Cardinal releases fry!

[jacob30]

Well the dad finally released the little guys after a little coaxing on my part. I count 23 total. Alive and eating well on day one. A few were touch and go this morning but they are all eating and active this evening! They are eating decapsulated BBS.

The male cardinal was looking a little weary this morning so I netted him on day 24 to try and make him spit them out. He spit them out and was placed back in the main tank with his woman. He is doing well and eating like crazy. I will update as the days continue.


Jacob

[argi]

Awesome..need to see some pictures.

Congrates,

Keith

[jacob30]

22 alive and well as of today. They all look very healthy and well fed. I will post some pics later this week.

Jacob

[cwbroden]

Congrats. What do you plan on doing with the youngsters once they grow some?

[jacob30]

I have 22 total and I plan on distributing them locally. I have a few people already asking for some and a reatailer in the area will pick up the remaining.

[Nabber86]

Ours just relased 12 new fry today.

This is the second time it happend. The first time was almost 2 months ago. Does it have something to do with the full moon?

We now have 10 half-inch babies in the refugium and the 12 new ones in the main tank. My wife brought home another 10-gallon tank tonite. If this keeps up, I am not sure what we are going to do with them all.

Any suggestions. Should I start doing e-Bay fish auctions?

[jacob30]

Congrats on the fry! You may be able to get away with putting them all in the same tank, but if you do not want to risk it set up the new ten gallon.

I would try selling them locally or through a reputable LFS in your area.

Good Luck!

My bedroon is getting full of tanks. I need to set up a few breeding tanks in the garage.

[km133688]

ok, so you guys help me out. I want to do banggai too but all I manage to do is kill them because they won't eat. so...

What are you feeding your brood stock?
Where did you get your brood stock?
what are you feeding your fry?
how soon do they take frozen and commercial foods?
Can you describe you fry raising setups?
Also please articulate your daily process?

I know it is a lot, and I have been reading everything I can find, but I afraid to try again as like I said, last year this time I tried and simply killed off 6 fish. Someone said might have been because WC had a parasitic investation that was killing them all over and suggested I get CB. OK, I'll spend what ever it takes for CB but I don't want 100$ of fish dropping dead because of my stupidity or ignorance.

So if you can send some intelligence and experience my way, much appreciated.

Kevin

[jacob30]

1.What are you feeding your brood stock?
Frozen mysis and sometimes live brine

2.Where did you get your brood stock?
Local LFS

3.what are you feeding your fry?
Live baby brine shrimp (and rotifers but they are not necessary for cardinal fry) Live is very important here.

4.how soon do they take frozen and commercial foods?
About 2 weeks

5.Can you describe you fry raising setups?
20 gallon BB Hex with airstone some live rock some cheato and Caulerpa for nutrient absorption. (I have also used a refugium with a few modifications to intakes and overflows. Used parent tank water for initial fill.

6. Also please articulate your daily process?
Feed BBS and rotifers 2-3 times a day. Clean bottom when detritus accumulates. Water change once a week (about 3-5 gallons)

[True Percula]

yea any pics?

[km133688]

Wow!, that sound a lot easier than I thought. I mean, not that it is easy but I think I can do this. Thanks man.

Water change info is good to know.

I think I'll have somebody order me some ORA CB. Or maybe I'll head to InlandAquatics and get an already breeding pair. What do you think?

Kevin

[jacob30]

Just remember you must get the fry out of the main tank away from the parents or they will be fish food. I usually catch the male cardinal once I can see some cardinal like fry moving around in his mouth. Around day 20-23 for the removal of the male. I then place the male in the rearing tank until he releases them. If he has not released by day 23 I "help" him along (catch with net and he will most likely spit them out).

Also add a seachem ammonia indicator to the rearing tank.

The other option is to just catch fry in the main tank after he releases them naturally (but higher mortaslity due to pumps and other animals eating them).

[jacob30]

pics tomorrow

[True Percula]

cant wait

[jacob30]

[Kathy55g]

Wow, I have got to try these.

[CrazyLionfish]

aww they're so cute haha

[km133688]

that picture does it for me, I'm going for it.

[nickb]

Jacob30: I like both of your recent threads. Hope the babies keep growing well. Two questions:

1) How did you get the breeding pair of Bangaii? Did you buy them or pair them up yourself?

2) Do you have a dedicated tank for the parents or are they in a communal main display tank?

Thanks.

[jacob30]

The breeding pair were bought from a local LFS. Originally I had three but one was isolated and eventually did not make it. They are in a communal tank and they only eat frozen mysis and live brine.

All is well with the babies at this point. The cardinals are eating well and are active. The clowns are doing great so far (day 8 tomorrow).

[fussoverthis]

Does anyone attempt to raise bangaii cardinals in their main tank using long spine urchins for them to use as protection against other fish who might attempt to prey on the young? When I first got my bangaii pair, they were very small and lived among the spines of my urchin for several months.

Melissa

[jacob30]

It would be difficult to provide adequete food for them while in the main tank. Impossible? No, but not ideal. It is kinda cool to see them in the spines however.

[fussoverthis]

Ah - that makes sense... The two I had were accepting frozen mysis when I got them, so feeding them wasn't a problem.

Since they are nocturnal, would it be possible to feed at night to avoid all food being eaten by other tankmates? Just an idea

Melissa

[jacob30]

Yes but their first food should be BBS. At least for me this would be a PITA to feed them only at night. I still think it would be challenging for them to get enough to eat. Are yours breeding yet?

[Atticus]

Bangaii are not nocturnal. I have witnessed them being more active than other fish right before lights out, but they are definatly not nocturnal. You can actually use their sleep pattern to net them to collect fry.