Are Banggai cardinals short lived?

[iamwhatiam52]

I dimly recall reading somewhere that Banggai cardinals have a life span of only a few years.
A small one I bought 2 years ago grew like a weed and seemed healthy for two years but died yesterday. Is this usual?

 

[billdogg]

I've had them for 3 - 5 - they do best as a small school.

 

[29reef]

I've had them for 3 - 5 - they do best as a small school.

They are fairly long lived. I would guess in the range of 10 years from fry to adult.

They will only live in a group as juveniles. Once they become adults they will pair off.

Most likely something caused the early demise of your fish.

 

[iamwhatiam52]

Most likely something caused the early demise of your fish.

I hate when that happens.

 

[Wolverine]

I've had them for 3 - 5 - they do best as a small school.

Not as adults they don't. They usually do better as a pair; the dominant pair often kills off the others. Sometimes, if you're lucky, you can get two males and a female that get along. The males set up shop at opposite ends of the tank, and the females goes back and forth laying eggs for them to carry.

I agree with 29reef that it's most likely something else that caused them to die that soon. I've seen some that are well over a decade old.

 

[snorvich]

Not as adults they don't. They usually do better as a pair; the dominant pair often kills off the others. Sometimes, if you're lucky, you can get two males and a female that get along. The males set up shop at opposite ends of the tank, and the females goes back and forth laying eggs for them to carry.

I agree with 29reef that it's most likely something else that caused them to die that soon. I've seen some that are well over a decade old.

I agree. However I have never seen a successful triad (M + F + M) and more for sure will not work.

 

[muffe]

Short lived in my tank, death within a couple of weeks. 0 for 3 now.

 

[Wolverine]

I agree. However I have never seen a successful triad (M + F + M) and more for sure will not work.

Me neither, but I have seen others succeed with it enough times that I don't automatically pooh-pooh it anymore.

 

[Eric the half-bee]

Not as adults they don't. They usually do better as a pair; the dominant pair often kills off the others. Sometimes, if you're lucky, you can get two males and a female that get along. The males set up shop at opposite ends of the tank, and the females goes back and forth laying eggs for them to carry.

.

Same here, I bought 6 originally and after a few months, a pair was left and they now breed every few months.