banggai cardinal question.

i was wondering about the experiences some of you have had with this fish.
i was told by my lfs, that if these fish are not farm raised, they will not live more then 2 or 3 weeks. is this true?
i purchased a banggai about a week ago. he was eating like crazy, both at the store, and when i took him home. then, 2 days ago i noticed he stopped eating. then yesturday morning i noticed he was'nt at his usual spot, front and center in the tank. i noticed he was more to the back of the tank, sorta breathing heavy. i removed him from the main tank, and put him in the hospitol tank, which was treated with copper, for my clown tang.
in a matter of an hour, he was dead.
my point is, i paid $16.99, for him, and the farm raised are $44.99.i love these fish,and actually consider them one of my favorites. i just don't want to waste money on them if they are going to die. i should mention, this is the 2nd one i've lost. just want to get your feedback. thanks

 

I'd find another LFS banggai cardinal are as tuff as nails and breed like crazy what are you feeding them ? If you have a pair they don't eat well with a mouth full of fry But I never heard of them dying after a week or two ??? Someone told you a story LOL or just do not no any better what they are talking about..

 

i can always count on you, tangster.plus 1 to ya!
i feed them really good food. i feed a variety of frozen brine, mysis, spirulina, and a great frozen food called "laguna premium fish and coral food". i also suppliment garlic.
i've got 2 pj's, and an orbicutal, that i've had for 2 months, and they're great! i've only kept 1 banggai at a time.

 

Ohh the P.J's may be your problem odd man out Cardinals are very territorial by nature and if you have a pair of P.J Cardinals then they beat that bangaii to death these fish stress very easily thats why they are more of a nocturnal feeders.. One a Cardinal is acclimated into a mature established system they are good to go for yrs Thats what I have found when I was breeding them for local sales .. They don't do will with any amount of NO3's also.

 

actually, the pj's are really peacful. they did'nt bother with the banggai. he even hung out with them the first day.
the banggai kinda hangs in the lower front of the tank, by himself(both did the same thing).
i did add some new "live cured rock', the day before i noticed the problems. only added like 10lbs, though. think that had anything to do with it?

 

Cardinal fish are nocturnal so check for aggression between the species after the lights have gone out.

 

do you think i should introduce 2 or more at a time? the orbicital is solo, and the pj's leave him alone. i did introduce those 3 together, though.

 

I don't think any tank can sustain more than one mated pair of cardinals. Once a male and female pair up, they'll kill any other cardinals in the tank. Survival of the fittest and all that jazz.

PS. As juveniles, they will tolerate each other and school but once they reach maturity, all bets are off. This might explain why the pj and bangaii are "schooling" together at the moment.

 

I would not add anymore if you added 3 as you should do to get a breeding pair then you have a pair and even that 3rd odd one will at some point be ran to death at nighttime.. You can try it ? But as I said these are tough fish ad very hardy but easily stressed as they are used to living at night and not really good hidding places in a tank.. But if you do try then I'd add three of the Bangaii's also.. There is always an odd man to be outted Nature of the beast ..

O.K smart fast tying lady what she said LOL

 

actually, the banggai is dead, the "orbi" just kinda chills by himself, and the 2 pj's kinda hang by each other, but not really together much. i don't know, guess i'll just try 3 banggai's a later date.thanks guys
hey, you think i should get another "orbi", to pair with the one i've got?