My banggai cardinals are doing the courtship dance!

Discussion in 'Breeding Tropical Fish' started by horkn, May 3, 2010.

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  1. horkn

    horkn Giant Squid

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    So I bought these 2 only on the whim that they might pair up and I can attempt to breed them and raise captive raised Banggai cardinals.

    According to a very reputable source, this is what they do after they pair up. the stuff below including the youtube vid is not mine. I will add my own video hopefully soon.

    " Courtship:
    Courtship is rather obvious. For those who can watch a Youtube Video, this is probably all you'll need (the larger fish with the bigger head is the male)



    For the rest of you - courtship starts in the afternoon and is initiated by the female. She swims up along side the male, parallel, and begins to quiver rapidly. She will then drop behind and do the same along the other side of the male. This back and forth vibrating dance may occur on the day of, or the days proceding spawning - seeing the courtship dance does not mean the fish will mate on that day, only that the fish are getting ready. You will also see the female continue to stimulate the male through this courtship dance in the hours immediately after spawning. "

    Here is the full link to that breeding forum.

    Marine Ornamental Fish & Invert Breeders Association • View topic - Banggai Cardinalfish Breeding/Spawning Overview - Pterapogon

    Now I will attempt to raise them once they actually mate and the young are transferred to the male's mouth.

    I was simply watching my fish today and saw the dance, even before I looked up exactly what their courtship was. I will see if I can get a video.
     
    Last edited: May 3, 2010
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  3. whippy

    whippy Sailfin Tang

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    That's awesome!!
     
  4. reefmonkey

    reefmonkey Giant Squid

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  5. the fisherman

    the fisherman Vlamingii Tang

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    Hope you have lots of babies Horkn
     
  6. horkn

    horkn Giant Squid

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    Well, here is one of my videos.

    I hope this turns out OK. My camera is only a 4 mp camera, and I think is shows....

    On the view screen it clearly shows the female twitching by the male, and alternating sides.
    [​IMG]

    Actually, upon further investigation, he already has the babies in his mouth it appears. his mouth is much bigger than the female's. i will have to observe to watch if he eats tonight. If not, I know he has eggs in his mouth.
     
    Last edited: May 3, 2010
  7. Dr. Bergeron

    Dr. Bergeron Peppermint Shrimp

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    I think I read somewhere once that having a long-spined urchin, or a fake urchin thing with spines is the best way to protect the fry once released from the cardinals mouth as they will seek out the shelter of the spines until they're big enough to go out on their own and not get eaten.
     
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  9. horkn

    horkn Giant Squid

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    Yeah, I need to do a bunch of reading now.

    I have heard that LED's in the overflow will get them to go there. For my tank, that will wprk perfectly with clear acrylic pieces that make the teeth. Apparently the male will release the babies when they can swim well enough and at ight so the fry have the best chance of living. The fry go to the LED's. I have a pair of these lunar lights in blue to put up over the overflow. Hopefully they don't get sucked down the overflow, otherwise they will end up getting into the fuge, unless the maroon clown snarfs them up first.
     
  10. 2in10

    2in10 Super Moderator

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    Congrats, good luck raising the fry
     
  11. horkn

    horkn Giant Squid

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    Well, I got my 4 blue leds over the overflow, so now I wait for the babies to poke heir heads out. I need to get some brine shrimp eggs and get those hatching too.

    Judging by the size of the dad's mouth, he has had eggs in there a couple days.
     
  12. ReefSparky

    ReefSparky Super Moderator

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    I had a pair of Banggai's that went as far as eggs in the male's mouth for about 3 weeks. I missed the courtship ritual, but what clued me in, is that the male stopped eating for that time. I suppose he spat the eggs at night, one day it was just back to normal and no fry to be seen.