danimallaminad
New member
I have a 29 gallon tank that I want to setup to breed Banggaii Cardinalfish. I was just wondering everything I would need including equipment to what I would have to feed the fry from day 1 to adult. Thanks for any help.
Breeding Banggaii Cardinals
- Thread starter danimallaminad
- Start date
BengalReefer
New member
I actually just had my first batch of fry born four days ago 
You shouldn't actually need a whole lot, if you just want to do a single pair. If you want to do a more concerted breeding program then it will of course require more...
The 29 gallon will be fine for the mating pair with a basic fowlr set up. You could even include one or two other passive inhabitants if you wanted. You will need a breeder box or something similar with which to catch and seperate the male
You will also need a 5-10 gallon tank in which to have him release the fry and as a grow out. Some fake plants or a DIY urchin of some sort to give the babies a place to hide and feel secure woudl be good along with some dividers to seperate the fry into smaller groups to limit competition for food. A basic sponge filter and heater should be all the fry tank needs.
For food, you need to hatch brine shrimp, a simple DIY 2liter hatchery works fine. For the first two weeks you need to feed either fresh hatched (less than 12hr old) brine shrimp or else you need to enrich older shrimp with Selcon before feeding them to the fry. Around two weeks or so you should start trying to mix in fine shaved pieces of enriched frozen brine and/or mysis shrimp and work on training them to frozen food. By four weeks hopefully you can have them on frozen mysis.
Here are two good brief write ups I liked:
http://breedmyfish.blogspot.com/p/banggai-cardinals.html?m=1
http://breedersregistry.org/Articles/v4_i4_marini/marini.htm
Enjoy!
Oh, and here are my first babies
You shouldn't actually need a whole lot, if you just want to do a single pair. If you want to do a more concerted breeding program then it will of course require more...The 29 gallon will be fine for the mating pair with a basic fowlr set up. You could even include one or two other passive inhabitants if you wanted. You will need a breeder box or something similar with which to catch and seperate the male
You will also need a 5-10 gallon tank in which to have him release the fry and as a grow out. Some fake plants or a DIY urchin of some sort to give the babies a place to hide and feel secure woudl be good along with some dividers to seperate the fry into smaller groups to limit competition for food. A basic sponge filter and heater should be all the fry tank needs.
For food, you need to hatch brine shrimp, a simple DIY 2liter hatchery works fine. For the first two weeks you need to feed either fresh hatched (less than 12hr old) brine shrimp or else you need to enrich older shrimp with Selcon before feeding them to the fry. Around two weeks or so you should start trying to mix in fine shaved pieces of enriched frozen brine and/or mysis shrimp and work on training them to frozen food. By four weeks hopefully you can have them on frozen mysis.
Here are two good brief write ups I liked:
http://breedmyfish.blogspot.com/p/banggai-cardinals.html?m=1
http://breedersregistry.org/Articles/v4_i4_marini/marini.htm
Enjoy!
Oh, and here are my first babies
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danimallaminad
New member
Thanks for all the info. In the picture was that your home made urchin?
BengalReefer
New member
Yes, that's what I ended up using as an "urchin". I didn't have any putty laying around to stick the zip ties into, so instead I just fed several ties onto one and wrapped it around the pvc. Here's a better photo of it:
shifty51008
12-5 Chiefs record
http://www.reefs.org/library/talklog/f_marini_020799.html
from it:
Sexing Banggais
This is the most asked question I receive, and the one question I cannot answer fully. Even though I have seen over 300 banggaiԳ I am only 50/50 on juvenile animals (animals under 1-1.5inches SVL). When the animals reach sexual maturity (12-14 months), then the jawline takes on a characteristic structure, particularly the male which gets squared off. The second dorsal fin is an excellent characteristic, as the males second dorsal extends past the caudal peduncle, however this flowing fin is often nipped off by other fish. The most accurate sexing method: My best method of sexing banggaiճ is using my establish male [the original male banggai from the article]. I introduce another banggai into his tank and within 10 mins he either is trying to kill him (male) or trying to mate with it (female)...HE IS 100% ACCURATE!!! I have sexed many friends banggai this way. Alternatively you can buy 4 or 5 banggais allow then to reach sexual maturity and they will pair off, and please, please, return the unpaired banggais.
BengalReefer
New member
So far as I know the only reliable method to sex Banggais is using the "vent method". The fish must be sexually mature and preferably well fed so their bellies are nice and round. It can be rather difficult to spot on fish under six months.
It can be hard to spot with them swimming about, a large magnifying glass can make it mych easier with smaller fish. Look at the underside of the fish, behind the ventral fins (the two sticking down on the sides) and in front of the anal fin (the one pointing down in front of the tail). There should be little spikey protuberances there. The male has two vents, the first one (closest to the head) is a larger pyramid shaped one while the second is more of a straight spike. On the female, there is mainly just one small spike. Occasionally if she is ovulating then it may appear that there is a second spike, but it will be small and distinguishable from the makes large pyramid shaped vent.
Male:
Female: (not the clearest)
It can be hard to spot with them swimming about, a large magnifying glass can make it mych easier with smaller fish. Look at the underside of the fish, behind the ventral fins (the two sticking down on the sides) and in front of the anal fin (the one pointing down in front of the tail). There should be little spikey protuberances there. The male has two vents, the first one (closest to the head) is a larger pyramid shaped one while the second is more of a straight spike. On the female, there is mainly just one small spike. Occasionally if she is ovulating then it may appear that there is a second spike, but it will be small and distinguishable from the makes large pyramid shaped vent.
Male:
Female: (not the clearest)
BengalReefer
New member
http://www.mbisite.org/forums/tm.aspx?m=72814&mpage=1&print=true
The jawline, size of fins, manner in which they hold their fins all seem to have less reliable results. The only completely positive way is to pair then up and observe behavior, but the vent method appears to be consistently successful when the fish are large enough to make it possible to spot.
For my pair, I actually bought three and watched them and after a month or so two paired off and the third started being left in a corner. Afterwards, using the vent method and their behavior I established that I had a second female, so I returned her for store credit and kept the paired couple.
The jawline, size of fins, manner in which they hold their fins all seem to have less reliable results. The only completely positive way is to pair then up and observe behavior, but the vent method appears to be consistently successful when the fish are large enough to make it possible to spot.
For my pair, I actually bought three and watched them and after a month or so two paired off and the third started being left in a corner. Afterwards, using the vent method and their behavior I established that I had a second female, so I returned her for store credit and kept the paired couple.
BengalReefer
New member
Here are my two Banggai, actually a relatively good shot of the vents...
Male (note the forward vent is built up and much larger and triangular):
Female (a single small spiked vent like the males rear one):
Male (note the forward vent is built up and much larger and triangular):
Female (a single small spiked vent like the males rear one):
could one determine in the adults if the male has a larger paired pelvic fin. just curious since i have 3 new BC. The one I think is a male seems to have pelvic fins that are a bit wider than the others. Looks like a banner to attract females or show off to other males. mine are not fully fattened yet but will try to look at the vents.
BengalReefer
New member
I've read that the length of the fin may help, but they also tend to get nipped, so it's not that reliable... I've also read that the male carries his more angled than the females that keep it at a right angle, but I haven't noticed this.
I actually started with three, so I could hopefully have a pair. It may take a couple months depending on their age etc, but just let them be and wait for them to pair off on their own. After a while you will notice one of the three is not as welcomed, starts hiding in corners and stuff while the other two pal around. This has the added benefit of the better of the two being naturally chosen as the mate. Then you can return the third wheel or get more to try and pair it up also!
I actually started with three, so I could hopefully have a pair. It may take a couple months depending on their age etc, but just let them be and wait for them to pair off on their own. After a while you will notice one of the three is not as welcomed, starts hiding in corners and stuff while the other two pal around. This has the added benefit of the better of the two being naturally chosen as the mate. Then you can return the third wheel or get more to try and pair it up also!
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