Baby Bengai Cardinal

stimpy4242

stimpy4242

Member
I woke up this morning and at first glance I thought it was a copepod, but then I looked closer and damn if it weren't a miny bengai! I had bought two bengai a while back. I am the kind of reefer who is all about nature doing its own thing, do I never care if they are mates, or if different types of fish should be together...anyway...
Today I saw this little guy! Not sure how many they produce at once, I assume if its more than one they have been eaten, I assume if he is still here, survival of fittest. I am not going to scoop it up and try to protect it...if it wants to live it will. Another fish went for it and one of the cardinals ran over and sucked it up in its mouth...I think I heard thats where they hold there "brood." So we will see what happens!
 
jeanheckle

jeanheckle

Member
That is unbelievable. The male of the species does hold the eggs in his mouth. Bang Guy may have some words to add? Keep us posted.
Dori
 
stimpy4242

stimpy4242

Member
Yeah definitely neat. I would have expected more, maybe they are somewhere..I don't know...maybe they have been eaten...who knows.
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
Originally Posted by stimpy4242
http:///forum/post/2821710
Another fish went for it and one of the cardinals ran over and sucked it up in its mouth...I think I heard thats where they hold there "brood." So we will see what happens!

Yes, they are mouthbrooders but after the male releases them he will consider them food. All other carnivores/omnivores will consider them food as well. They can have up to 50 or more at a time but it's typically around 40.
Females have also been known to scoop up eggs and brood them but this is very uncommon.
 
dse

dse

Member
my local Aquarium zoo is trying to rear wild versions of these so they can put them back in the wild i think they have over 200 tanks for these theres a big show/screening of them but i have herd that in the wild this species is dieing rapidly.. is this true? or is it the Aquarium zoo scaring us into giving money to them?
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
Originally Posted by dse
http:///forum/post/2822627
my local Aquarium zoo is trying to rear wild versions of these so they can put them back in the wild i think they have over 200 tanks for these theres a big show/screening of them but i have herd that in the wild this species is dieing rapidly.. is this true? or is it the Aquarium zoo scaring us into giving money to them?
From what I have read (I have no first hand knowledge) the threat to this fish is the Saltwater hobby, not disease. They are just over harvested.
 
stimpy4242

stimpy4242

Member
Well, lets put it this way. If he released 40 of them, they clearly released them and then saw there was a meal in front of them. Which doesn't make 100% sense, because then even in the wild as soon as they release them they would eat them too. I can understand other fish eating them. This also seems substantiated by the fact that when one of my anthias came over to inspect the little feller, the bangaii came "running" over and appeared to gobble him up! That seems like a protective instinct more than, I have decided to swim all the way across the tank, which I never do, to come get some food.
Regardless, I see no more little guys in my tank. Oh well, at least I didn't have to feed them that day!
Now knowing, they are able to reproduce, how often do they do it and when do they usually release? At night?
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
Originally Posted by stimpy4242
http:///forum/post/2822722
Now knowing, they are able to reproduce, how often do they do it and when do they usually release? At night?

The Females seem to be able to breed about every 2 weeks. The males do not breed while holding eggs but can breed anytime they are not. The males typically hold the eggs for 18 - 25 days depending on health of the eggs & temperature of the water.
They usually release the eggs at night, sometimes all at once, sometimes over a few nights. If the male gets frightened while holding they will usually spit them out even if they haven't hatched yet.
In the wild, if a baby Banggai swims by they will eat it, no questions asked.
 
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