Bangaii Cardinals: What do I look for?

papagimp

COMAS Rocks!
A few days ago I noticed that one of my bangaii cardinals seemed to be a bit swollen around the jaw/chin/gill area, I know that Bangaii's are mouthbrooders so naturally my first thought was "those sneaky little buggers!". I've looked up info across the net on breeding these fellas but would like to hear from somebody who has experienced this themselves. Aside from looking like he's got a mouthfull, he doesn't eat anymore, I understand this to be normal while caring for the unhatched eggs and whatnot. I do not want to rule out something physically wrong w/ my fish just in case. If anybody has experience with bangaii breeding please let me know what you experienced with your pair and what to look for. Man I need to invest in a camera!
For what it's worth, I have noticed that the bangaii in question here has a bit of red coloring, very small amounts, near the cadual fin, and his "arm" fins (forget what those are called), right near the base, My other Bangaii shows no sign of this. may be his color, may be something else, I don't know. Okay people, your turn, whatdyathink? :confused:
 
That is the exact source of 99% of my Bangaii Information, funny you should post it. After looking through it again, My bangaii's look identical to the first photo showing a male and female. I had forgotten about the feeder guppy thing they used, I see a chance to get guppies again! WHOO HOO! (favorite freshwater fish, next to Ol' Blue, my Discus)
 
I was explaining to my girlfriend last night about some of the signs that a compatible pair of Bangaii's will display along with some of the signs they're fixin to spawn. After my lengthy speech (god help the man or woman who gets me talking fish!), my girlfriend reminded me of something she told me a week or so ago. She had mentioned the fishies interesting behavior while I was at work and pretty much described the "mating dance" of a pair of Bangaii's perfectly, I had forgotten all this but now I'm more sure than ever that my little guys are going to have some little guys of their own. I even see the male "adjusting" the clutch in his mouth from time to time. I had really wanted to start a breeding log for these guys but they beat me to it before I could get a camera. And under my own roof, ungrateful hethens! So heres my plan, after my wild pair of Bangaii's have their babies, I'll be QT the infants to their own grow out tank and will start a breeding log from the absolute beginning, the broodstock. This will allow me to work with captive born and raised instead of the wild caught, like their parents. Wish me luck everyone! and as always, any advice in rearing these little tykes will be much appreciated.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8238929#post8238929 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by papagimp
I was explaining to my girlfriend last night about some of the signs that a compatible pair of Bangaii's will display along with some of the signs they're fixin to spawn. After my lengthy speech (god help the man or woman who gets me talking fish!), my girlfriend reminded me of something she told me a week or so ago. She had mentioned the fishies interesting behavior while I was at work and pretty much described the "mating dance" of a pair of Bangaii's perfectly, I had forgotten all this but now I'm more sure than ever that my little guys are going to have some little guys of their own. I even see the male "adjusting" the clutch in his mouth from time to time. I had really wanted to start a breeding log for these guys but they beat me to it before I could get a camera. And under my own roof, ungrateful hethens! So heres my plan, after my wild pair of Bangaii's have their babies, I'll be QT the infants to their own grow out tank and will start a breeding log from the absolute beginning, the broodstock. This will allow me to work with captive born and raised instead of the wild caught, like their parents. Wish me luck everyone! and as always, any advice in rearing these little tykes will be much appreciated.

That is WONDERFUL! I'll have to trade you a pair of gobies for a pair of your cardinalfish all in due time ;)

One thing that you may or may not have considered is the value of these new fry. We aren't talking monetary (though it could be) but their wild genes. In the future, you might want to talk around and see if any active breeders need some wild genes to mix into their gene pools. They would greatly appreciate this, I'm sure.
 
That is good news;

Many fish can be line bred for years without any degeneration of fitness. The Monterrey Platy has kept for 50 years without and genetic degradation.
 
I figured If I'm succesful raising these babies to sexual maturity then I'd sell/trade my current breeding pair for a pair of the tank-raised. Once that's done, I plan on finding somebody with some broodstock to mingle in, I'm not that concerned bout genetic degradation but since the fish are breeding regardless of my consent or with proper protection then I might as well find the biggest and bestest looking BC and breed some quality tank-raised specimens. Honestly now, wouldn't everyone like to purchase a quality tank-raised well fed bangaii from me vs. buying up wild collected bangaii that are overpriced and possibly damaged? Hmmm? (no offense to the few LFS I found that sell good livestock)
 
For what it's worth Paul, I think about buying a camera every time I put a post up about darn near anything. But my g/f considers a digital camera as "computer equipment" and I may have to buy her a pc so I can buy me a camera. Man, all I wanted was a nice little fish tank, SEE WHAT YOU ALL DID!!!
 
Adam, why give away or current wild caught breeding pair? It's not like they can be put back in the wild. You might as well stick with them.


Oh, and....
worthless_thread_wo_pics.gif
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8240100#post8240100 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by pwhitby
brred fish. sell fish...buy camera. easy


My thoughts exactly Paul!!!

and Travis, I won't try releasing the wild pair back into the wild, I'd like to find a home for them with another reefer. I don't want several breeding pairs in my display, that would just take up the room needed for other species of breeding fish. Plus my hope is to ween the pair I ultimately decide to keep onto foods of my choice, my current pair will only eat frozen brine and frozen mysis. AND, they are the only fish in my whole house that won't touch cyclopeeze, wierd. I thought cyclopeeze was like crack for fish until these two came along. They just say "NO"
 
Interesting. I see where you are going with this, but as soon as these guys are released from the mouth, you'll need to take them out into a growout tank though, right? If you just have to get rid of the original breeding pair, I'ld love to be first on that list. ;)
 
Travis,
From what I've been reading it will take many months to a year to raise the babies to sexual maturity. But as soon as I get a compatible pair from this litter (is that right, do fish have litters?) You are first on my list for the current breading pair I have, that or I can let ya have first dibs on any other compatible pairs I get, whichever you want. And yes, I've told my G/F and the dog and cat to keep their eyes on the Male cardinal in my display, as soon as he spits the babies out their going into a 10g I have. I may attempt to rear the eggs seperately down the line, but for this, I'll let nature take its course, obviously nature decided that one for me, lol.
 
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