Tankmates for bangaii cardinals ?

[Agu]

I have what I believe to be a pair of bangaii cardinals. Physical characteristics and behavior indicate they're a pair in a 30 gallon 24X24X12 gallon half cube.

I'd like to add another fish or two but nothing aggressive as the bangaii are pretty passive. Also I'd like to have them spawn and mouth brood so it can't be a fish that raises the stress level. These are my first bangaii and although I've done substantial research, appropriate tank mates for a possible breeding pair isn't addressed

Are there fish that would be compatible in this set up ? Or should I leave them as the only fish in the tank based on my goals and objectives ?

 

[nanoreefer1000]

Firefish and gobies are great tank mates.

 

[ecupcar]

Mine were with a kole tang, they got along fine, but kole ate all the babies each time they spawned.

 

[Agu]

Mine were with a kole tang, they got along fine, but kole ate all the babies each time they spawned.

Guess I'm not getting a Kole Tang ..........

 

[Agu]

Firefish and gobies are great tank mates.

Considered fire fish but they're nervous and flighty. With a pair of fish that's already insecure adding a paranoid fish doesn't seem like a good idea. I'll look into some of the gobies though.

Thanks ....

 

[Toddrtrex]

I have a pair (( not 100% sure if they are male/female, but they haven't attacked each other in the 6 months I have had them )), in my 40 breeder. I have them with;
Perc and ocellaris --- just a pair, wouldn't call them bonded yet.
Orange prawn goby (( Amblyeleotris randalli )), with a tiger shrimp
C. venustus dwarf angel -- very passive, even for a dwarf.

 

[ejanastacio]

Firefish, clowns, gobies, or seahorses would be good tank mates

 

[IFbettas]

IME, banggais are not that passive at all. I've kept pairs of banggais with all kinds of active fish including tangs, butterflies, and wrasses, and the banggais have never had problems breeding.

 

[velvetelvis]

If you want to breed them and raise the young, I'd stick to very small fish that won't view the fry as a potential snack. That would pretty much leave out anything with a mouth big enough to engulf tiny fish. Even very peaceful, passive fishes can be opportunistic feeders--in the wild, you never know when your next meal might come along.

 

[IFbettas]

If you want to breed them and raise the young, I'd stick to very small fish that won't view the fry as a potential snack. That would pretty much leave out anything with a mouth big enough to engulf tiny fish. Even very peaceful, passive fishes can be opportunistic feeders--in the wild, you never know when your next meal might come along.

It's true that many fish would eat the banggai babies, but if you're serious about raising the fry you should move the male out of the display before he releases them. Even the parent banggais will eat their babies if they are left in the main tank. I've been breeding banggais out of my 180 gallon reef... After the eggs have hatched and the male is a day or two away from releasing the fry (usually day 22-23) I catch him and move him down to my refugium to release the fry.

 

[Agu]

Haven't added any other fish with the bangaii, decided I really don't need more fish.

However I've learned bangaii aren't the smartest fish on the reef. When I go to feed they're right up to the glass to the point they don't notice the food washing over their bodies.

 

[snorvich]

Well, I would certainly consider a possum wrasse. Try feeding your cardinals at "dusk" or "dawn" as many are night active.

 

[Reefing Newbie]

Well, I would certainly consider a possum wrasse. Try feeding your cardinals at "dusk" or "dawn" as many are night active.

Possum wrasses are great! They are quite small, and very nicely colored.

 

[aandfsoccr04]

searched but couldn't really find much of an answer so I'm bumping this thread. Is it frowned upon to keep more than 2 bangaii cardinals? Do you just get 2 young ones similar to clownfish and let them form a pair or how exactly do they work and how many to get? Do i want just a few juvies or a pair off divers den?

 

[Wolverine]

searched but couldn't really find much of an answer so I'm bumping this thread. Is it frowned upon to keep more than 2 bangaii cardinals? Do you just get 2 young ones similar to clownfish and let them form a pair or how exactly do they work and how many to get? Do i want just a few juvies or a pair off divers den?

Usually if you get more than two, two of them will pair off and kill the rest. I've seen a few tanks that are relatively large that have gotten away with two males and one female (was just talking about this in another thread here). Many people will buy 3 or 4, and then remove the oddballs once a pair has formed.

Unlike clowns, they won't change sex, so if you truly want a pair, it's best to buy them as a pair. I've never done that through DD, but I have had success that way with IA and PA.

 

[aandfsoccr04]

Thank you for your response. I'm going to just go for two then and see what happens. Hopefully I'll get a pair. Is the bangaii cardinal the same as the kaudern's cardinal?

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+26+2672&pcatid=2672

 

[Wolverine]

Thank you for your response. I'm going to just go for two then and see what happens. Hopefully I'll get a pair. Is the bangaii cardinal the same as the kaudern's cardinal?

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+26+2672&pcatid=2672

Yep, those are the same.