Banggii Cardinal Help

[cotter4601]

I can't understand why I cannot keep these fish. I just lost my 2nd one from a 2nd supplier. This will be the 5th cardinal I lost. When I first put them in my tank and soon after they were eating and swiming around. Then they start to breath heavy and it gets worse and worse.

Anyone else experience this issue? All other live stock is eating well/swiming. I tested the water last night and everything is where I want it to be.

I really want to keep these fish, but I'm starting to think twice about it now.

 

[crsswift70]

I had one do that as well. The other 3 i have are all ok. No idea why he decided to croak, but he did the same thing. I could only attribute it to stress as my water is and was good (verified by the LFS of course when i brought back the body bag).

 

[cotter4601]

I'm hesitant to try again, but they would make a nice addition to my tank. I'm not sure what could be stressing them... The MH lights?

 

[JamesJR]

Granted that these fish are endangered (I won't get into these politics), you'd think that suppliers would take better care in sending them to you but that is often not the case.

It may not be anything you are doing. I have seen more than my share of these fish come in terrible shape working in the fish trade. If I was to buy them I would spend the time and money to get tank raised. If you have to get wild ones, watch them over a week or so.

 

[chrisstie]

Could there be some kind of bacteria/parasite (possibly even flukes or something) on the incomin fish?

 

[block head]

i just bought three, wild caught, two died first week, third one hangin in there after two weeks. i'm not sure he 's out of the woods yet. same thing, heavy breathing then down hill fast. got mine around the first of the month

 

[sdunkin]

I am friends with a local small LFS owner, and she refuses to order Banggii any more. She QTs all of them before adding them to her system, and she has lost all of them from her last 2 orders (different suppliers). She had an older pair that started breeding, so she now breeds all of the banggii that she needs. She has yet to loose a single baby.

 

[iceemn360]

Had the same identical situation occur in my old tank. Set up my new one and viola no problem... I have no idea what changed besides the tank. I have 5 schooling that I've had for a year now and they breed regularly. good luck though

 

[BangkokMatt]

They regularly arrive with a bacterial infection. This can visibly be seen as it shows as thin red vein like marks on the fish. QT is essential if you want success.

 

[urbor]

i also have had bad luck with these fish

i have had three pairs (6 fish)

they all died 2 within a week or so

 

[block head]

any luck treating with meds ?

 

[cotter4601]

I just read they can stress easily with beeing netted, tank surroundings, lights, etc... For those that have these fish, what did you do to acclimate them? I'm also referring to captive cardinals. I'm sure wild ones are worse yet.

 

[laniard]

I bought a pair that I assume were wild-caught. They did fine at first - eating, active, etc. for about three weeks and then stopped eating or would taste food and then spit it out, and died within about three days of each other. I won't try them again unless I know they're tank bred.

 

[block head]

third one just died, soaked dead fish in fresh water for an hour,nothing, fish looks perfect, no flukes just dead

 

[Conesus_Kid]

Is the bacterial infection something that can be treated w/ Maracyn in QT?

Seems like the best way to get this species is from local reefers who are breeding them.

 

[Wolverine]

There's no reason to buy wild-caught banggai cardinals.
Aside from the ethical issues, for whatever reason, the WC banggai that have been coming for the last several years do not do well. They're easy to raise, and there's a good bet you can find some locally, because a ton of people breed them. Even if you can't find them locally, there are a lot of online retailers that sell them.

 

[cotter4601]

I think I read a 80% loss rate on wild caught banggai, which is not good at all. I try to only put captive fish in my tank to help the sea critters.

 

[billy71]

bought 4 from a local distributor pretty sure they are wild tommorrow will be a week one died on wednesday and the rest don't seem to eat they taste the food and then spit it out. What else can I try. Frozen mysis, brine, flake and pellets.

 

[cotter4601]

i would keep trying brine...