Bangaii Cardinals
 

I purchased a pair of Bangaii Cardinals three weeks ago.

One of them has disappeared. Not on the floor. No ammonia spike in the QT. Just GONE. I hate it when fish disappear (I had a clown disappear a couple of months ago).

Anyhoo . . . the Bangaii I have left appears to be female (rounded on the belly, versus very square). She is a voracious eater: brine, mysis, pacifica plankton, Arctica-Pods. If it is meaty she'll eat it. She isn't timid, either. She aggressively chases food, though she plays nicely with the other fish in the QT (Clowns, Chromis, Signal Goby). She is about 1/2 of full grown.

I'm pretty sure the one that pulled the vanishing act was male, and he was very timid. I haven't seen him in a week, so I'm pretty sure he really is gone.

I'm leaning towards attempting to find another partner for the Bangaii I have. Does anyone have any recommendations as to how I should go about this? I have yet to see a lone Bangaii in a tank at a LFS. I don't want to take another's mate.

Why do you want a mated pair? Are you prepared to raise the fry when they start mating? Once they start mating the female will want to mate all the time. As soon as the poor male releases the fry the female already has another batch ready....lol. You'll have to somehow separate the male from the female to give him a break. If you don't do this, the poor male will starve to death.

I have a mated pair and they are my favorite fish. They are so bold and they are definitely the dominant fish in my tank, but they are too much work. That's why I have decided to sell them.

I felt it would do better in a pair. I actually just planned on making the male spit out the eggs if I was able to find a partner.

Do you think a lone bangaii would thrive?

A single banggai will do just fine. I know people that have only one and the fish seems quite content. Mine look very happy but they are too much work. I know I could force the male to spit the eggs but that's a bit cruel :-( Think of all the little fry....lol. Right now I have 8 little ones from the first batch. They are adorable and I wish I could set up a second tank for them but that's not doable. It takes about 3 months before you can sell them or trade them in for store credit and that's way too long. I only have one tank and this system can't handle my 6 fish plus 8 little ones and future batches.

I am very sad to see them go but am selling them to somebody that has the time, experience and set up to raise the fry.

They're just eggs. ;) Other things will eat them. From what I understand it isn't very difficult to get the male to spit. I've never tried it, so I don't have first hand knowledge or that, however.

If the one will do fine I'm content with the one. :)

It is very easy to get the male to spit the eggs. Use a net to catch him, that will stress him out and he will spit them out for sure.

yeah you'll be fine with one Imo. I have had one by himself for about 8 months now and he is happy as hell, socializes with the clowns and angel quite a bit surprisingly!

I've had only one for over a year and he's fine. I tried introducing another one, but he didn't want anything to do with it and chased her to the other side of the tank, they were never together. Mine is happy, has no problem getting his share of food and hangs out on one side of the tank. I think you'll be fine with 1:lol:

Thanks, folks. :)

If I stick with the one, that leaves me room for something else. :D

That's the spirit!!

I also bought 2 of them and one went missing a couple of months back, the one remaining is doing just fine on it's own. Eats well and is quite social with his/ her tank mates.