Bangaii Male is holding How do I collect?

[GregDoug]

I have one very full mouth on my male that I just noticed today and another one with a larger then normal mouth. I cannot see inside the males mouth but the one is for sure holding just like African Cichlids do. My question is, the group is in my 280 and I have no chance of catching the male (perhaps males) that are holding. How can I catch the babies when he spits them out? Are bangaii babies attracted to light like clown babies at night? Also, is there a certian time of the day that the father is likely to spit them out?
Also, I have a RR tank so will the babies most likely go over the overflow and into my sump? If so, I have a bucket that the water goes into first (because I had a small maroon who kept going over) but will the baby bangaii's fit through the drilled holes in the bucket? The holes are about 1/4 in diameter, maybe smaller.

[Vert20]

Try making a fake Urchin...Styrofoam ball with coffee stir sticks as the spines. They natually will try to hide in urchins. secure it with a suction cup or line so it won't be tossed around in the tank.

The will probably pass thru 1/4" holes...if they survive the trip.

When you see little bangaii in the pops mouth, they are getting ready to release...

HTH

I have yet to get a pair to hold...so this is stuff I have read and picked up here and there. Take it as FWIW

[oceanarus]

I've also used the floating version of the fake urchin Vert described. Use a flat piece of styro foam with a lot of tooth picks in it pointing down into the water. When they congregate in there, use a piece of tupperware or bowl to scoop the whole thing up.

[GregDoug]

Here are a few pictures. He is hiding now in the back corner under some liverock but I will catch him from the side when he goes behind the liverock wall.

[ri]

Here is how I catch the male Banggai (Thanks to Guy for this suggestion)...

Since the Banggai is primarily nocturnal, use that to your advantage. First, make sure you have a net nearby, a container to place the fish into and the tank is accessible (hood open...)

At night, turn off all the tank and room lights. Let the male get used to the darkness for an hour or two. Wait for the male to be in an open area of the tank and turn on all the tank lights at one time. This will "stun" the male leaving him almost motionless. You should be able to easily net and transfer the fish. I can almost hand-catch mine this way!

Don't be surprised if the male releases the babies once you net him.

Good luck!

ri

[GregDoug]

Here is another photo... mostly because I am excited and like reading the replies to my post :-)
As far as catching him with a light at night... its a great idea but he hides way down into the reef and I would have to take out about 100 lbs of rock without him moving :-)

[GregDoug]

Oh, I also wanted to ask, the male has a mouthful of 'something' and keeps acting like he is gagging (jerking like we do when we gag). Does this help judge the timing of release?
Also, I read they hold for about 21 days and I wanted to ask if there is anyway to tell how far along he is? I cannot see inside the mouth since he keeps it closed but not only is his mouth really squared and swollen, but he also now has a large pocket far down on his throat.
My last question is, my tank temp goes up to about 86 during the days now (I know, I am trying to fix it) and I read on the Breeders Registry that temps above 80 or so prevent eggs from developing, anyone know anything about this?

[FMarini]

hi guys-
looks like hes getting ready to pop. The gagging your calling it, is "juggling" of the eggs or fry in his mouth. No worrys about this, but it does signify that the stuff in his mouth his getting big. If you don't see eyeballs yet then you[ve got a ways to go, if you do see little eyeballs peering out of his mouth, then your in luck and the fry relase should be sometime in the next week or so. 21 days was an average of time. i have heard even longer times, so don't use 21 days as a set point. Lastly, high temperatures result in accelerated development of the fry and i'm not sure what that means in terms of birth defects or deformaties. But you'll want to kep the tank at 80-ish or below. 86 is starting to get a wee bit too warm

[GregDoug]

Well, the dad released last night and while I had a fake urchin in the 280, only 2 babies found it. I netted the whole thing but I only caught one and placed him in a plastic baby trap. Here is a photo of the one... and I know... I am not a very good photographer



I also wanted to ask... will babies make it in a tank if they hide well enough? They are in my 280 which has about 500lbs of LR but also has about 20 clowns, 4 tangs, and a few smaller misc fish like a copperband and a 6-line.

[FMarini]

you might end up w/ one or two that evade and survive on sufficent infauna.
The key is not hiding the fry do that very well and after 2 or 3 days they become champs at it. Its that the fry will starve as appropiate sized foods is not found in sufficent quanities
frank

[sixxer]

I think your best bet would be to give those Tangs to one of your local fish-buddies!

That way you don't have to worry about them eating the Babies!

Congrats on the birth!!!!!!!!

[Gerard Alba]

Congrats...

[GregDoug]

Finally, a photo that allows the baby to be seen. He is about 3 days old now and looks great I think

[Apon]

What do you feed the fry? anything special?

[GregDoug]

baby brine shrimp