Trying to pair Bangaii Cardinals

[zimpok]

I have two Bangaii Cardinalfish that are not a pair and want to trade away one and obtain another in hopes of making a pair.

The larger one picks on the slightly smaller one and the smaller hides and is darker and stressed.

Do I...

A) Get rid of the smaller fish and get another to pair with the larger?

or

B) Get rid of the larger fish and get another to pair with the smaller?

Does it even matter?

Thanks

 

[ThreeMoneyJ]

I would trade the smaller one into your LFS and buy a few more (2-4). Put those in to your tank until you get a pair. The dominant pair will pick on the others. Then take the others and sell them back to the LFS.

 

[kw22]

I would trade the smaller one into your LFS and buy a few more (2-4). Put those in to your tank until you get a pair. The dominant pair will pick on the others. Then take the others and sell them back to the LFS.

+1. Make sure they are willing to take them back .

 

[mdelp]

I have a similar situation, 3 banggai cardinals (1 male/2 females I think). 2 seem to have paired off, the third smallest one is the outcast. It looks like her dorsal fins have been chopped short somehow. I'm not sure if my LFS would take him given that. When I feed she sort of hides in the corner like he's afraid of all the other fish. 54 gallon tank. Is she pretty much going to die? or can she survive alone? I've only seen the other banggai's picking on him one day.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Bangaii cardinals are intolerant of consexuals. Unfortunately it is difficult.to sex them. If more than 2 are purchased, it will eventually become only 2. If trying to take one out of a pair that didnt work and replacing with another, beware that your chances of getting an appropriate one are 50/50.

 

[snorvich]

Bangaii cardinals are intolerant of consexuals. Unfortunately it is difficult.to sex them. If more than 2 are purchased, it will eventually become only 2. If trying to take one out of a pair that didnt work and replacing with another, beware that your chances of getting an appropriate one are 50/50.

Exactly. The "lone ranger" with a bonded pair in a 54 gallon tank is unlikely to survive long term.

 

[BengalReefer]

FYI, the most reliable way to sex Banggai is by the vents on the belly, which are usually harder to make out when they are small. 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):

[/QUOTE]

 

[snorvich]

Great pictures above!!!

 

[noy]

Not to hi-jack this thread but I have a related question.

I had 1 Bangaii in a 60g cube and I recently added 3 more in the hopes that they will pair off. Unfortunately all of them are fairly small so I really haven't been able to sex them by vents (I just don't see any). The original one is a bit bigger than the 3 additions.

When the 3 were added, everyone got along for about a week. Now, the original one will chase of 2 of the new fish but seems very tolerant of the third one. They don't really pair up however. The other 2 new fish are now cowering in the corners. Every chance - the original one will chase off the other two.

Can I assume that I have a pair (original and the addition that is tolerated) or is there some other explanation for this behaviour?

Should I remove the other 2 for sure?