Bangaii Babies

Discussion in 'Breeding Tropical Fish' started by Adnuces, Jan 18, 2007.

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  1. Adnuces

    Adnuces Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

    Joined:
    May 10, 2005
    Messages:
    91
    Location:
    Indiana
    About 4 months ago I purchased a pair of bangaiis and hoped I had a male/female pair. Well I guess my questions were answered. This morning I found 4 babies in my fuge and another dozen or so in my sump return section. I had noticed on adult hiding in the bank under a rock overhang and last night I thought his mouth looked distended and I thought he may be brooding......guess I was right. My question is.......what are the survival chances of any of the fry? I can't access the ones in the return without shutting down and just about draining my sump.....the ones in the fuge part are hiding out in the cheato and gracillara algae. I grated up some frozen cyclopeeze this morning before work and put that in the fuge. I realize that they probably won't make it as I am not set up to hatch brine or anything.....not sure if I should try or not.....
     
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  3. JustPhish

    JustPhish Peppermint Shrimp

    Joined:
    Apr 27, 2006
    Messages:
    415
    Location:
    CT
    The chances are great if they can be fed properly or are getting enough to eat on their own.

    If you can net them, I would. However the fry are very fragile and can literally drop dead from fright. If you net them I would never remove them out of the water. Simply trap them and gradually move them into a breeding net that hangs inside the tank.

    Live food is a must I'm afraid for new fry. After a couple weeks you can start to week them off of it, but I have never seen any of my fry accept prepared foods right out of the gate. Even when cyclop-eeze finally came onto the market.

    You might try purchasing, or making a long spine urchin to place in the tank where the fry are. This would be where they would hang in the wild. Might make it a little easier for you to catch them.

    If you can't catch them, don't worry. Your pair will have another clutch soon. Probably more productive too as they get better with experience. In the meantime make sure you feed the male well to get him up to strength for another month without food or he will abort the clutch. Live black worms are a great treat for banggais.

    I try and keep track of the male so I can tell when he got the eggs. That way later I can be ready for the babies. When I start to notice them peeking out of the mouth or venturing out and then darting back in, I know the male is close to releasing and I will try and herd him into a breeding net late at night after lights out while the fish is still "groggy" from sleeping. Usually by lights on in the morning he has released and he can be let go. Make sure you cover the box though so he can't spook and jump at night.

    My first pair of banggais had 22 babies that I could find in their very first clutch together.

    Good luck to you.
     
  4. Birchell

    Birchell Gigas Clam

    Joined:
    Jul 31, 2006
    Messages:
    894
    Location:
    New Mexico
    That is sweet!! I agree with what Jushphish said. It is cool hearing about another peron getting a sucessful spawn with those guys.