Found a bangaii baby!

[Aaarrrggg]

I just spotted a bangaii baby hiding around the side of my tank! The parents have had a few spawns, but this is the first time I've actually spotted one!

Now I'm not sure what to do; catch him and keep him in a breeder net, or leave him be?

The father is a few days into holding a new clutch, so this little guy has somehow survived by himself for about 2 weeks.

What's the verdict? Leave him be or scoop him up?

[AndroidReef]

tankmates??

[Aaarrrggg]

1 perc clown
1 occ clown
Mom & Dad Bangaii
1 Blue Spot Jawfish
2 yellow clown gobies
2 small, sick BTAs
1 fire shrimp (which is sitting right next to the baby bangaii but doesn't seem to care)
CUC -red, blue and zebra hermits and usual selection of snails

The tank is a 7mth old 144g, I've just been super slow at stocking. I feed PE mysis and Rods food once or twice a day. As I've been trying to nurse the BTAs back to health I've been turkey basting the end of the tank with the baby bangaii, which might be what he's been eating. He's around the side in the dark with the fire shrimp. None of the other fish ever go around there.

Here's the little chap (see medium sized magfloat for scale)


Close up:

[zachstone13]

I'd recommend that you pull him and put him in a breeder net. Impressive that he has made it a couple weeks on his own. If you can hang the breeder net either on the egde of the tank or in a low flow area of the sump to so are maintaing the same stable water parameters that would be best. I'd suggest numerous daily feedings of frozen baby brine and cyclopeeze soaked in selcon for the next month or so. Then start moving him onto bigger foods. If you leave him be, in my experience, he won't get enough food to develop quickly and will likely end up a snack for a hungry tankmate before it can gain any decent size.

[Liexicof15]

Awesome! So cute. Personally, I'd leave him. He made it this far, and you don't have much that would bother him.
Edited to say- just give him extra feedings and tlc, but if you have a breeder net and space for it, do it.

[Whip316]

I would leave him too. Just make sure you send some food his way. I bet the fire is hanging with him and protecting him a little. I always wanted to try and breed bangaii. Even more now that they are almost gone in the wild.

[reefstew]

Years ago I was looking in the overflow return box & found one old enough to sell. As long as you have food small enough for him to eat you should be ok.

[zachstone13]

Here`s a pic of the batch I harvested late last night. Already eating cyclopeeze in the breeder net addition to the live baby brine we always start them on. With the baby cards being so small and fragile I've always opted for the controlled environment that the nets provide. Keep us posted on what you decide to do and let us know how it goes.

[Sensei ClamMan]

My babies get sucked through the bottom grill on my corner overflows and wind up in the algae fugue in the back room. They live off pods or whatever but I bring them to theLFS when there about 1/2 adult size. My kids love it, so do I for than matter. I've raised about 10 a year or so.

[Aaarrrggg]

Awww those are super cute zachstone13!

Thanks for the advice everyone! I'm worried I might forget to feed him regularly in a breeder net, so I'm going to leave him be in the tank and see what happens. I'll keep squirting food in his direction. Makes me wonder if I have any in the overflows too!

I'll come back and post how he does. It makes me feel better to know that it is possible for them to survive. Fingers crossed!

[zachstone13]

Any updates? Hows the little guy doing?

[Aaarrrggg]

Good! I'll take another photo soon.

He's been growing steadily and eating like a champ. When the food swirls around the back of the rocks, he zips about gobbling up all he can. It's quite funny when he bites off literally more than he can chew!

He's still in the same spot; in the dark behind the rockwork, but he'll move towards the open if he gets spooked (eg when I move mag cleaner.) There was a moment of panic when he came face to face with Mom, but she just puffed herself up threateningly and he retreated back to the shadows.

While he's nice and predictable I'm going to try and catch him and put him in a breeders net. That way he'll be ready to go when he's big enough. Problem is he's FAST!

How are your l'il guys doing?

[Funran]

This is such a cool story! How awesome, I've never tried breeding.... but it's awesome he's survived on this own.

[marklugo23]

so amazing

[Clownfishfan]

He's so cute!

[TNTtropical]

ive never tried to breed these guys before, can you guys give me some info on how you tell males from females? Are you suppose to pair them off or do they breed in groups? Thanks for any info!!

[andip3]

super cute : ) good luck

[ohiofishkeeping]

if you ever have aggresive tank mates with baby bang eyes try getting a urchin itll protect it