Bandit Angel

[walvis]

Can you keep them in warmer waters successful, like say 78F-79F
Currently having 3 Borbs thriving in these temps which are considered cold water Anthias as well.
I like to know anybody out there with first hand experience.....TIA

 

[nikon187]

MOst people have the most sucess 62-65 degrees. I have always wanted one but not in my 78 degree water. Im sure they will survive in the warmer temps but like most cold water animals, their life span will be cut drastically shorter.

 

[tcmfish]

They won't last as long if they do survive, and then will probably die of some "unexplainable" reason at some point, when really it was the temp.

 

[george915]

I believe bandit angel can be acclimated to reef temperature. Sanjay Joshi had (still has?) a bandit in 77-79F water for 27 months (http://www.reefs.com/blog/2011/08/0...e-mold-4-apolemichthys-arcuatus-bandit-angel/). My LFS has a bandit in 80F water for three years and its fat.
I have a bandit in 78F for a year and it's growing. I don't expect it to drop dead suddenly any time soon.

 

[tcmfish]

Many of the fish we keep can easily eclipse a decade under good conditions.

 

[walvis]

I believe bandit angel can be acclimated to reef temperature. Sanjay Joshi had (still has?) a bandit in 77-79F water for 27 months (http://www.reefs.com/blog/2011/08/0...e-mold-4-apolemichthys-arcuatus-bandit-angel/). My LFS has a bandit in 80F water for three years and its fat.
I have a bandit in 78F for a year and it's growing. I don't expect it to drop dead suddenly any time soon.

Thanks for sharing, interesting article.
Another concern, just thought about it, I believe they're active jumpers and I do have a rimless tank...

 

[jnc914]

I have always kept my Bandits in low 70's with great success. I have kept Bandits off and on for the last 5 years. I personally would never attempt to keep a Bandit long term in a tank with a temp higher than 75 degrees. Yes, others have kept them at higher temps, but that is not the norm for these fish. When you keep them at higher temps, their metabolism increases and they eventually waste away, or they get bacterial infections or some other phantom issue that leads to their demise. At lower temps, metabolism is slowed and you can fatten them up a bit. Proper collection and acclimation is an absolute must with these fish due to their deep water collection. I always got mine diver direct from Hawaii. They do better minus the usual wholesale process.

BTW, I have never had a Bandit jump out of a tank. However all fish have the capability to do so. Throw a mesh top on the tank for good measure. Pond netting is perfect.

 

[runintoluck]

Just wanna throw my statistic out there as well. I had mine in his first reef, which I kept at 74, then moved him into my fowlr which was 77-78. No change in behavior, eating just as much if not more and getting fat as well. In total, he's been in my care for a year. Not to say they can definitely live in warmer water, but just wanna share my experiences.

 

[philter4]

I kept mine for several years in FL and summertime temps were in the upper 70's to maybe low 80's and never had problems. He is still alive in a friends soft coral reef tank. I now spend as much time in CA as I do in FL for medical reasons and gave up any fish I thought would suffer with me being gone for months at a time.