14 Bangaii babies healthy and eating
Printed From: Utah Reefs
Category: Specialized Discussion
Forum Name: Fish
Forum Description: This is the place to ask questions about fish.
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12135
Printed Date: August 06 2025 at 8:39pm
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Topic: 14 Bangaii babies healthy and eating
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Subject: 14 Bangaii babies healthy and eating
Date Posted: May 07 2006 at 8:59pm
Tonight I'm going to try to catch the male Bangaii and release the babies. Wish me luck. ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member 
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Replies:
Posted By: chrisslc
Date Posted: May 07 2006 at 10:39pm
Luck ------------- Murray, Utah just north of the park. "It's all the same to the clam" -Shel Silverstein |
Posted By: jfinch
Date Posted: May 08 2006 at 12:07am
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I've never stripped a Bangaii, but with cichlids it's easy to overpry their jaw and rip it. So be careful pulling the mouth open. Good luck! ------------- Jon https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6y_EzjI_ljbIwf2n5uNzTw" rel="nofollow - What I've been doing... |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: May 08 2006 at 3:44am
 It was sooo easy. I fell asleep watching TV and when I woke up, rubbed my eyes and peered through the aquarium glass, "Cap'n, there be whales here!"
 Actually, as soon as I could think and see clearly, I found my way to the dark front room. I stumbled over to the tank, nets in hand. The lights had been raised in preparation for the blessed event. I switched on the VHO lights. Dad, with mouth full of babies, was blinded by the light. He was quickly and easily netted. The big net was left hanging at the water surface and as I chased father around trying to grab him by the tail, he released about 20 MiniMe's. At one particular moment, when I actually had a slightly firmer grip on his tail, he "croaked". The sound was amusing. I took it to mean that he was empty of babies and to leave him alone. Still, not wanting to miss a baby, I lifted him out of the water by the tail. His mouth seemed empty, so back in the tank he went.Now what to do with the babies?
 They were smaller than I thought. Their parents, uncles and aunts were easily three times their size when I picked them up from P.C.Pondbuilder in Park City almost two years ago. I was thinking they would go into my 29 gal algae tank, but that wouldn't work. The two damsels are small, but not that small. Well, thought I, since I always refer hobbyists to the Refugium and, since Will Spencer's mother, Linda, had some success with raising her babies in the Refugium per my suggestion, I might as well take my own advice. So, "that's where they will go".
A block of Chaeto was removed to make room for the tiny darlings. Most just hovered near the sand. A few made their way into the wirey strands of Chaeto. Two or three quickly made their way around to the return pump and seemed to be fighting to keep away from the intake grill. I moved them away from there and, satisfied with my nights work, I am here now, at 2AM, writing this story. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed living it.
 I hope to do this again.
Who wants young Bangaii Cardinals? Oh btw, here is some more good reading by a former WMAS member and other links on raising baby Bangaii Cardinalfish Good pics too. http://www.utahreefs.com/SeaStar/wmasSeaStar02Feb.pdf - http://www.utahreefs.com/SeaStar/wmasSeaStar02Feb.pdf ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: May 08 2006 at 4:37am
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Update:
They are so cute. They have formed into two groups in the Refugium. A group of nine and a group of five. Y'all are invited to visit and see the little darlings.  ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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Posted By: aaaj
Date Posted: May 08 2006 at 9:14am
Very cool Mark  I would love to come by and show my boys them sometime this week, when are you around?
We may have room for a couple of them as well ------------- Amber 29 gallon reef pictures of some of my frags at frags.org |
Posted By: Kevin F
Date Posted: May 08 2006 at 10:43am
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Hey congrats on the babies! Raising fry is always fun. Such a nice pay off. Have you thought of making them some fake urchins to live in. It is common in the wild and will make them feel more comfortable and protected. I first saw this at the Seattle Aquarium, but recently have seen some succsessful hobbyists being succsessful with the same method. Just a thought. ------------- The mediocre mind is incapable of understanding the man who refuses to bow blindly to conventional prejudices and chooses instead to express his opinions courageously and honestly. Albert Einstein |
Posted By: Bob Kripfgans
Date Posted: May 08 2006 at 12:58pm
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Alright Mark! Way to go...good luck ------------- WMAS is da place! Save the Banggai's! Tooele,Ut. |
Posted By: ReefBones
Date Posted: May 08 2006 at 1:39pm
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Mark, congrats!!!!! thats awesome! .. when they are ready .. I Will for sure take 2! .... ------------- 140 gallon Reef 65 gallon Reef 55 gallon Aggressive www.thesalttank.com 801-865-6074 "encourage other divers and sea enthusiasts to take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but bubbles" |
Posted By: guaposmith
Date Posted: May 08 2006 at 6:36pm
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Congrats Mark that is too cool!! My wife told me the next fish we
had to get were bangaii cardinals, so if the offer is still good put me
down for 2. Thanks, and again good job!! Clay |
Posted By: Gahlenfr
Date Posted: May 08 2006 at 7:07pm
| I will take 3 or 4 when they are ready. Just let me know. |
Posted By: P.C Pond buildr
Date Posted: May 08 2006 at 9:55pm
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Very cool mark, I have raised hundreds of them from the same 2 parents, I usually put them in a 2 gallon AGA in the fuge with a screen hood on it, then squirt cyclopeze into them at least 3 times a day. I normaly raise at lease 90 percent, of the the last ones I caught there were 34 that went to new homes.
------------- WMAS resident fathead :) 2000 gallons of salt. St George Ut |
Posted By: Will Spencer
Date Posted: May 08 2006 at 9:59pm
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I actually had 2 make it in my main tank. They are now about 6 months old and body size is about the size of a Nickel. I still can't believe they didn't get eaten.
Last week daddy was carrying again, but no longer is. I'll have to keep an eye out for little ones.
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Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: May 08 2006 at 11:58pm
 Thanks.
Feel free to call me at the number below to arrange a visit.
Since they are living among the Mangroves roots and Macroalgae in the Refugium, an Urchin might not work.
This evening I fed them BS nauplii that had hatched in the 10 gals of water that came from the GSL last week. They went wild for the live food.
A little info for those who may not know, Bangaii are mouth brooders. The male takes the fertilized eggs in his mouth where they hatch and grow until he is ready to spit them out at about 5 weeks. he does not seem to eat during this time.
It will be 2-4 months before I'm ready to let any of the babies go. Sorry. ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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Posted By: ltanner
Date Posted: May 09 2006 at 10:09am
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Thanks for sharing an awesome story- it's so much more interesting/educating to hear how it's really done, instead of "I put the babies in the refugium". I've been on the lookout for bangaiis for my school tank, so put me down for 2-3 when they're ready to go. ------------- Laura Orem 29 gal reef |
Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: May 09 2006 at 7:20pm
I want to come see. Are they hard to raise at this point? Do you need rotifers? I've got a few with no hungry mouths to feed them to.
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Posted By: Shane H
Date Posted: May 10 2006 at 12:11am
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Mark,
Thought you might get a kick out of this:
http://www.reefobsession.com/movies/baby_bangaii_0001.wmv - http://www.reefobsession.com/movies/baby_bangaii_0001.wmv Enjoy! |
Posted By: MissMarilyn
Date Posted: May 10 2006 at 9:55am
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Omg... that video rocks (literally). and the little fish are soooooo cute! :) M ------------- Currently looking for tank... |
Posted By: Will Spencer
Date Posted: May 10 2006 at 9:35pm
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In my previous post I mentioned that there could be babies in my tank right now. I just spent a few minutes cleaning the glass and while looking around in crevices found 1 tiny little baby. It's staying right between the glass and a rock that is so close to the glass that the bigger fish can't get to it.
Bangaii's are Awesome. And to think I wasn't going to get one because I thought they weren't that neat.
Unfortunately I don't have a whole brood like Mark, but one here and there is pretty awesome for me.
Good luck with the group you have Mark. If anyone can raise them it's you.
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Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: May 10 2006 at 10:31pm
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Thanks for linking the video. I was not sure if they hatched as fry or larvae. Now I know. I am curious why they took eggs from the father rather than let him hatch them.
Adam, who is Coral Dynamics in NC? ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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Posted By: Shane H
Date Posted: May 10 2006 at 10:45pm
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Mark,
The post mentioned "stripping the nest" and using a tumbler to incubate the eggs (rather than the father). The owners were having a higher success rate doing this than allowing the male to hold them through to release.
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Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: May 11 2006 at 1:50pm
| That video was great. I figured that the babies were born as larvae and then went through the metamorphic phase while still in the father's mouth. I guess this method would eliminate the possibility of the father accidentally swallowing any of them. With freshwater angelfish, the parents can accidentally swallow the babies when they get scared. |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: May 18 2006 at 9:05am
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I can still see 10 babies. I'm feeding them live GSL BS Nauplii from the live bucket collected last week. ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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Posted By: Philism
Date Posted: May 18 2006 at 9:53am
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Great job Mark! I would love to buy a couple from ya when they are old enough to handle the transition.
------------- Phil Sandy, Utah |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: May 28 2006 at 5:28pm
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It's been three weeks and 11 baby Bangaii survive. They have more than doubled in size. ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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Posted By: jfinch
Date Posted: May 28 2006 at 5:58pm
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Mark, put me down for one of them too. That's awesome that they're doing so well. ------------- Jon https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6y_EzjI_ljbIwf2n5uNzTw" rel="nofollow - What I've been doing... |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: May 28 2006 at 8:36pm
It's fun to watch them eat. For about two weeks they ate BS Nauplii from GSL BS collecting trips. When those ran out I switched to Rotifers grown in a 3L pop bottle. I pour 1/4 of the bottle 2Xday and refill with phyto after the second feeding. They are large enough to eat CyclopEeze, but prefer the live Rotifers and whatever else they can nab in the 29 gal macroalgae packed/ miscellaneous/ rubble LR tank that I moved them to about 10 days ago. They are about as easy as Guppies. ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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Posted By: Will Spencer
Date Posted: May 30 2006 at 10:37am
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I found this morning that one of the last batch in my tank made it. He has also at least doubled in size. It looks like he is living in my frogspawn under the polyps amoung the skeleton arms.
I feed my tank heavily with Golden Pearls. I've made a mix of about 6 different sizes. This as well as Freeze dried copepods and decapsulated BS eggs so these guys have plenty to eat if they can make it without being eaten themselves.
I don't have the kind of number Mark has, but for just letting nature take it's course I don't feel I'm doing to bad.
Daddy's got a mouthful of eggs again as well. Do your's start over right after he releases the eggs Mark? I thought they needed some time to rest and get a real meal for a while before doing this again.
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Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: May 31 2006 at 12:00am
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Depends on the pair. ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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Posted By: thathiep
Date Posted: May 31 2006 at 12:16am
| Those are cute! Congrats on your great job. People need to come check them out. I was there last week. |
Posted By: Will Spencer
Date Posted: June 01 2006 at 11:26am
| My 1 little guy is hanging out above my Frogspawn today and I've been able to get a really good look at him. I have to agree with thatheip. Baby Bangaii's are extreamly cute. Marks school of them must be very cute. Something like cute to the 11th power. |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: June 24 2006 at 4:50pm
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They are now 4x larger and still cute, but only to the eigth power now. Wish I had a camera so I could share them with y'all. ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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Posted By: Philism
Date Posted: June 24 2006 at 10:56pm
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Since they are only to the 8th power...are you willing to sell them yet? :)
------------- Phil Sandy, Utah |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: June 25 2006 at 11:43am
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They are eating frozen food now and a few are getting large enough to make it in a Nano.
Is $10 each too much to ask?
Also have an adult Bangaii for sale to a good home. ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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Posted By: Dion Richins
Date Posted: June 25 2006 at 12:01pm
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Could I get 2? One for each of my nanos. ------------- http://www.customaquariumfurniture.com" rel="nofollow - Bad "censored" Cabinets Best quality in the valley! He is one sexy bald guy, even with out a finger!(MAC) |
Posted By: StaceyB
Date Posted: June 25 2006 at 12:08pm
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Mark, Congrats on the little guys... I really have been wanting one of these for a while.. do you have any left? Thanks, Stacey ------------- Fish are friends, not food� lasagna, on the other hand� 90 gallon reef w/lots of pretty stuff! |
Posted By: Philism
Date Posted: June 26 2006 at 9:12am
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If you're not sure they'll make it in something bigger than a nano, then I better hold off until they grow some more.
------------- Phil Sandy, Utah |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: June 27 2006 at 12:33am
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Well, it's been about 7 weeks, and they seem to be growing well, but the eight little ones are still only ~1/2 inch long from tip to tip. At night they could slip through overflow teeth quicker than you could say Bangaii yi yiiiiiii............ ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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Posted By: Philism
Date Posted: June 27 2006 at 8:16am
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Yeah, I'll hold off until they are bigger.
------------- Phil Sandy, Utah |
Posted By: sukie
Date Posted: June 27 2006 at 9:31am
I just saw them on the weekend and they are the most adorable lil' things! You just want to pinch their cheeks!  ------------- http://sukie.mt-wudan.com/ - My Blog |
Posted By: ljbs
Date Posted: July 08 2006 at 6:46pm
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Congrats, Mark Raising Bangii is a real treat. I never had
many live but it was interesting to watch the three or four that did
make it in my refugium. My Daddy still carries broods now and
then but I haven't seen any more of them get to the safe haven of the
refugium. They seemed to be able to survive on Golden Pearls and
cyclopese since that was all I had to feel them. I didn't have
hatched brine shrimp.
------------- Linda Spencer West Jordan From My little corner of the sea |