My Cardinal fish stopped schooling

[Shawn_epicurious]

I have 5 nice cardinal fish in my tank... They are all the same size... 3” ish... a lil bigger. I love the way they school... except, they stopped schooling and in the last month, I only see all of them at feeding time. They just hide all the time now. Here is my current fish list:

1 9” snowflake eel
1 6” Foxface Rabbitfish
1 5” Blue Hippo Tang
1 4” Copperband Butterflyfish
1 3” Redhead Salon Fairy Wrasse
3 2” orange and white clownfish
2 2” black and white clownfish

I have not seen any real aggression with any of my fish. My tank is 200 gal, mixed reef. There is plenty of room for them to frolic, hide...play. None of the cardinals have bite marks... but they just hide all the time now. Is that normal?

 

[Rick.45cal]

So I think they’re most active at night, it’s not just yours mine behave similarly. Mine spend the day hanging about in areas they feel safe towards the back corners of the tank. Unless you feed them, then they are all out front trying to eat as much as they can. If I check my tank at night they are swimming around the main part of the tank.

In the wild I believe they spend the days hiding in long spined sea urchin spines for protection

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

So I think they’re most active at night, it’s not just yours mine behave similarly. Mine spend the day hanging about in areas they feel safe towards the back corners of the tank. Unless you feed them, then they are all out front trying to eat as much as they can. If I check my tank at night they are swimming around the main part of the tank.

In the wild I believe they spend the days hiding in long spined sea urchin spines for protection

Thank you Rick! I didn’t know they were night fish in the wild. That makes sense.

 

[ca1ore]

3” is very large for PJs ....usually means they’re old. My trio are pushing 13 years old and aren’t that big, though they’ve been looking ratty for years (sorta like me). Fish usually hang together when they are nervous. Once established .... no more group lol. Mine also hang in the back and are active at night. Banggai live around urchins, not sure about PJs.

 

[sixline]

Are you sure they're not breeding? The one you have pictured looks like it might have eggs in it's mouth.

The next time you feed, try and see if all five eat, if one of them doesn't eat it is probably carrying eggs.

I also have a group of 5 in my 100g tank. They used to school more but now that they're adults, on of them is often carrying eggs in which case they don't.

 

[Zionas]

How long have you had them, OP? I know these fish can live for over a decade.

 

[mort]

As mentioned above this is pretty standard behaviour for mature cardinals.

If that is your picture then it does look like it's holding but at 3" I'd be surprised if they hadn't been breeding for a while now.

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

3” is very large for PJs ....usually means they’re old. My trio are pushing 13 years old and aren’t that big, though they’ve been looking ratty for years (sorta like me). Fish usually hang together when they are nervous. Once established .... no more group lol. Mine also hang in the back and are active at night. Banggai live around urchins, not sure about PJs.

I have not considered they’re age at all. How do you measure a fish? Lol... I am just eyeballing with a guess at their size, but I’ll stand behind that guess. I know the ones I have are usually quite a bit bigger than the ones I see in fish stores.

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

Are you sure they're not breeding? The one you have pictured looks like it might have eggs in it's mouth.

The next time you feed, try and see if all five eat, if one of them doesn't eat it is probably carrying eggs.

I also have a group of 5 in my 100g tank. They used to school more but now that they're adults, on of them is often carrying eggs in which case they don't.

I’ll start watching them closer. I usually try to count my fish at feeding time just to make sure nothing is missing. I would swear I saw all 5 of them eating last night, but now that you asked this question, I’ll watch closer tonight.

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

How long have you had them, OP? I know these fish can live for over a decade.

These five guys were part of my original livestock load after my tank finished its cycle. So... I’ve had them for 4 months now...? My tank will be 5 months old in 2 more weeks

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

As mentioned above this is pretty standard behaviour for mature cardinals.

If that is your picture then it does look like it's holding but at 3" I'd be surprised if they hadn't been breeding for a while now.

Yes, I took that pic specifically for this thread. I am feeling better about their behavior after reading the reply’s to this thread : )

 

[Lasse]

That fish is breeding - for sure. If there is no danger in the aquaria these fish will be more solitary in aquarium if they not are many. I have 9 in my 300 l aquarium - they are individuals.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

I almost didn’t ask this question... I know there is no such thing as a stupid question (within reason lol) It seemed... trivial. But then I saw all the responses! Everyone of you brought something to the table that I had never considered. And that my friends is why I LOVE this forum!!!

All I can say is, thank you!

 

[Lasse]

Of cause I will answer when you ask about my all time high fish

Sincerely Lasse

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

Just following up... only 4 of the 5 came out at feeding time tonight

 

[Zionas]

Ouch. Where could the other one have gone?

 

[Lasse]

Was it the one in the photograph? Just look cloesly around - if they have eggs in the mouth - they often just hide somewhere - very shy in that moment

Sincerely Lasse

 

[Zionas]

They’re going to be among the first fish in my tank, I want them settled before I introduce any fast swimming fish.

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

Was it the one in the photograph? Just look cloesly around - if they have eggs in the mouth - they often just hide somewhere - very shy in that moment

Sincerely Lasse

Ooooo tough call... the same one...??? Best guess... I think it is the one in the pic. So hard to tell. I saw where he was hiding while I was feeding and now that I knew to look, I does kind of look like he has something in his mouth.

 

[Lasse]

Mouthbrooding males of pyjamas act that way when they have eggs in the mouth. It is a mouthbrooding fish - male does the job

Sincerely Lasse