Banggai Cardinal fish

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Kevin

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Howzit,

I bought two Banggai fish about a month ago. Both are very healthy and eating well.

Problem is that in the last few days the one is hiding in the rock work and only comes out to feed. The larger one seems to be harrasing it until it goes back into the rock work.

A few sources say that they could be breeding, but I feel that the larger cardinal fish has turned territorial.

Should I sell the one or wait and see what happens?
 
what else is in the tank with them?
 
Two clown fish (they are not bothered at all), a cleaner shrimp, a turbo snail and two red hermit crabs.
 
i would say breeding, and damaging themselves being close to the rocks fanning the eggs, but just keep an eye on the clowns :)
 
You could have two male banggais hence the fighting. They are usually schoolers. Did you know that Banggais host with anemones but are usually booted out by clowns
 
nope, but learnt something new today :)
 
I have a feeling they are fighting. The only time the larger one lets the smaller one out in the open is when they are feeding.

They have been together since I bought them with no signs of hostility. They used to school together and try and hog all the food for themselves.

I am just worried that the one will eventually die of stress.
 
Try adding a few more Banggais
 
Try and take out the bigger one and put him in the sump for a couple of days, if you reintroduce him he will be a stranger as well as the fact that the smaller one would have time to utilise his area
 
that sounds like breeding behavior to me. leave it be, if they were fine together before they will be fine.. Sound like this is pre - spawn behavior, feed em good (fresh sea food ....) and keep an eye on them.
For how long have they been together without fighting?
 
dallasg said:
i would say breeding, and damaging themselves being close to the rocks fanning the eggs, but just keep an eye on the clowns :)
Click to expand...

I believe they are a mouth brooding specie! so no fanning of the eggs here.:)
 
Thanks for all the help guys.

I cant separate them as they are in a Boyu tank. They have been together for one month now with no signs of hostility.

All the stuff I have read says that cardinals do not usuallly fight as they are schooling fish. These guys are well fed so it cant be over food.

I think I will leave them together for a few more days to see what happens. If I see the smaller one gets hammered I will get a small breeding trap and separate them until I can sell the one.

If they are spawning, how long does it usually take?
 
I mentioned this because my two Cardinals also did this after a couple of weeks together in the tank. It is either 02 of the same sex or they are fighting over food (when you underfeed the bigger one will try and make sure that there is not too much compitition for food- hence the chasing away of the other). Same goes for territory. We all say that Cardinals are normally calm and a shaoling fish, to a point I agree, but I know that even under shoaling fish, there is also competition. I am willing to put my left testi...le on the line that it has nothing to do with breeding, not in such a newish setup as well as a smallish tank
 
It seems as if the two have worked out their differences. They are swimming arround together again. No more problems.
 
Tony said:
You could have two male banggais hence the fighting. They are usually schoolers. Did you know that Banggais host with anemones but are usually booted out by clowns
Click to expand...

Most Banggai host in long spine urchins for breeding purposes. You could even make a fake urchin and they will release their young into the "urchin" for protection.

Some captive bred pairs won't breed unless there is an urchin available.
 
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