Bandit owners...

Ian - mind if we add size and tank temp to the thread for people responding?

I have looked at this fish for a couple years now and have been making changs to drop my system temp to aid in the long term survival of it. Have not yet committed to getting one yet but think this can be a great thread.
 
Received mine mid November.

He's 3.75" and is held in an ELOS Mini, will be kept in a 48" x 36" x 24.5" long term (transfering in January). Tank is kept 68-70F.

But... you both knew that ;)

Hoping for a long happy life - my little girl is a great eater and very boisterous towards her sunburst anthias tank mate.

Both "bandit Johns" (copps and dawe) have had multiple years with these IIRC.
 
Bandit pair ( 2.5" & 4.5") received 7/09 from Rob L. in Oahu. LArger Bandit took months to consistently get to eat. Thought I was out of the woods as it appeared to be eating frozen foods, then stop eating 2 weeks ago and died. The smaller Bandit is doing amazing though; it ate right out of the bag. My tank temp is 72 degrees in the winter and 74 in the summer. If you get a Bandit go small, they are pricier but well worth it in the long run. PErsonally I wouldn't chance another over 3.5" at most. I intend on speaking with Rob next spring to try and get a 2-3" Bandit.
 
Ian - as you know I have had many (5). My pair (3 & 4") lasted together for over a year. I kept my original bandit for 18 months. He grew from 3" to 5.5". He was very fat and then one day got what looked like a blood clot on his mouth. It grew and grew and then all of a sudden he stopped eating and over the course of 4 weeks withered away. The smaller one continued on for 5 months and the just stopped eating. He died 2 months ago after not eating for over a month.

I have a 2" arriving today that will be shaking up with my venustus for a while.
 
ccampbell57 said:
Ian - as you know I have had many (5). My pair (3 & 4") lasted together for over a year. I kept my original bandit for 18 months. He grew from 3" to 5.5". He was very fat and then one day got what looked like a blood clot on his mouth. It grew and grew and then all of a sudden he stopped eating and over the course of 4 weeks withered away. The smaller one continued on for 5 months and the just stopped eating. He died 2 months ago after not eating for over a month.

I have a 2" arriving today that will be shaking up with my venustus for a while.
Click to expand...

Im beginning to doubt that you even have a tank. Pics or it didnt happen!!!
 
Bandits

Bandits

I have two, one I have had since 8/2005, it was just over 3 inches when obtained and now its about 4+ inches. The other one was 7/8 of a inch when obtained June 2008, now its about 3 inches (?). The tanks are kept on the cool side 70-72, today it was down to 66f, I should add another small heater.
As far as food: flakes, frozen brine and mysis. They are in a fish only tank with a few rocks.......nothing fancy...............
 
ccampbell57 said:
Ian - as you know I have had many (5). My pair (3 & 4") lasted together for over a year. I kept my original bandit for 18 months. He grew from 3" to 5.5". He was very fat and then one day got what looked like a blood clot on his mouth. It grew and grew and then all of a sudden he stopped eating and over the course of 4 weeks withered away. The smaller one continued on for 5 months and the just stopped eating. He died 2 months ago after not eating for over a month.
Click to expand...

That was my reason for this thread. It seems for many they do well for 5-12 months then pass for no apparent reason.

I would hate to get a fish knowing the chances of survival over a year are so slim...
 
I honestly believe that if the bandits were in with other reef fish and not my HUGE angels, they may have been ok for longer.

I know there are a few people on here that have had bandits for multiple years.

My first one that was in the tank since I caught him with Rob was the fattest fish in the tank. I truly believe he would be here for a lot longer if he didnt get that issue in his mouth out of no where
 
Ian said:
That was my reason for this thread. It seems for many they do well for 5-12 months then pass for no apparent reason.

I would hate to get a fish knowing the chances of survival over a year are so slim...
Click to expand...

You gonna take the plunge man? That would be sick if you got one!
 
John Dawe said:
I have two, one I have had since 8/2005, it was just over 3 inches when obtained and now its about 4+ inches. The other one was 7/8 of a inch when obtained June 2008, now its about 3 inches (?). The tanks are kept on the cool side 70-72, today it was down to 66f, I should add another small heater.
As far as food: flakes, frozen brine and mysis. They are in a fish only tank with a few rocks.......nothing fancy...............
Click to expand...

My current experience with my two small ones I've had for years is the same... nothing special except for temperature... my two small ones (now one at about 2.5 inches and the other maybe 3.25?) are currently in separate systems that range from about 65 to 72... nothing higher... they will soon be placed together in a larger coolwater tank I'm building... I've kept many through the years, and in warm water these fish will not live long term... one I did keep for 17 months in the high 70s, but it still faded away... A few years back I had a epiphany diving in Hawaii... these fish are almost never seen at scuba depths on Oahu... in Kauai and further northwest you see them shallower... I photographed some off Niihau... that is nearly entirely determined by temperature...

I always say there are no angels that are hard to keep... only those that are hard to adapt. These fish have many potential initial issues, but when kept cool they are different fish... at warmer temperatures they become more susceptible to everything it seems... basically I've found that if a fish in the wild is only found in a certain temperature range there is a reason... and it's not because their larvae don't make it to warmer waters... I dove Oahu earlier this year and the surface temperature was 72 degrees in January... Hawaii is a tropical vacation destination with a subtropical water temperature... :)

Oh, and for those looking for small bandits, the drop this year has been better than ever...

Copps
 
Agreed. I don't think I can keep up with the demands to keep this fish long term...

Oh well, there's plenty of fish in the sea :D
 
Tank temp for Bandits...........

Tank temp for Bandits...........

Last night the tank was 61 F with the Bandits, they are fine. But its cold when you put your hand in.....burrrrrrrrrr Time to add another 50w heater.
 
Bandits longevity in Aquariums

Bandits longevity in Aquariums

If you have "A Guide To Angelfishes & Butterflyfishes" by Jerry Allen, in the back of the book it list the longevity for Angelfish and Butterflyfish at a public aquarium in France, for Bandits it was 10 yr whent he book was published. We should be able to duplicate that in our tanks......
 
John Dawe said:
Last night the tank was 61 F with the Bandits, they are fine. But its cold when you put your hand in.....burrrrrrrrrr Time to add another 50w heater.
Click to expand...

Hey John, just tell them it's winter in the NWHI... they don't need to know they're in Michigan...
 
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