Bangai’s bred in my tank!
- Thread starter gmdcdvm
- Start date
MichaelB
Supporting Member
Neptunes in san jose carries live brine as well now fyi.
I've got an extra 20g tank you can have if you can wait until the swap.
I have a couple extra 20g long tanks you’re welcome to use, and I’m nearby. Also have extra 10g and 5g tanks. I have extra heaters, air pumps, circ pumps, etc. I know I have issues.
gmdcdvm
Supporting Member
Week 6 update:
Not much to report since last time. Overall growth looks to have slowed down. The fish are still eating newly hatched brine shrimp and frozen pods. I still have not seen any interest in either R.O.E, Beta Brine, Mysis, or Reef Nutrition Arcti pods. Until I can get them eating dead foods reliably, I cannot consider selling them. They are probably 3/4's of the size of the ones I have seen for sale as captive bred so I think they are getting close. Maybe another 2 to 4 weeks? We'll see...
Gerry
Not much to report since last time. Overall growth looks to have slowed down. The fish are still eating newly hatched brine shrimp and frozen pods. I still have not seen any interest in either R.O.E, Beta Brine, Mysis, or Reef Nutrition Arcti pods. Until I can get them eating dead foods reliably, I cannot consider selling them. They are probably 3/4's of the size of the ones I have seen for sale as captive bred so I think they are getting close. Maybe another 2 to 4 weeks? We'll see...
Gerry
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gmdcdvm
Supporting Member
Week 7 update:
No pics today. Didn't have time before I left for work. Not much new this week. Still eating freshly hatched brine shrimp and frozen pods. I have seen the occasional fish eat one of the reef nutrition arti pods, but overall no major interest in any larger foods such as beta brine, mysis, ROE, plankton.
The biggest issue I have now is that they are outgrowing the 5g tank. Most of them are the size of a nickel now (overall size including fins, there bodies are still relatively small). From what I have been able to find online I think we are on the right track. I suspect in about another 3 to 4 weeks we will be able to sell them, but the limiting factgor right now is their diet. The plan is to keep several of them to try and do this again.
It has been fun and interesting. The most time-consuming part of all of this is remembering to keep alternating the brine shrimp hatcheries to have a steady supply of live food. Thankfully, I did not have any major trips planned the last two months. From a financial standpoint it is not worth the effort. My son has enjoyed all of this but given how busy he is with school and sports I have done the majority of the maintenance. Unless someone ever comes up with some cool mutations for these guys that they can sell for a premium I don't think there is any financial incentive for a hobby breeder. I wonder what kind of systems larger breeders use to make it cost effective.
On a side note, if any of you have a confirmed lonely male or two you are looking to rehome let me know. I still have two females in the display tank that are looking for a new significant other. I checked on all the fish dating sites, but they were not interested in what was available, hahaha. What is interesting is that the two females have started hanging out together. Previously, they used to chase each other around. Now that there is no longer a male present they have gradually started to hang out and most nights are sleeping next to each other.
Fingers crossed, we have not lost a single fish yet....
Gerry
No pics today. Didn't have time before I left for work. Not much new this week. Still eating freshly hatched brine shrimp and frozen pods. I have seen the occasional fish eat one of the reef nutrition arti pods, but overall no major interest in any larger foods such as beta brine, mysis, ROE, plankton.
The biggest issue I have now is that they are outgrowing the 5g tank. Most of them are the size of a nickel now (overall size including fins, there bodies are still relatively small). From what I have been able to find online I think we are on the right track. I suspect in about another 3 to 4 weeks we will be able to sell them, but the limiting factgor right now is their diet. The plan is to keep several of them to try and do this again.
It has been fun and interesting. The most time-consuming part of all of this is remembering to keep alternating the brine shrimp hatcheries to have a steady supply of live food. Thankfully, I did not have any major trips planned the last two months. From a financial standpoint it is not worth the effort. My son has enjoyed all of this but given how busy he is with school and sports I have done the majority of the maintenance. Unless someone ever comes up with some cool mutations for these guys that they can sell for a premium I don't think there is any financial incentive for a hobby breeder. I wonder what kind of systems larger breeders use to make it cost effective.
On a side note, if any of you have a confirmed lonely male or two you are looking to rehome let me know. I still have two females in the display tank that are looking for a new significant other. I checked on all the fish dating sites, but they were not interested in what was available, hahaha. What is interesting is that the two females have started hanging out together. Previously, they used to chase each other around. Now that there is no longer a male present they have gradually started to hang out and most nights are sleeping next to each other.
Fingers crossed, we have not lost a single fish yet....
Gerry
MichaelB
Supporting Member
Are the males larger than the females. I have a massive one not sure the sex.
tribbitt
Supporting Member
You have to check the little bumps underneath
I have a picture earlier in this thread
MichaelB
Supporting Member
So not obvious like clowns
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Have you tried any dry foods like flake or TDO pellets (crushed up so they're small)?
gmdcdvm
Supporting Member
The males tend to have more of a square jaw line: https://www.researchgate.net/figure...only indication of the,is easily recognized. ...
The males have two little bumps behind their pectoral fins. Honestly, they never held still long enough for me to see these. The jawline was really easy to discern once they were adults:
How to determine the sex of Banggai cardinalfish
Banggai cardinalfish, Pteragon kauderni, are the referred to as the "guppies" of the marine fish breeding world. However, determining their sex in order to form pairs is sometimes problematic.
reefs.com
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gmdcdvm
Supporting Member
I tried TDO in various sizes and flakes. So far no interest. They all just watch them slowly drift to the bottom. I have to be careful about overfeeding to avoid water quality issues. The two adults I have just recently started eating pellets, but I think this is because of the feeding frenzy that occurs during feeding time. I drop in the frozen foods (mysis, plankton, Rod's) at the same time as the pellets. Since all the fish are going crazy for anything that goes by in the current they eat first and ask questions later. When I just feed pellets they usually either show little interest or don't eat anything at all.
Have any of you been able to get the adults to eat pellets consistently?
tribbitt
Supporting Member
Mine almost exclusively eats TDO and shows more interest towards pellets than frozen.
Same with my clowns. Mostly TDO, frozen occasionally
I turn off flow and feed, and the banggai eats so aggressively it splashes water out of the tank
MichaelB
Supporting Member
This guy or girl eats any and everything
Roe, mysis, brine, pellets, even flakes.
It does top water explosions too like bass so funny.
Best pictures i had on my phone of it. If need better ones i can get some when i'm home.
If it's a male you can have it.
tribbitt
Supporting Member
Looks female from jaw, but i’m not great at ID.
I’m following this thread with great interest, I have a male and want to try this
MichaelB
Supporting Member
I only know it's big lol.Looks female from jaw, but i’m not great at ID.
I’m following this thread with great interest, I have a male and want to try this