Food for Banggai Cardinalfish

ajtomase · Mar 23, 2022

Hi everyone,

I just got 3 (QT'd) Banggai Cardinalfish in yesterday and always saw that they spit out mysis and omega enriched brine shrimp (I assume it was too big for them). I did also add Hikari's coral gumbo in their last feeding and saw them picking at the water column so I assume they're catching something, but not sure what. The guy that QT'd them for me said they were eating smaller bits of mysis and brine so they're eating, just maybe need smaller foods

I went to my LFS and got a bunch of Hikari frozen products: coral gumbo, baby brine shrimp, rotifers, cyclops, daphnia, all products for smaller mouths (since I heard they're planktavors). I am getting my first shipment of pods in on Friday, but I need some help figuring out what to feed these guys.

Any suggestions on what best to feed them with? I haven't looked pellets yet, but I do have the Hikari Seaweed Extreme, but wasn't sure if they'd take them or not. Thoughts?

The only other fish I have in the tank are clowns and they eat just fine.

Thanks!!

rmorris_14 · Mar 23, 2022

How small are they? Mine eats frozen mysis, rods reef complete and LRS reef frenzy (I think they make a nano for smaller fish). Haven’t been able to mine to eat pellets.

ajtomase · Mar 23, 2022

they're about 1" long, only had them for a day and fed them Hikari coral gumbo and saw them picking at the water so they're eating something...

gbroadbridge · Mar 23, 2022

ajtomase said:
Hi everyone,

I just got 3 (QT'd) Banggai Cardinalfish in yesterday and always saw that they spit out mysis and omega enriched brine shrimp (I assume it was too big for them). I did also add Hikari's coral gumbo in their last feeding and saw them picking at the water column so I assume they're catching something, but not sure what. The guy that QT'd them for me said they were eating smaller bits of mysis and brine so they're eating, just maybe need smaller foods

I went to my LFS and got a bunch of Hikari frozen products: coral gumbo, baby brine shrimp, rotifers, cyclops, daphnia, all products for smaller mouths (since I heard they're planktavors). I am getting my first shipment of pods in on Friday, but I need some help figuring out what to feed these guys.

Any suggestions on what best to feed them with? I haven't looked pellets yet, but I do have the Hikari Seaweed Extreme, but wasn't sure if they'd take them or not. Thoughts?

The only other fish I have in the tank are clowns and they eat just fine.

Thanks!!

Mine only eat frozen food, even after 5 years they won't touch pellets and they've gone two weeks not eating a thing when I'm away.

They can be stubborn.

rmorris_14 · Mar 23, 2022

They are nocturnal, so you could try feeding them after lights out until they get used to your tank.

Ricox · Mar 23, 2022

I will probably try the baby brine shrimp first. I assume they will accept your other frozen food as they get bigger.

ajtomase · Mar 23, 2022

gbroadbridge said:
Mine only eat frozen food, even after 5 years they won't touch pellets and they've gone two weeks not eating a thing when I'm away.

They can be stubborn.

Mine are only 1" big, what frozen food are you feeding them? should I take my frozen mysis and chop it up more fine? Was thinking trying baby bring shrimp or something else small like that?

Sean Clark · Mar 23, 2022

Have you tried live brine shrimp or any flakes?

ajtomase · Mar 23, 2022

Sean Clark said:
Have you tried live brine shrimp or any flakes?

not yet, only got them in yesterday. haven't fed anything live yet (though copepods going in on Friday). Haven't tried flake food yet, they've been staying towards the bottom of the tank

Sean Clark · Mar 23, 2022

ajtomase said:
not yet, only got them in yesterday. haven't fed anything live yet (though copepods going in on Friday). Haven't tried flake food yet, they've been staying towards the bottom of the tank

That is pretty typical behavior. They find a spot and stay close to it. If you hold the flakes under the water and let them go slowly they will stay submerged and make it down to where your banggai are. Good luck.

vtecintegra · Mar 23, 2022

I feed San Francisco frozen: mysis, krill, plankton, and fish eggs. Sometimes newly hatched brine shrimp. Never had one eat pellets. They would probably really like live baby brine.

Cantusaurus · Mar 23, 2022

I'd try frozen Hikari Cyclopods. Or you can also get a baby brine shrimp hatchery and feed live BBS. But if they're picking at things then they should be fine, maybe turn off the flow and you can probably see if the eat a bit easier.

e3pillereefer · Mar 23, 2022

Mine loves blood worms but it's pretty good size.

ajtomase · Mar 23, 2022

rmorris_14 said:
They are nocturnal, so you could try feeding them after lights out until they get used to your tank.

I read that banggais are the only cardinalfish that are diurnal. Have you exerpienced feeding them at night and had a better response?

rmorris_14 · Mar 23, 2022

ajtomase said:
I read that banggais are the only cardinalfish that are diurnal. Have you exerpienced feeding them at night and had a better response?

Nit really. I got mine pretty big with my tank second hand. She was already used to daytime feeding and never had to feed at night. There has been some drama with her over the last week and she wasn’t eating. I finally got her to take a few bites by feeding her during blues. It’s probably just a coincidence and she was ready to start eating again but I thought I would mention it in case it helps.

rmorris_14 · Mar 23, 2022

ajtomase said:
I read that banggais are the only cardinalfish that are diurnal. Have you exerpienced feeding them at night and had a better response?

Also.. I had to Google diurnal lol

gbroadbridge · Mar 23, 2022

ajtomase said:
Mine are only 1" big, what frozen food are you feeding them? should I take my frozen mysis and chop it up more fine? Was thinking trying baby bring shrimp or something else small like that?

Frozen Lobster eggs and mushed up frozen misys when they were younger. Now they eat frozen misys.
I add vitamin and fish oil supplements

Sean Clark · Mar 23, 2022

gbroadbridge said:
Frozen Lobster eggs and mushed up frozen misys when they were younger. Now they eat frozen misys.
I add vitamin and fish oil supplements

What do you you add for vitamins?