How to get Banggais eating

[ichthyogeek]

So sometime either this month or next month, I'm getting in a pair of Banggai cardinalfish. The problem, is that they'll be wild caught. Yes, I should be buying captive bred, but out of the two stores in AR that I know can get them in, I don't trust one, and the other only gets in wild caught (they're working on getting CB). For those of you who've gotten wild caught Banggais before, how did you get them feeding? The final diet for mine will probably be frozen mysis shrimp and Rod's fish only blend (maybe some breeding blend later on). I've got a small culture of brine shrimp at the moment, and am going to order in some blackworms in the future, as well as probably buy some Arcti-pods or something. How do you suggest I go about this? Please detail a schedule (e.g. Week 1, feed ___, week2, feed __ if they are eating ___) for me to follow approximately. Thank you!!

 

[tc2007]

I have Pajamas, not the same thing I know, but whenever I put "Cyclopeeze" they come darting. They normally don't dart for any other type of food. I mostly feed pellets and flakes. Also Banggais and Pajamas are noctornal eaters. So putting food for them after dark may help.

 

[Stevenliu9]

First of all I never take home any fish not already eating at least frozen at the store. The ones I had only ate frozen for the longest time- they spit out anything other than frozen mysis or brime shrimp for almost a year before they began taking flake.

 

[Paul B]

It's rare for a bangai to Not eat. They are large eaters and love clams, Mysis and live worms. You can't stop them from spawning if you feed them meaty foods.

 

[ichthyogeek]

Mr B, when you say clams, do you mean the slices of clam meat that you make? I'm in landlocked Arkansas, so fresh seafood (or any type of live food) is a bit difficult to find here...

Mr. Liu, my main goal is to just get them to eat frozen. Mr B can extoll on the virtues of blackworms, but my parents would be horrified if I told them "oh, and this fish needs a pinch of worms every day while I'm gone. You need to handfeed them. " It's much easier to just say "oh, pop in a frozen cube of mysis every day before you leave for work."

tc, how long after lights out until you begin feeding your pajamas? Wait... how long after lights out until you begin feeding your fish?

 

[tc2007]

Mr B, when you say clams, do you mean the slices of clam meat that you make? I'm in landlocked Arkansas, so fresh seafood (or any type of live food) is a bit difficult to find here...

Mr. Liu, my main goal is to just get them to eat frozen. Mr B can extoll on the virtues of blackworms, but my parents would be horrified if I told them "oh, and this fish needs a pinch of worms every day while I'm gone. You need to handfeed them. " It's much easier to just say "oh, pop in a frozen cube of mysis every day before you leave for work."

tc, how long after lights out until you begin feeding your pajamas? Wait... how long after lights out until you begin feeding your fish?

I don't feed my pajama's at night specifically as I normally have lot smaller floating food left from the late feeding when the lights are still on. I have them since 4 weeks and they are doing good so I guess they must be feeding the leftover particles at night. I normally put Cyclopeeze during day time every 2-3 days or so.

Do you have Asian grocery stores or even Whole Foods or some other organic grocery store? They would normally have sea food.

 

[ichthyogeek]

Actually we do have some, but they're an hour away. I'll have to check next time my family goes to Little Rock. Besides clams, are there any specific seafoods that you recommend?

 

[tc2007]

Many people are selling prepared fish food out of seafood online. For e.g. Rod's reef food and Reef Frenzy are some. If you dont use too much food, this maybe a better option then messing with smelly food

http://www.larrysreefservices.com/

 

[Paul B]

I mention clams and worms because that is what they eat. They can't change their eating habits if you can't get the food for them. They do sell frozen clams for fish food and quite a few commercial foods are meaty and frozen. They will also eat earthworms that maybe you can get at a bait store. I also don't pick the worms up with my hands, I use a baster and just shoot them in

 

[mcclandy]

i have tied a small piece of fishing line to a piece of food, and then jigged it in front of fish. until they took the frozen food in the water column. the trick is to have the food lightly tied on. Tie the fishing line sparingly to an end of the food so the fish can easily take the food from the line without eating the line too!

 

[Fragman4]

I have had the most success with reef frenzy. The mixture has a variety of options for the cardinals to pick on. All my bangaiis eat it like crazy and thats all i feed.