Pterapogon kauderni (Banggai Cardinalfish)

Almondkc · Nov 8, 2018

I have been watching my male BC for a few weeks, I noticed at one point early on I could see the 'pink spheres' in his mouth and then just last week noticed that I could see what appeared to be a mini BC peaking out. When he started to gape his mouth I thought that the time was very near. Yesterday I put him in a plastic enclosure in the DT with some Microalgae in it. This morning I was pleased to see 14 babies in the container and all had their pink/yellow yolk-sac bellies. While feeding the DT with the pumps off - I tried to feed them some baby brine shrimp that I have been hatching so that when they were born I could feed them right away. Most of the babies took to the BBS. I have some tiger pods and arctic pods on the way as well as an amphipod culture to feed them when they are few weeks older. You can see some of the BBS around them. They are by far my favorite fish (with Leopard Wrasses being a close second).

In the beginning I am going to feed them 3-4 times a day by releasing the BBS into the enclosure. I really like the plastic enclosure vs. the 'net' enclosure I can keep it cleaner and in my mind that makes for a healthier rearing environment.

Oscaror · Nov 8, 2018

Almondkc said:
I have been watching my male BC for a few weeks, I noticed at one point early on I could see the 'pink spheres' in his mouth and then just last week noticed that I could see what appeared to be a mini BC peaking out. When he started to gape his mouth I thought that the time was very near. Yesterday I put him in a plastic enclosure in the DT with some Microalgae in it. This morning I was pleased to see 14 babies in the container and all had their pink/yellow yolk-sac bellies. While feeding the DT with the pumps off - I tried to feed them some baby brine shrimp that I have been hatching so that when they were born I could feed them right away. Most of the babies took to the BBS. I have some tiger pods and arctic pods on the way as well as an amphipod culture to feed them when they are few weeks older. You can see some of the BBS around them. They are by far my favorite fish (with Leopard Wrasses being a close second).

In the beginning I am going to feed them 3-4 times a day by releasing the BBS into the enclosure. I really like the plastic enclosure vs. the 'net' enclosure I can keep it cleaner and in my mind that makes for a healthier rearing environment.

This is awesome! Good luck with the babies

Instigate · Nov 8, 2018

Almondkc said:
I have been watching my male BC for a few weeks, I noticed at one point early on I could see the 'pink spheres' in his mouth and then just last week noticed that I could see what appeared to be a mini BC peaking out. When he started to gape his mouth I thought that the time was very near. Yesterday I put him in a plastic enclosure in the DT with some Microalgae in it. This morning I was pleased to see 14 babies in the container and all had their pink/yellow yolk-sac bellies. While feeding the DT with the pumps off - I tried to feed them some baby brine shrimp that I have been hatching so that when they were born I could feed them right away. Most of the babies took to the BBS. I have some tiger pods and arctic pods on the way as well as an amphipod culture to feed them when they are few weeks older. You can see some of the BBS around them. They are by far my favorite fish (with Leopard Wrasses being a close second).

In the beginning I am going to feed them 3-4 times a day by releasing the BBS into the enclosure. I really like the plastic enclosure vs. the 'net' enclosure I can keep it cleaner and in my mind that makes for a healthier rearing environment.

Thanks for sharing. Do you have a link to the enclosure you're using? I hate the net I've been using.

pdisner · Nov 8, 2018

Congrats!! I breed fish as well. The Bangaii was my first fish I was able to raise. That was a year and half ago. I’ve since built a whole breeding room, with larval rearing, phyto and zooplankton station for first foods and to sell (Copepods are always a good way to make xtra money either in cash or trade).
The reason I wanted to introduce myself is that I have a few PDFs, one from University of Hawaii, on how to raise bangaiis. Not that you really need instructions as the papa fish takes care of the difficult larval stage, leaving you with keeping the juveniles safe and fed for the next several months. They take forever to grow into adult size.
If you want to check out my stuff, I have a few threads in the fish breeding forum. Under Breeding the Striped Blenny. I’ve got each day video documented, usually macro shots so they’re super detailed.
I’m a BIG advocate for captive breeding so we don’t have to rely on wild caught flown halfway around the world. It doesn’t make sense, it’s cruel and it’s hurting our oceans even more than they already are. The perfect example of this is the Bangaii cardinal. Not too long ago this species was overfished for the aquarium trade and came very close to becoming officially endangered. With each fish that I breed and sell, that’s one more that isn’t bought from a wild caught stock.
With all that being said, I can offer whatever research I’ve dug up that you need. I’ve been hitting google scholar a lot for some research studies, but I’ve got a lot of articles not just on fish breeding. I’ve started a general q&a in the R2R breeding forum, as well as a few species I’ve bred that I’ve document with a thread. I would post some of my cardinal pics and a cool video I made, but I didn’t want to hijack your thread, lol. If you want to see it it’s posted or I can send it to you if you want it as well as the pdf. I don’t know how much you know about brine shrimp, but I’ve got a textbook that goes over culturing artemia and other zooplankton as well as how to decapsulate and what and how load them with nutrients for feeding.
Paul

Almondkc · Nov 8, 2018

Instigate: This is the link, I purchased the large. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07D2FCJXW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Almondkc · Nov 8, 2018

Pdisner: thank you for all the info. I purchased a .pdf from the Banggai Cardinal Rescue and it is extremely informative. I will look in the fish breeding forum at your threads you mention. Thanks again

pdisner · Nov 8, 2018

Almondkc said:
Pdisner: thank you for all the info. I purchased a .pdf from the Banggai Cardinal Rescue and it is extremely informative. I will look in the fish breeding forum at your threads you mention. Thanks again

You purchased it? This one I have is free. If you want I can email it.

Almondkc · Nov 8, 2018

I would appreciate it, thank you

Almondkc · Nov 8, 2018

This is the pdf I purchased, is that the one you are referencing?

pdisner · Nov 8, 2018

What’s your email? Do you want anything on raising copepods too? That’s my forte as well.

pdisner · Nov 8, 2018

Almondkc said:
This is the pdf I purchased, is that the one you are referencing?

It’s not the same. That looks like a ebook. How many pages is it ?

pdisner · Nov 8, 2018

Just make sure that you’re feeding enough. I prefer to hatch them in their own tank or transfer after they pop out. For me, it’s too hard to keep up on the feeding. This way I only have to check and replenish. The Copepods are by FAR the best food that you can feed them. Tiggers are big and juicy and full of a ton of carotenoids and a bunch of fatty acids needed for proper development. I also use apocyclopse because sometimes the tiggers can be to big and a little too crunchy for the baby fish. Usually you’ll want to feed the nauplii if you can. More tender to eat, and slower prey.
It’s always wise to have a good copepod culture going. I make my own sieves out of pvc and aquaculture mesh so I can specifically select the size of food prey. By using a certain size you can separate adult from nauplii. With tiggers, you can easily do this with a brine shrimp net. You catch the nauplii as they pour though. Doesn’t work as good as sieves but it will work til u get or make some.
Another tip: Reed Mariculture makes a food called TDO. It is professional feed for breeding. I know a guy that has used ONLY TDO for food an ever hatched any brine shrimp. This is how he raises his Bangaiis now. He’s Chad Vossen inventor of the “Vossen larval Trap”, sold on BUlk Reef Supply, so he has street cred. He’s a pretty prolific breeder, an acquaintance of mine and who I go to for some of my harder questions. Young guy too. Vossen Aquatics. You could ask him specifics.

pdisner · Nov 8, 2018

pdisner said:
What’s your email? Do you want anything on raising copepods too? That’s my forte as well.

I just looked up your book you bought, it’s not just a pdf. Those authors are heavy hitters in the world of marine breeding. I’ve not read it but I’d like to. Just don’t know if it would be worth spending the 20$ at the moment. I never pass up a good breeding book. That info is hard to come by. I can still send you what I’ve got, maybe you’ll learn something else, but fromwhat I see that should be more than good. Keep up the good work and post daily so we can all see how you’re doin!

Almondkc · Nov 8, 2018

pdisner said:
It’s not the same. That looks like a ebook. How many pages is it ?

. It is an ebook and it is 159 pages

Do you have experience with Pajama Cardinals? Are they also hard to sex?

Almondkc · Nov 8, 2018

I have the TDO [all three sizes] and feed my acan with it

Almondkc · Nov 8, 2018

One question, how quickly will they breed again? I need to get some weight back on the male. He still has a few babies he is holding so in the next couple of days he should be ready to eat

pdisner · Nov 8, 2018

Almondkc said:
I have the TDO [all three sizes] and feed my acan with it

Awesome food. I use it for everything.

pdisner · Nov 8, 2018

Almondkc said:
One question, how quickly will they breed again? I need to get some weight back on the male. He still has a few babies he is holding so in the next couple of days he should be ready to eat

You’ve got the idea. Feed, then feed more. Usually the female will swell with eggs when she knows he’s ready. It’s a tough thing to say from my point of view because I’ve had different times between clutches but usually mine have been avg of a month and half to two months. I just don’t know enough to know if that’s typical or not.