| Author |
 Topic Search  Topic Options
|
Mark Peterson 
Paid Member
Joined: June 19 2002
Location: Murray
Status: Offline
Points: 21436
|
 Post Options
 Thanks(0)
 Quote  Reply
 Topic: 14 Bangaii babies healthy and eating
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.
Edited by Mark Peterson - May 09 2006 at 12:02am
|
Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks:www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member 
|
 |
chrisslc
Guest
Joined: November 13 2003
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 799
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
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
|
|
jfinch
Guest
Joined: March 06 2003
Location: Pleasant Grove
Status: Offline
Points: 7067
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: May 08 2006 at 12:07am |
|
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!
|
|
|
|
Mark Peterson
Paid Member
Joined: June 19 2002
Location: Murray
Status: Offline
Points: 21436
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
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?
Edited by Mark Peterson - May 08 2006 at 3:56am
|
Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks:www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
|
|
Mark Peterson
Paid Member
Joined: June 19 2002
Location: Murray
Status: Offline
Points: 21436
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: May 08 2006 at 4:37am |
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
|
|
aaaj
Guest
Joined: January 15 2006
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 734
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
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
|
|
Kevin F
Guest
Joined: April 27 2006
Status: Offline
Points: 264
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: May 08 2006 at 10:43am |
|
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
|
|
Bob Kripfgans
Guest
Joined: November 13 2004
Location: Tooele, Ut.
Status: Offline
Points: 1084
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: May 08 2006 at 12:58pm |
Alright Mark! Way to go...good luck
|
|
WMAS is da place!
Save the Banggai's!
Tooele,Ut.
|
|
ReefBones
Guest
Joined: January 14 2006
Location: Magna, Utah
Status: Offline
Points: 2617
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: May 08 2006 at 1:39pm |
|
Mark, congrats!!!!! thats awesome! .. when they are ready .. I Will for sure take 2! ....
Edited by thebutler4 - May 08 2006 at 6:58pm
|
|
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"
|
|
guaposmith
Guest
Joined: February 27 2006
Location: Sandy, UT
Status: Offline
Points: 43
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: May 08 2006 at 6:36pm |
|
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
|
|
Gahlenfr
Guest
Joined: December 01 2005
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 1061
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: May 08 2006 at 7:07pm |
|
I will take 3 or 4 when they are ready. Just let me know.
|
|
P.C Pond buildr
Guest
Joined: November 24 2003
Location: Redrocks
Status: Offline
Points: 427
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: May 08 2006 at 9:55pm |
|
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
|
|
Will Spencer
Admin Group
Joined: September 04 2003
Location: West Jordan
Status: Offline
Points: 6799
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: May 08 2006 at 9:59pm |
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.
|
|
Mark Peterson
Paid Member
Joined: June 19 2002
Location: Murray
Status: Offline
Points: 21436
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
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
|
|
ltanner
Guest
Joined: August 09 2005
Location: Orem
Status: Offline
Points: 272
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: May 09 2006 at 10:09am |
|
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
|
|
Guests
Guest Group
Pet Store
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
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. 
|
|
Shane H
Presidency
Joined: March 09 2003
Location: Brigham City
Status: Offline
Points: 7921
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: May 10 2006 at 12:11am |
Mark,
Thought you might get a kick out of this:
|
|
MissMarilyn
Guest
Joined: September 16 2005
Location: Cottonwood Hght
Status: Offline
Points: 256
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: May 10 2006 at 9:55am |
|
Omg... that video rocks (literally).
and the little fish are soooooo cute!
:) M
|
|
Currently looking for tank...
|
|
Will Spencer
Admin Group
Joined: September 04 2003
Location: West Jordan
Status: Offline
Points: 6799
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: May 10 2006 at 9:35pm |
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.
|
|
Mark Peterson
Paid Member
Joined: June 19 2002
Location: Murray
Status: Offline
Points: 21436
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: May 10 2006 at 10:31pm |
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?
Edited by Mark Peterson - May 10 2006 at 10:31pm
|
Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks:www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
|
|
