Bengai Carnal acting strange (or not?)

blankie · Oct 18, 2020

Do you guys have any tips on getting one of my Cardinals eating again? Both were doing fine, but it seems like a love/hate relationship between the two. Sometimes they chase, sometimes they stay really close, but mostly one hides behind the rocks and the other stays on the edge of the water (almost out) and does not eat (much). Hope you guys/girls have tips. Btw these are my only fish besides some snails and a serpent sea star.

Jseimo · Oct 18, 2020

Could be a male female pair. The males carry the eggs in their mouth. Look to see if the one not eating has a puffy jaw/throat area

blankie · Oct 18, 2020

Jseimo said:
Could be a male female pair. The males carry the eggs in their mouth. Look to see if the one not eating has a puffy jaw/throat area

Does not look puffy, looks normal (to me as N00b). I will just wait and see what happens.

Chibils · Oct 18, 2020

Banggai cardinals also do not often do well in groups in aquariums. A lot of LFS and websites suggest they will, because most other cardinals are schooling fish. So unless they're paired, one may be bullying the other until it has to hide or is so stressed it won't eat.

blankie · Oct 19, 2020

Chibils said:
Banggai cardinals also do not often do well in groups in aquariums. A lot of LFS and websites suggest they will, because most other cardinals are schooling fish. So unless they're paired, one may be bullying the other until it has to hide or is so stressed it won't eat.

Is there something I can do about this? Cant place them separate and don't what to let one of the die :-(