Pairing Bangaii Cardinals

[NirvanaFan]

Does anyone around here have any experience paring up Bangaii Cardinals? I bought 6 of them from ABC Aquarium today (Thanks G). I put them in my 29 gallon quarantine tank to try and isolate pairs. I released them from acclimation around 3:30pm, and at 7:00pm I wanted to see how they were doing. I noticed 4 on one side of the tank, and 2 on the other side by themselves. I went back downstairs at 7:30 to feed them. 2 were on the same side of the tank, and 4 were still on the other.

Is that all there is to pairing these guys? It can't be that easy, can it? Has a pair already been formed? This is my first attempt at keeping cardinalfish, let alone trying to form pairs to breed.

Thanks!

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

If this works, let us know!

If this works, let us know!

I never tried pairing more than two (adult) fish at a time and it was always hit and miss. (IME you can't always determine sex by jaw size, fin shape etc.)
I always had to see if the fish would pair up on their own or fight.
Juvis can be kept together but adults cannot.

 

[NirvanaFan]

From what I have read, this should work. The strongest female will pair up with the strongest male (once they reach breeding age), and keep their distance from the others. They (usually the female) can even harass the others to death.

So, once I definitively see a pair form, my plan is to put them in the broodstock system with all the clowns, and see if another pair forms from the remaining 4. That would make 5 pairs of fish, but only one breeding.:sad2:

 

[block head]

i went through several in an attempt to make a heathy pair. there are some very tiny fins near the vent that you can positively determine sex with. male has 1? female has two? (M 2 or F 1 i can't remember for sure) juvies might tolerate the the same sex for a bit in larger groups. i've always went w 3 at a time. the third fish has not faired well. seperate at the first sign of aggression.