"As the Pump Turns," a bangaii soap opera

[Saltysteele]

My male bangaii has been holding babies for 2-1/2 to 3 weeks.

So, last night he was acting all goofy. It was like he was drunk, swimming into rocks, hanging out in the corner at the top by the overflow. So I was thinking this dude has had enough, he's starving.

So about 3 am, all the lights in the room were off, I turned on the tank lights, and he was just swimming around in open water, chillin. I put my large net in, and he actually swam up to it to check it out (shows how "out of it" he was acting). SCOOP! As the net broke the top of the water, there was a spray of water droplets, which were actually all the babies hitting the sides of the net!:bigsmile:

I put them all in the sump, and put the male back in the tank before he decided to have fish and chips for a long-overdue meal.

I put my fake urchin, made out of plumbers putty (the stuff like aquamend) and toothpicks. I counted 25, and lost count!

12 hours later, they were still all hanging out in the sump, eating pods already (yeehaa!), and were even darting at food particles floating through the sump.

Now, this part will break your heart. After around 20 days of holding these babies for the female, the b**** has found a new lover

The 3rd, loner bangaii, has captured her interest, and they have paired up. On one hand, I feel bad for the male that just held the babies, but at the same time, loner bangaii is so flippin happy to have someone to talk to.

He'll learn...... He'll learn.....

Tune in tomorrow for what happens next, on "As the pump turns"

 

[rarelyseriousb]

that made me have a good laugh

 

[ecotoxlady]

That's great news about the babies and hilarious about how naive the the "new male" is about what he is getting himself into!

 

[Saltysteele]

lol

yeah, he's on her like flies on stink. he's always watching her, and if she starts to move, he's right there, never more than 2" away

poor guy. the original pair never let him come out from behind the rocks. now he thinks he's top of the food chain

i can just see the original male - "yeah, you wait.... you wait..."

 

[ahayes13]

LOL. very cool, i cant wait to see how they do !

 

[ficklefins]

I love it. When does the "As the Pump Turns" get pics?

 

[Saltysteele]

There's a baby pic

Aren't they cute? Wish you could all see their darting action

 

[Zoalover34]

That's awsome! I want a pair

 

[joefish]

Not sure of the egg cycle of bangii but with he 20day hold by the male maybe the female is ready to lay again and the other male stepped in cause the first was full still.

 

[ahayes13]

awwww just so darn cute...

 

[Azurel]

Joe fish might be correct if I remember correctly. I know the females have been known to starve males to death by the rate that they are willing to reproduce.....In the wild though they due have a tendency to be monogamist and once a pair pairs up they will stay that way unless one dies but that is not a absolute rule.....I have done a lot of reading on them and used to have a breeding pair myself.....The babies are so cute....They will however show some postnatal care for the babies but after a few days from what I have read they can sometimes eat them.....I am thinking about getting a pair after I get a tang.

 

[msman825]

Not sure of the egg cycle of bangii but with he 20day hold by the male maybe the female is ready to lay again and the other male stepped in cause the first was full still.

good point plus it will give the orig daddy a break

 

[Saltysteele]

Your next installment

Well, the babies are in the sump and doing great! I would guess that only half of them are left, though.

Another reefer has been generous enough to shoot me a 29g tank to set up for my babies (which means, i have to give him a couple babies, right :tongue. So, hopefully soon they'll have a safe home of their own. Here's a pic of the basket I devised to keep them from getting sucked into the skimmer:

a pic from about a week ago, with their "urchin"

Well, the female has decided she loved #1 male enough to come back to him. However, #2 male is allowed to come out from behind the rocks a little more. #1 doesn't like it, but usually leaves #2 alone, for the most part. #1 is still eating, so hopefully he missed a cycle of egg laying, and will build up some more fat. He was getting pretty goofy by the end of the last cycle :sad:

This has been your latest installment, in "As the Pump Turns" :xd:

 

[ahayes13]

they are looking great !

 

[Saltysteele]

Thank you!!

the one in focus on the right (well, as in focus as i could get them using wife's camera) is, well.... don't know how to say it without offending anyone.... i think he's a little slow, compared to the others. he might just be the runt of the bunch. his nose is a little more blunted than the others', and he's not as quick to react as the others. but he's a cutie

 

[mak060]

So funny. Congrats on the brood.

 

[Dr. Frag]

Bravo!

 

[Saltysteele]

okay, so your next installment:

so, it's been what, half a month since the last babies were born? well, they're doing great. i've only got about 13-14 out of the 25 left. the other ones just disappeared. i need to get a dedicated tank for them, for sure.


especially since HE IS HOLDING BABIES AGAIN!!!

i've been busy lately, so haven't had a whole lot of time to stare into the tank. however, had some time tonight, so scrubbed the tank and did a "big" feeding of some stuff a local reefer made up (tanglover's tasty meal, as another reefer dubbed it ) and mysis. I had seen #2 male hiding behind the rocks earlier, and #1 and mama were hanging out in the bat cave.

as i look a little closer, #2 wasn't eating and was acting funny. well, that's because it was #1 juggling marbles in his mouth, with the cartilage that runs the length of the jaw bulging. my guesstimate would be 10-14 days?

these guys are awesome!! #2 stepped into #1's spot so easily, i didn't even notice the transition, and mama accepted him just as easily. wish clowns were this easy!!

 

[ecotoxlady]

So wait...am I getting this right?...mamma got busy with #2 and now he's holding her babies?!? That's just priceless! I can't wait to see more baby pictures

 

[Saltysteele]

no, mama left #2 for #1 shortly after he began eating again, and #2 went back to the shadows.

i thought had seen #2 earlier in the night last night behind some rocks hiding, but it wasn't #2, it was #1. and, what i thought was #1 with mama, was actually #2 filling #1's empty seat. so, #1 is carrying babies (again), but hopefully #2 will start carrying some of the burden so that #1 can get some rest.

it gets confusing when everyone looks the same