Bangaii Cardinals… How Many?

[CincyReefer07]

Getting ready to purchase my first group of fish for my 310g display tank. For my first fish introduced I was planning on a pair of Clarkii clowns and either 3 or 5 Bangaii Cardinals.

Those of you that have kept multiple Cardinals in a tank, what has been your experience? What worked, what didn’t work, did you get much aggression? Did they pair up and bully the outcast or did they stay as a group or just all tend to swim around the tank doing their own thing? How long did you successfully keep them?

 

[Roli's Reef Ranch]

I have 2, opposite sex so they don't kill each other. Won't eat any dry food.

 

[CincyReefer07]

I have 2, opposite sex so they don't kill each other. Won't eat any dry food.

How are you able to distinguish between the male and female? I’ve read that you can’t really tell.

 

[i cant think]

How are you able to distinguish between the male and female? I’ve read that you can’t really tell.

It’s extremely hard to do this with juveniles however it’s something to do with their oral cavity and vents (I can’t quite remember which way round it is though).

 

[doubleshot00]

How are you able to distinguish between the male and female? I’ve read that you can’t really tell.

Luck or some are good at it.

IMO get one. Its a crap shoot if you buy 2-3.

 

[DaJMasta]

If you look between their forward and rear bottom fins, males have two vents and females have one. It's very difficult to sex them until they're fully grown, and even then, the only way I've gotten even reasonable confidence is to take a close up image in front of a light background and then look at the pictures - they're usually twitchy enough not to give you time to look close.

I don't have experience with large groups of adults, but I've heard more is better and I'd probably lean towards at least half a dozen. I hear stories of a pair developing and chasing the others around, but from the behavior of mine and the juveniles I've had, I think in a tank that size with rockwork with that many overhangs to hang out under, I don't think 5 or so is particularly risky, regardless of sex.

 

[FishieFlashdrive]

Getting ready to purchase my first group of fish for my 310g display tank. For my first fish introduced I was planning on a pair of Clarkii clowns and either 3 or 5 Bangaii Cardinals.

Those of you that have kept multiple Cardinals in a tank, what has been your experience? What worked, what didn’t work, did you get much aggression? Did they pair up and bully the outcast or did they stay as a group or just all tend to swim around the tank doing their own thing? How long did you successfully keep them?

I had 4 bangaii's, which worked well when they were little but as soon as the biggest two started feeling the breedin' feels, they turned into a murderous gang of terror. The two big one's murdered one of the small ones. I rescued the last small one and had to rehome him. I would not suggest getting less than 4 or more than 2. My two big guys, Mo and Bo, are doing great and still fully bonded.

 

[CincyReefer07]

I had 4 bangaii's, which worked well when they were little but as soon as the biggest two started feeling the breedin' feels, they turned into a murderous gang of terror. The two big one's murdered one of the small ones. I rescued the last small one and had to rehome him. I would not suggest getting less than 4 or more than 2. My two big guys, Mo and Bo, are doing great and still fully bonded.

Yeah I think I’ve decided to try to find myself a male/female pair of them and leave it at that after discussing it with several people in a couple different posts