Seabass's Banggai Cardinalfish Nursery

[seabass]

I hope to sell them all prior to them pairing off.  Determining sex is difficult at best, even with adults.  I guess that people just let them pair off, which is a good indicator.

 

If my contact at the fish store falls through, I may end up looking for alternatives.  If so, I'll keep you in mind.  The main problem is the cost of overnight shipping is pretty high for just two fish.  We'll see.  I'm sort of hoping that I don't have to ship them.

[Ratvan]

How are these getting along?

 

I've been looking to pick up a pair for the office tank but no real idea what I'm looking for in paired fish?

[seabass]

37 minutes ago, Ratvan said:

How are these getting along?

Some of them are huge.  Certainly ready for a new home.  I've yet to witness any aggression, but don't want that to happen.  I really need to find homes for them.

 

I've joined the Greater Iowa Reef Society in hopes to find a few fish new homes; however, I haven't posted anything yet.  I gave a presentation to this club more than 15 years ago.

 

I'm going to contact our zoo (which has several reef exhibits), and a downtown high school (which has a large aquatic lab).  Maybe there will be some interest there.  Also, my LFS has expressed interest in some; but they say they aren't ready for any at the moment.  There are a couple more stores which I haven't contacted yet.  My goal is to find homes for them without having to ship any.

 

I'll try and post a new video later today.  On a side note, the father should be ready to release another batch any day.  I'll be gone for a few days coming up soon, so once again, bad timing.  We'll see whether or not I get another batch to raise.

[seabass]

37 minutes ago, Ratvan said:

I've been looking to pick up a pair for the office tank but no real idea what I'm looking for in paired fish?

Depends on the species.  Also, if you are planning on raising the fry, or just want a bonded pair.  Clownfish are extremely easy to pair.

[Ratvan]

3 minutes ago, seabass said:

Depends on the species.  Also, if you are planning on raising the fry, or just want a bonded pair.  Clownfish are extremely easy to pair.

I'm not keen on Clowns really. Thats the Mrs and this is my work tank.

 

I have a couple of Sand Sleeping Wrasses and a Blenny, so want something that will be out a little more, the Wrasses both bed down at 3pm so I'm looking at a Blenny for the last 3 hours of the day. Really like the shape of the fish as well as the way they swim. Plus you know, Indo fish!

 

I can get 

Emporer Cardinals

Banggai Cardinals

Pajama Cardinals

 

EDIT: Do these "host" for a better word, caves and such as I do have a very territoriality aggressive Blenny. 

 

[seabass]

I believe the emperor cardinals are the same as the Banggai cardinalfish.  Sexing them is difficult, I purchased mine as a pair (that might be the easiest).  They are a shorter lived fish (usually less than five years); although they tend to live longer in captivity than in the wild.  Breeding pairs may suffer shorter lifespans (due to the demands on both the male and female).

[seabass]

Feeding time for the cardinalfish:

 

[SeaFurn]

Wow! They have gotten a lot bigger.  Remind me what are you going to do with all of them? 

[seabass]

10 minutes ago, SeaFurn said:

Remind me what are you going to do with all of them?

 

10 hours ago, seabass said:

I've joined the Greater Iowa Reef Society in hopes to find a few fish new homes; however, I haven't posted anything yet.  I gave a presentation to this club more than 15 years ago.

 

I'm going to contact our zoo (which has several reef exhibits), and a downtown high school (which has a large aquatic lab).  Maybe there will be some interest there.  Also, my LFS has expressed interest in some; but they say they aren't ready for any at the moment.  There are a couple more stores which I haven't contacted yet.  My goal is to find homes for them without having to ship any.

 

I'll try and post a new video later today.  On a side note, the father should be ready to release another batch any day.  I'll be gone for a few days coming up soon, so once again, bad timing.  We'll see whether or not I get another batch to raise.

 

 

[SeaFurn]

Oops sorry...I should have just scrolled up. 

 

I hope your successful finding homes and with a potential new batch. 

[seabass]

Thanks!  It's been a rewarding experience to save them.  I hope I can raise another batch someday.

[Christopher Marks]

Sounds like you have some good leads on local homes for them, I hope it all works out. They’re getting so big now! With some luck you’ll get to visit one in another local reef a few years from now. They grow up so quickly don’t they? 😂

[kimberbee]

If you were just a few hours closer, I'd come pick up a pair!

[Hannahhhh]

What size were your cardinals when they started reproducing? I just got a bonded pair from live aquaria but they’re still quite small. 

[seabass]

I can't quite remember.  I don't recall thinking they were especially small.  Maybe just over 2".  I can't say that I feel they are significantly larger than when I got them.  Now, a few of the "babies" might be considered Mediums (1 to 2"); while most are still Smalls.

[Hannahhhh]

22 hours ago, seabass said:

I can't quite remember.  I don't recall thinking they were especially small.  Maybe just over 2".  I can't say that I feel they are significantly larger than when I got them.  Now, a few of the "babies" might be considered Mediums (1 to 2"); while most are still Smalls.

Ok good to know. My little pair are each about 1 1/4 inches. I can’t wait!

[seabass]

I just sold five of the little guys to one of our local stores.  They said that I am only the second person that they've dealt with (in over 20 years) which has successfully raised them.  It was a little sad to see them go.  I hope they go to good homes.

 

Just before Christmas, we went to Orlando.  Epcot has tons of Banggai Cardinalfish on display; I'll try to post some pics a little later.

[WV Reefer]

13 minutes ago, seabass said:

I just sold five of the little guys to one of our local stores.  They said that I am only the second person that they've dealt with (in over 20 years) which has successfully raised them.  It was a little sad to see them go.  I hope they go to good homes.

 

Just before Christmas, we went to Orlando.  Epcot has tons of Banggai Cardinalfish on display; I'll try to post some pics a little later.

That’s awesome. 😊

[debbeach13]

Congratulations!

[Pjanssen]

17 hours ago, seabass said:

Just before Christmas, we went to Orlando.  Epcot has tons of Banggai Cardinalfish on display; I'll try to post some pics a little later.

Don't you just love all of their aquariums. We took my almost 4 year old Grandson in the beginning of December and he was so excited. He was pointing out all of the things that I have in my tank too. Of course, he was most excited about the sharks and sting rays!

[seabass]

Thanks everyone!  It's rewarding to have a positive impact (not just buying aquacultured fish, but supplying them too).

 

On a sad note, I found a single, newly released, Banggai in the overflow last evening.  However, I didn't have a nursery set up for it, so I put it in an external refugium (suitable for very small fish).  It has a tiny grate protecting things from getting sucked out into the main tank.  I considered adding some mesh to the grate, but didn't have anything on hand.  You can see where this is going.

 

The tiny fish was just small enough to get pushed through the grate, and the flow was enough to direct it right there.  It must have swam in the fuge for 20 seconds before it got caught up in the flow going back into the tank.  It lasted about 2 seconds in the display before one of my chalk basses made a meal of it.  I'm still a little mad at myself for not doing better. 

 

2 hours ago, Pjanssen said:

We took my almost 4 year old Grandson in the beginning of December and he was so excited. He was pointing out all of the things that I have in my tank too.

My family are big Disney people.  I make it a point to visit the aquariums whenever we go to Epcot (must be five or six times now).  You get to walk around the exhibits after riding Nemo & Friends.  However, now I just walk in through the gift shop exit, to bypass the kids ride (which doesn't entirely suck if there isn't a long wait, or you have kids with you).

 

2 hours ago, Pjanssen said:

Don't you just love all of their aquariums... Of course, he was most excited about the sharks and sting rays!

I do, it's a nice setup.  I like the large tanks too.  We never get to see schooling fish in our hobby.

 

I spoke with the person there about the cardinals.  She said that these were bred there and they gave other aquariums fish.  However, there were no babies or juveniles in their tanks.  We asked if there were nurseries in the back, but she said no.

 

[seabass]

On 12/28/2019 at 8:09 AM, seabass said:

On a sad note, I found a single, newly released, Banggai in the overflow last evening.  However, I didn't have a nursery set up for it, so I put it in an external refugium (suitable for very small fish).  It has a tiny grate protecting things from getting sucked out into the main tank.  I considered adding some mesh to the grate, but didn't have anything on hand.  You can see where this is going.

 

The tiny fish was just small enough to get pushed through the grate, and the flow was enough to direct it right there.  It must have swam in the fuge for 20 seconds before it got caught up in the flow going back into the tank.  It lasted about 2 seconds in the display before one of my chalk basses made a meal of it.  I'm still a little mad at myself for not doing better.

OMG!!!  I was feeding my Caribbean tank tonight and saw the baby cardinalfish swimming around.  I was like there's no way that fish is alive.  I've made no special attempts to feed it.  I even saw it eating a piece of mysis shrimp that I've been feeding the chalk bass.  I'm still a bit in disbelief that he survived more than a month in there.  I might just have to keep this little guy.  I'll try to get pics for y'all.

[debbeach13]

That is great. Looking forward to seeing the little guy.

[Pjanssen]

[seabass]