many fish for specific aggression? After all this time and all the hard work and effort I don't want to lose any fish for stupid reasons. I was unable to sell any of them due to timing or people being geographically undesirable (hahaha). My son said we should still try selling 6 of them, but I am on the fence.

I will get a video uploaded soon.

Gerry

 

[MolaMola]

I would love to see your bangai shoal!! This school year I hope to rejuvenate my 105g and finally get some fish back in there. I really loved my small group of chromis several years ago and prefer fish that do not swim fast and far and make me feel like I am trapping them in a waterbox. I also love how they hang out in plain view. What a great group of fish you have there!

 

[gmdcdvm]

Alright, got a quick video today. Not the greatest since they think it is feeding time. If I stand to far away from the tank you can see them moving around but the video is not as good. The problem is the regal, butterfly, wrasse, and clowns all think it is feeding time too. Can't wait till I can get all of them into the display.

 

[gmdcdvm]

It has been a while since I had any updates for this thread. Now after almost two years it is finally time for the bangai's to go into the main display. I am a little concerned about one of the adult females who is already lurking around. I hope she is just looking for a mate. I also hope with adding 8 total and the 2 already present there will not be too much aggression. If it happens, I will have to fish them out and tjhey can live in the small tank.

 

[Kensington Reefer]

swim!
be free!!

 

[gmdcdvm]

Well,
So far so good. As soon as I let the 8 bangai’s out the original two females jumped into the group. I wonder with all the larger fish if they feel safer in a group.

 

[Kensington Reefer]

Well,
So far so good. As soon as I let the 8 bangai’s out the original two females jumped into the group. I wonder with all the larger fish if they feel safer in a group.

Safe in group…until it’s time for gamete exchange

 

[MolaMola]

Looks great! Those fish look bigger than I thought they would be and well fed. Nice! Will be interesting to follow their behavior among the other fish.

 

[iani]

The 4 I got from you are all still peaceful.

 

[Chrism1330]

Anymore available?

 

[gmdcdvm]

Anymore available?

Too late now. I had 12 survive to adulthood. Sold 4 to Ian. The rest just went into the main display.

Kensington reefer had a pair up for sale. Dont know if they sold.

 

[gmdcdvm]

Quick update: My wife noticed the smallest bangai had a chewed up fin. She caught him and placed him back in the 60g. She said she saw both the clownfish and maybe one of the original female bangai picking on this one. Hopefully, this is not an ongoing issue with the rest. My back up plan is to try and catch one or both of the two larger females, place them in the smaller tank for a few months, and then reintroduce them. We'll sew what happens.