banggai cardinals

Banggai are about the easiest fish to raise to adult hood. The first article I ever wrote (for FAMA) was on breeding Banggai.  ( I actually wrote it around 98, but didnt get published until a few years later because it was on the editors desk when he passed away.. ). 

Many people now days remove the male to let him release, but I was never a big fan.. I used to let the male release his babies in the 180 full blown reef. My male would always release in the same corner, just after lights out, so when the lights went out, I shut down most of the flow, get my mini mag flash light, and my turkey baster to slurp up the babies.  It was easy. I usually averaged 24-28 babies, my largest catch was 42, but I am sure thet there were larger clutches.

What makes banggai so easy is they they are ready to eat baby brine as soon as poppa spits them out, and hatching baby brine shrimp is super super easy. The key is to hatch new brine every day to feed to the baby banggai, and before you feed be sure to remove all of yesterdays baby brine shrimp because baby brine is only nutritional for a day.  

Good luck!

Got me a mated pair of Bangai's.
Lets see what happens in the near future!!!

like you said he spits them out in the same corner but my problem is the other fish. as i would be waiting for them so would my 6 line, hawk and, my tang. did you have that problem?

that would be cool, i would buy a few off you!

that would be cool to start making money off of them

would you have to remove the babies if you only had the mom and dad in the tank and it was a 15 gal tank?  I have a 15.5 shallow 20"X20" tank that I was thinking of breeding something.  I was thinking maybe star blennies but the  Bangai's would be neat also.  I am ignorant when it comes to this so just asking.
I think my male seahorse has babies but they would be to hard to raise.....

Yes, the parents would eat them

parents that eat their young....  I like those parents. lol    well on a serious not thanks......

i read somewhere after you take the male out and the fry start to grow you have to split up the larger ones for the smaller because the larger fry will eat up most of the food.

I think I will stay away from breeding as I have in real life. lmao   I will leave the breeding aspect to all the reefers that have the time and experience.  that way I can just buy a baby or two when the time comes.
If anyone breeds plat. clowns or naked clowns I want one so hit me up if you have one for sale in the future.

I got a LFS that has them. I know that the naked clowns are 22. I have some. Dont know about the Plat's price.

Where get I get a pair? I been after one for a while now.

Where get I get a pair? I been after one for a while now.

-mermaid

banggais aren't hard to find, in my experience.  and if you go to a nice LFS that doesn't have any, most likely will soon, or you can ask them to order you some.  they aren't an expensive fish.  i have noticed that LFSs have carried less lately, so maybe they are one of the fish that either A. people aren't buying as much of(which i doubt) or B. they are one of the fish that are begining to be more difficult and expensive to import(much more likely since the taxes and charges for shipping fish from out of states have sky rocketed).  since we have people breeding on here, i would definitely see if you could work something out with them.  captive bred fish are much hardier, and usually less expensive unless you are getting something "ORA"...in that case, they rack the prices up to a ridiculous high. 

anyhow, ask around.  i know someone had a pair for sale up on the "fish for sale" post.  not sure if they were sold or not.  if they were sold, post a "looking for banggai cardinals", and i'm sure you will get a hit...whether it's from someone who has some to sell you, or someone who was at a local store and saw a nice batch...you will get a hook up somewhere in here.  we all help eachother out.  good luck!    -Ash

ps.  get back to me when you get a chance about the zoas you want! 

Ash, I have seen them in a few LFS but not an actual pair, I was told if I want a pair I have to throw 4 or 5 in and let two of them pair off, they also told me the rest will get killed by the Male. Please correct me if im wrong cause I know nothing about these fish lol. But If thats the case I cant buy fish knowing they're gonna get killed.  I have no way of taking out the remaining fish out since I have alot of rockwork for them to hide. I would rather buy from someone who has a breeding pair and is willing to sell. So anyway if you hear of anyone give me a heads up, the guy that was selling before sold them already 

Here in NYC there are pretty cheap, they go for less than $10 each, and yes you would have to buy a few and let them pair up by them selves, one way of spearing the carnage of the others  is by housing them in a seperate tank with little rock work and monitor the activity, to see which male becomes more agressive towards to other and which female he going after and then you can seperate them.

Ash, I have seen them in a few LFS but not an actual pair, I was told if I want a pair I have to throw 4 or 5 in and let two of them pair off, they also told me the rest will get killed by the Male. Please correct me if im wrong cause I know nothing about these fish lol. But If thats the case I cant buy fish knowing they're gonna get killed.  I have no way of taking out the remaining fish out since I have alot of rockwork for them to hide. I would rather buy from someone who has a breeding pair and is willing to sell. So anyway if you hear of anyone give me a heads up, the guy that was selling before sold them already [image]

-mermaid

I have never heard of banggais killing eachother unless you put just two in the tank that AREN'T paired.  you always want to buy at least 3 of a "schooling" fish if you can't find a pair.  once fish pair off, the male and female that have paired do become more aggressive toward the others, but as long as they are in a large enough tank, there shouldn't be a problem.  but if you're REALLY wanting a pair, i would recommend holding out and finding a pair.  it's NEVER 100% that fish will pair up, and if you spend money on a school and they never pair, you might be disappointed.  when it comes to most cardinals, most people just buy a bunch because they are a pretty schooling fish.  from what you said about not being able to really catch a fish if you wanted it out of your tank, i don't think that breeding them would be the best idea, because you do have to remove the male at least to raise the fry outside the main tank so they don't get eaten...but if you DO want to try your hand at breeding, and don't just want them for the look of cool schooling fish, keep lookin for a pair.  if you can't find anyone on here, you can try looking at liveaquaria.com.  they sell a lot of paired fish.  the problem with them is, shipping is OUTRAGEOUS, and i personally had a bad experience with a fish order from them.  but i know a lot of people who love them.  but just ask around on here.  at some point you will be pointed in the right direction.  especially since banggais aren't a rare fish to come by, you know? 

Banggai are NOT schooling cardinals and when they reach sexual maturity and start to pair off they WILL kill.

Please seek out captive bred banggai. They have reached the endangered species list. It sounds funny, but if they are $10, look for some that are more expensive ( they will likely be cheaper in the long run)

I raise d a few hundred banggai and never removed my male ( that was over 10 years ago though). I always netted the babbies out of a full blown 180 reef tank.

I just picked up a pair of tank raised this afternoon. I watched them for a good 30 minutes and noticed that they were always together and away from the rest of the clan. I even had the LFS guy make them swim around a little so they can regroup with the others. I came back a few minutes later and the same ones where together again. Im hoping its a pair, will let you know how it works out.

Banggai are NOT schooling cardinals and when they reach sexual maturity and start to pair off they WILL kill.
Please seek out captive bred banggai. They have reached the endangered species list. It sounds funny, but if they are $10, look for some that are more expensive ( they will likely be cheaper in the long run)
I raise d a few hundred banggai and never removed my male ( that was over 10 years ago though). I always netted the babbies out of a full blown 180 reef tank.

-rod_buehler

well, i haven't bred banggais, so i do take my hat off to you there...but they ARE actually a schooling fish...i agree with your captive bred suggestion, because i believe in captive breeding and cultivating for the sake of saving our reefs...however, your comment about them not being a schooling fish is false...they ARE in fact endangered, so it's MUCH less likely to happen, BUT if you are lucky enough to take a dive out to the reefs off the coast of the Banggai Islands of Indonesia, you MAY be lucky enough to see these beautiful fish in their natural habitat in schools of 40+ hovering above sea urchins...Unfortunately, last i read, Indonesia would not support the proposal of protecting the species, so they are decreasing in numbers still...

ANYWAY, in captivity, as I said before, IF you are looking to successfully breed these fish, and are a beginner at it, a PAIR should be bought(yes, preferably a captive bred one)...BUT, if kept in a large enough aquarium it IS safe to keep more than two at a time.  once old enough, they will begin to pair off and become aggressive, and if you WANT to breed them, it's best to keep a pair.  But it's simply not accurate to say they are "NOT a schooling" fish, and i've never had a problem keeping banggais in schools as long as the tank is large enough for the pairs to stake their area once of age.  Props for never having to remove your male from the tank, and props for being successful in raising them.  we definitely need more people captive breeding and selling considering the unfortunate lack of so many types of fish in the wild now.

I just picked up a pair of tank raised this afternoon. I watched them for a good 30 minutes and noticed that they were always together and away from the rest of the clan. I even had the LFS guy make them swim around a little so they can regroup with the others. I came back a few minutes later and the same ones where together again. Im hoping its a pair, will let you know how it works out.

-mermaid

hope the pair work out for you!

Banggai are NOT schooling cardinals and when they reach sexual maturity and start to pair off they WILL kill.
Please seek out captive bred banggai. They have reached the endangered species list. It sounds funny, but if they are $10, look for some that are more expensive ( they will likely be cheaper in the long run)
I raise d a few hundred banggai and never removed my male ( that was over 10 years ago though). I always netted the babbies out of a full blown 180 reef tank.

-rod_buehler

Wow.. Sorry about that sounding so rude.  I have a bad habit of posting when I am pressed for time and often before my share of coffee. When I am pressed for time, I get straight to the point and often come off as an @$$hole. I should not post when I dont have the time. I appoligize.

well, i haven't bred banggais, so i do take my hat off to you there...but they ARE actually a schooling fish...i agree with your captive bred suggestion, because i believe in captive breeding and cultivating for the sake of saving our reefs...however, your comment about them not being a schooling fish is false...they ARE in fact endangered, so it's MUCH less likely to happen, BUT if you are lucky enough to take a dive out to the reefs off the coast of the Banggai Islands of Indonesia, you MAY be lucky enough to see these beautiful fish in their natural habitat in schools of 40+ hovering above sea urchins...Unfortunately, last i read, Indonesia would not support the proposal of protecting the species, so they are decreasing in numbers still...
ANYWAY, in captivity, as I said before, IF you are looking to successfully breed these fish, and are a beginner at it, a PAIR should be bought(yes, preferably a captive bred one)...BUT, if kept in a large enough aquarium it IS safe to keep more than two at a time.  once old enough, they will begin to pair off and become aggressive, and if you WANT to breed them, it's best to keep a pair.  But it's simply not accurate to say they are "NOT a schooling" fish, and i've never had a problem keeping banggais in schools as long as the tank is large enough for the pairs to stake their area once of age.  Props for never having to remove your male from the tank, and props for being successful in raising them.  we definitely need more people captive breeding and selling considering the unfortunate lack of so many types of fish in the wild now.

-reefsurgeon

In all of my years I have never seen more than a pair in an average tank (180 or less) once they reach sexual maturity unless maybe if they are all the same sex. If there are two of the opposite sex the rest will be gonners (IME) after the 2 have pair and start breeding. Do you know of someone with a tank of schooling banggai that have been there for more than a year?  I would love to see some schooling, and even more so, like to talk to the owner.

YO WHERE THE HELL ARE THOSE NAKED CLOWNS FOR $22!!!! JOSIAH I NEED SOME OF THOSE BADDDDD!

I got a LFS that has them. I know that the naked clowns are 22. I have some. Dont know about the Plat's price.

-maxima

Wow.. Sorry about that sounding so rude.  I have a bad habit of posting when I am pressed for time and often before my share of coffee. When I am pressed for time, I get straight to the point and often come off as an @$$hole. I should not post when I dont have the time. I appoligize.

-rod_buehler

no need to apologize.  i totally understand. i just don't like to ever give out incorrect information or sound like i'm slacking on my knowledge...and i'm a brat and don't like being told i'm wrong.  lol!  anyway, i just needed to show that they are a schooling fish in their natural habitat and under the correct conditions can be out of the wild.  sorry if i came off as a b***h or anything.

as for the systems i've seen them in, my father is who got me into reefing.  he never knew (or has known) much about it, so he basically just did whatever the LFSs told him because he's a doctor and has the money to throw around(always pissed me off because he would spend hundreds of dollars in one trip, and i knew he didn't have the setup for what he was buying, and ofcourse, the stuff would die...).  anyway, he started off with a 125 reef, and kept banggais in there, but he wanted bigger so he bought a 300 custom which he has had for about about 20 years.  he had a large school of banggais for a long while until he turned the tank into a tang dominant tank, and now anything smaller than his a$$ of a lemonpeel angel is dead and gone because they were either beaten up, or too slow to eat...it's like a flippin feeding frenzy of sharks when you open that canopy...beautiful fish, but totally ruined any chance of ever adding anything else to the system.  but those banggais were beautiful in that huge tank.  i know that there are certain zoos that have large aquarium systems with large schools of banggais, but i would have to research that.  i'm sure all it would take would be a quick google to find to pics from an aquarium somewhere.

but like you said, and i don't disagree...if a successful breeding situation is what you are after, OR your tank is fairly small, without much rock work, a single or a pair should be kept.  any again, sorry if i came off as rude.  i apologize as well.  as jacques said in finding nemo..."I am ashamed..."  lol -Ash

I just wanted to shre my banggai cardinals Mating Shimmy. 

It works every time!!!!

Happy Valentines Day!!

HAHAHAHAAH!  awesome!  love the porn music!!  lol!  great post!