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Banggai Cardinals Pterapogon kauderni
The Banggai Cardinal fish is the most recent and exciting addition to the marine aquarium hobby. Gerald Allen described this fish in 1995, and introduced it to the hobby at MACNA 7, in Louisville Kentucky. This cardinal fish hails from the Indonesian Bangaii Islands, for which it gets its name. It is fairly endemic to these islands. One of the fascinating things about this fish is it is the male who carries the eggs, in his mouth. Since its introduction numerous hobbyists have had several spawning and hatchings. This fish is actually easier to raise young from than the more popular Clownfish, and the live larval foods required are not as difficult as clownfish fry. Ironically, for as easy as it is the raise these fish in captivity the large numbers collected from the wild have placed the Bangaii cardinal close to being entered on to the Endangered Species List. Do not place more than a pair in a small reef system and with none aggressive companions. A group of these in a home aquarium can become aggressive. Subordinates will either die or cower, frightened, in tank corners or underneath rocks. Minimum aquarium size is approx 20 gallons. Erdington Aquatics are hopeful of breeding these. All news as it happens will be on this page. Temperature range of 76 - 82°F (25 - 28°C) and natural diet consists mainly of small invertebrate. It was originally described by Koumans in 1933 and rediscovered by Dr. Gerald Allen in 1995. As the story goes, Dr. Gerald Allen and Roger Steele went to Banggai to checkout what was called an unusual cardinal fish by diver/adventurer Kal Müller. They took a flight to Luwuk, in central Sulawesi and then travelled another 10 hours by ferry to Banggai. They actually found these cardinal fishes under a dock near the towns waste outlet pipe. They noted that these fishes live among the spines of the Diadema setosum urchin in shallow sea grass beds, probably less than 6 feet. Size: Up to 3 inches Habitat: Shallow
coastal regions,
overhang reef caves and sea grass beds These fish live in association with the long-spined sea urchin. They hide among the spines when threatened, particularly when young. Can be aggressive in groups. Click Here for Banggai Conservation It has also been reported that these fishes enter anemones, e.g., the sebae and long-tentacle anemones without incurring any damage. They are a mouthbrooder, with the male tending for the eggs and even holding the newly hatched young in the mouth for the first few weeks. At this time the female will chase away other fishes that get too close to the male. The fry are large enough to take newly hatched brine and rotifers. If introduced in numbers, it is a peaceful species at first.
Shortly thereafter they pair-up and start chasing others away from "their" territory. If more than a mated pair is to be maintained, it should be in an aquarium over 100 gallons. Difficult to sex, but the male may have a slightly longer second dorsal fin and a wider lower jaw. The female is larger than the male. Very hardy and a very good fish-only and reef aquarium fish, however, should not be kept with belligerent tank mates, e.g., dottybacks, hawkfishes, and some damselfishes. Will eat most meaty foods, e.g., black worms, frozen and live brine shrimp, mysis, krill and various other meaty foods. Vulnerable in the wild. For a good article on breeding Cardinals visit:
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