Bangai Cardinal pair

[Herefishyfishy]

I got the unproven pair a couple months ago and have been feeding them VERY well. They gained 25% in size eating anything I put in the tank.
They never leave each other for long and most recently have spent all of their time around the Purple slimer colony.

I noticed the larger male Bangai had a swollen very squared off mouth today and he isnt feeding so I am hopeful I have my first clutch of bangai eggs.....

If so, will be some hard choices to make about a second (or third) tank

 

[roscoe]

Very nice Mike.

 

[SU#!]

He is definitely holding eggs!!

 

[returnofsid]

That's definitely a swollen buccal sack from holding eggs!! WooHoo!!!

 

[gotfish]

Is there a way to sex bangai's?

 

[G&NSalty425]

Congrats Mike If you grow out the babies I would love to buy a couple from you

 

[loohunter]

wow! beautiful fish i would love a dozen they are so peaceful

 

[gas4544]

Back in 2002 I raised four batches of fry with a very high survival rate. If you would like some tips, let me know.

Gary

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Back in 2002 I raised four batches of fry with a very high survival rate. If you would like some tips, let me know.

Gary

Absolutely

 

[loohunter]

Absolutely

Mike, this is exciting! let me know when you are ready to sell some

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Thanks Shannon and N&G. Another friend of mine one raised some. The babies were sooooo cute. Identical to the parents, just tiny. Has always been a hope, but never any expectation. Tank raising an endangered specie sounds pretty cool.

Sexing Bangais is kinda hit and miss until you have a pair. Then it is fairly obvious. Not all fin methods help much. The best way is by size and shape of the face. The male is more square jawed. There are many other ways different people use, but no real consensus.

 

[rainydave]

Very cool!

 

[returnofsid]

Better start making some fake urchins!!! Give them an urchin nursery!!

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Male carrying his second clutch, I bot a 29 cube. Need to make some makeshift urchins. Any ideas besides a drilled PVC end cap with weed eater line or pickup sticks? Got a lot of reading to do. Anyone with a long spine urchin for sale?

 

[returnofsid]

Styrofoam balls with black or dark blue toothpicks. Tie it to a piece of live rock with some fishing line. Might PM Barbie, as she's had a lil' experience with Benghai fry and stripping the babies. I do know that they come out of the mouth looking like miniature adults. They're SOOOO cute.

 

[Myteemouse]

also you can use black small zip ties sticking out of the media for the body of the fake urchin

 

[rainydave]

Reef Hobbyist magazine suggested epoxy putty with black zip ties.

 

[csababubbles]

if you have no other fish in the tank except the parents, will the babies survive or will the parents eat them?

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Came up with a new brilliant plan, Bioballs! They hold the black zip ties and trimmer line.

Parents will often eat babies just like all other damsels including clown fish.
I have not decided whether I will pull parents back out after babies released. For now, the nano is in a mini-cycle so no fish yet. They did have a second brood in the display so pair is proven :>)

 

[brandyrb]

Cool, why fake urchins?