Banggai cardinalfish research update

[roverhere]

12-14cm? WOW... yours *are* much bigger than mine.

Again, I'd say the largest of the four is about 2" (5cm) give or take... So they've got some growing to do.

I could be recalling incorrectly, but I thought Burgess cited then at 4-6cm, that's why I *presumed* they were full grown... I must be recalling incorrectly, or when I did the CM-to-Inches conversion I screwed it up?

Well then, I've got juveniles, for sure. At 12-14cm, there's no way they'd fit in a 12 gallon nanocube at full size...

Given their less than active behavior and that they aren't big swimmers/movers, what would be the smallest tank you think a pair would be doable in? 50 gallons?

As pets, sadly, it sounds like these fish are problematic as they grow larger!

 

[avagelli]

Ok, now that I know you have juveniles everything is much clear and makes sense.
To give you a reference point, the white pipe that can be seen in the picture showing the specimen changing color is 4ââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ in diameter ( by the way, you also can see it dorsal fin with some damage from a fight, which was healed very well within a few days).
Also, in the other picture, which was taken in the wild, a couple of cardinalfishes can be seen partially (left side) and beneath P.mirifica a goby (all these were about 5-6 cm long).

Regarding tanks size, again I am keeping a full full-grown pair in a rectangular 100 gal, and most of the time they get along well and keeping their distance, but sometimes I need to divide the tank and keep them separated. However, I am keeping them just for studying their reproductive behavior. If you have a tank with other species, enough hiding spots and different substrates, then I guess they will be fine in a smaller tank; maybe a 50 gal will do it.

Just be aware that, although not necessarily will happen with only 2 individuals, when they are full-grown they can be Very aggressive and are able to inflict important injures to each other.
Regards
Alejandro

 

[Mustang]

Alex, Thanks for all the info you have given so far

I am the friend who roverhere spoke of
I now have one pair of them home

So far they are in a 55g with plenty of rock until I decide where they might go
I also look in Burgess it says 8cm

They seem to hang out in different areas of the tank but are not aggressive toward each other

But looking at your pictures and see what little there is out there
leads me to believe we have something different maybe Apogon melas?

The picture is not very good as they are hard to catch out but it will give you an idea of what we have. I do see the color change as you describe

Thanks

 

[avagelli]

Mustang,
You are correct, your fish is not Pterapogon mirifica, and this explains the discrepancy between our observations regarding their behavior. It seems quite possible that your fish is indeed Apogon melas.
I am enclosing a couple of (very low res., sorry) pics of adult individuals A.melas, form the Banggais Islands.
Regards
Alex

 

[roverhere]

Apogon melas it is...

Still, they are not very nice to each other!!!

 

[efrenvillegas]

hi Dr vagelli
i hope you rmember me we meet last year in Veracruz mexico and were talking about breedin bangais i have my first pair now can we get in touch?