Save Bangai Cardinal eggs

callsign4223 · 12/20/2020, 05:19 PM

I purchased a pair of Bangai Cardinals from a local reefer through facebook. When I got there to pick them up he let me know that they had bred multiple times in the past. I don't really intend to raise baby fish but it was a cool story. On the way home my kid said there was stuff in the bag. I just figured it was poo or detritus. Nope, its bangai eggs. I'm guessing the male was broody and spit them out due to the stress.

I am attempting to save them, is this possible?

I drilled some holes in an old cereal bowl and zip tied it to the center brace of my tank and put the eggs in there. They appear to be pretty far along. You can see identifiable fry attached to egg sacs in them. Will they hatch being protected with flow? Is there anything else they need? Is this a lost cause already? If they do hatch, what am I going to need to get them to a size that is suitable for release in the main tank?

Vinny Kreyling · 12/20/2020, 05:47 PM

Worth the effort and they will need to be fairly bigger than hatch.

callsign4223 · 12/21/2020, 09:39 AM

At this point I figure I'll keep the hatchlings in the cereal bowl until they're big enough to not get eaten immediately by the clowns. If they hatch. The cereal bowl is directly in line with my gyre so it's getting water circulation through it.

I just have no clue what to feed them if they hatch.

callsign4223 · 12/28/2020, 09:20 AM

We have at least 3 fry that hatched. Vigorously eating baby brine shrimp.

Imaexpat2 · 12/28/2020, 09:57 AM

Sounds like you made a good save! Hopefully the force is with you and you can at least save some of them, despite the male spitting them out.

Please do post progress reports as I just bought six in a effort to hopefully have a couple pair up. I wouldnt mind having a successful brood or two over the next couple of years for the experience if nothing else. Any pointers based off your experience you could provide would be greatly appreciated!

callsign4223 · 12/28/2020, 11:25 AM

I'll post updates as I go along. I've heard you need an urchin for the babies to live in, but I'm going to try to just keep them separated until they're large enough to survive in the tank. I'm still not sure I'm going to keep trying to breed them after this, I hadn't really intended to breed them in the first place it was more accidental that the male spit a clutch of eggs in transport. If I do, I will definitely be getting a clear acrylic box to magnet or suction cup to the side of the tank instead of zip tieing a cereal bowl to the brace. My cover nets don't sit right and it's hard to see inside the bowl because it's not much wider than the brace.

Imaexpat2 · 12/28/2020, 01:32 PM

I have herd they use those for protection against predatory fish. Some friends I know that have bred them just used some putty for gluing rocks together and stuck a bunch of zip ties in it and let it harden as a make shift Sea Urchin. Might try that if your so inclined...

callsign4223 · 01/13/2021, 03:43 PM

Lost one of the babies. The other two are still eating and growing. The one we lost was the last to lose it's egg sac and never really was as active as the other two.

Imaexpat2 · 01/13/2021, 07:19 PM

Thanks for the update. Glad you were able to save a couple!!!

12/20/2020, 05:19 PM	#1
callsign4223 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 331	Save Bangai Cardinal eggs I purchased a pair of Bangai Cardinals from a local reefer through facebook. When I got there to pick them up he let me know that they had bred multiple times in the past. I don't really intend to raise baby fish but it was a cool story. On the way home my kid said there was stuff in the bag. I just figured it was poo or detritus. Nope, its bangai eggs. I'm guessing the male was broody and spit them out due to the stress. I am attempting to save them, is this possible? I drilled some holes in an old cereal bowl and zip tied it to the center brace of my tank and put the eggs in there. They appear to be pretty far along. You can see identifiable fry attached to egg sacs in them. Will they hatch being protected with flow? Is there anything else they need? Is this a lost cause already? If they do hatch, what am I going to need to get them to a size that is suitable for release in the main tank?

12/20/2020, 05:47 PM	#2
Vinny Kreyling Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Miller Place, NY Posts: 6,862	Worth the effort and they will need to be fairly bigger than hatch. __________________ 250 gallon mixed reef, 2 Reefbreeder's Photon V 2, RD 3 Speedy 80 Watt, DAS EX-3 Skimmer, MTC mini cal, 2-3/4" Sea Swirls, Aquacontroller & 6 Tunze pumps.

12/21/2020, 09:39 AM	#3
callsign4223 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 331	At this point I figure I'll keep the hatchlings in the cereal bowl until they're big enough to not get eaten immediately by the clowns. If they hatch. The cereal bowl is directly in line with my gyre so it's getting water circulation through it. I just have no clue what to feed them if they hatch.

12/28/2020, 09:20 AM	#4
callsign4223 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 331	We have at least 3 fry that hatched. Vigorously eating baby brine shrimp.

12/28/2020, 09:57 AM	#5
Imaexpat2 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Chagos Arch. Posts: 438	Sounds like you made a good save! Hopefully the force is with you and you can at least save some of them, despite the male spitting them out. Please do post progress reports as I just bought six in a effort to hopefully have a couple pair up. I wouldnt mind having a successful brood or two over the next couple of years for the experience if nothing else. Any pointers based off your experience you could provide would be greatly appreciated!

12/28/2020, 11:25 AM	#6
callsign4223 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 331	I'll post updates as I go along. I've heard you need an urchin for the babies to live in, but I'm going to try to just keep them separated until they're large enough to survive in the tank. I'm still not sure I'm going to keep trying to breed them after this, I hadn't really intended to breed them in the first place it was more accidental that the male spit a clutch of eggs in transport. If I do, I will definitely be getting a clear acrylic box to magnet or suction cup to the side of the tank instead of zip tieing a cereal bowl to the brace. My cover nets don't sit right and it's hard to see inside the bowl because it's not much wider than the brace.

12/28/2020, 01:32 PM	#7
Imaexpat2 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Chagos Arch. Posts: 438	I have herd they use those for protection against predatory fish. Some friends I know that have bred them just used some putty for gluing rocks together and stuck a bunch of zip ties in it and let it harden as a make shift Sea Urchin. Might try that if your so inclined...

01/13/2021, 03:43 PM	#8
callsign4223 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 331	Lost one of the babies. The other two are still eating and growing. The one we lost was the last to lose it's egg sac and never really was as active as the other two.

01/13/2021, 07:19 PM	#9
Imaexpat2 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Chagos Arch. Posts: 438	Thanks for the update. Glad you were able to save a couple!!!