SOMETHING WRONG WITH BANGAII!

Bear Claw · Jul 11, 2023

2 weeks ago I got 2 bangaii cardinals. One is doing amazing while the other has been acting and looking a bit odd. He eats like a champ but doesn't swim around much and spends most of the day hiding (coming out for food). A couple of times I've actually found him kind of just sitting up against my pump/filter and then when I came to see if he was alive he swam back under the rocks. I apologize for the bad picture quality, its the best I could get. Basically, he looks quite a bit browner than the other bangaii

littlefoxx · Jul 11, 2023

Bear Claw said:
2 weeks ago I got 2 bangaii cardinals. One is doing amazing while the other has been acting and looking a bit odd. He eats like a champ but doesn't swim around much and spends most of the day hiding (coming out for food). A couple of times I've actually found him kind of just sitting up against my pump/filter and then when I came to see if he was alive he swam back under the rocks. I apologize for the bad picture quality, its the best I could get. Basically, he looks quite a bit browner than the other bangaii

Are you sure you have a male and female? Behavior sounds like the other might be picking on him and if they are both males that will happen

Bear Claw · Jul 11, 2023

littlefoxx said:
Are you sure you have a male and female? Behavior sounds like the other might be picking on him and if they are both males that will happen

I really thought it was a male and a female but I might be wrong. What are your suggested actions?

vetteguy53081 · Jul 11, 2023

Bear Claw said:
2 weeks ago I got 2 bangaii cardinals. One is doing amazing while the other has been acting and looking a bit odd. He eats like a champ but doesn't swim around much and spends most of the day hiding (coming out for food). A couple of times I've actually found him kind of just sitting up against my pump/filter and then when I came to see if he was alive he swam back under the rocks. I apologize for the bad picture quality, its the best I could get. Basically, he looks quite a bit browner than the other bangaii

This may be an aggression issue as two rarely coexist especially if makes. If one is stuck in power head, likely weak and becoming moribund and will weaken and not eat or swim normal

littlefoxx · Jul 11, 2023

Bear Claw said:
I really thought it was a male and a female but I might be wrong. What are your suggested actions?

Take the one thats acting strange to LFS, the other one wont leave him alone until he is dead. These guys are hard to sex, the difference being in the jaw. Behavior sounds to me like he is stressed out from the other one

Jay Hemdal · Jul 11, 2023

Bear Claw said:
2 weeks ago I got 2 bangaii cardinals. One is doing amazing while the other has been acting and looking a bit odd. He eats like a champ but doesn't swim around much and spends most of the day hiding (coming out for food). A couple of times I've actually found him kind of just sitting up against my pump/filter and then when I came to see if he was alive he swam back under the rocks. I apologize for the bad picture quality, its the best I could get. Basically, he looks quite a bit browner than the other bangaii

Do o you know - Is it a tank raised or wild caught fish? Wild ones have been showing up with a pretty serious viral disease that shows a variety of “off” symptoms in the fish.
Jay

Bear Claw · Jul 11, 2023

Jay Hemdal said:
Do o you know - Is it a tank raised or wild caught fish? Wild ones have been showing up with a pretty serious viral disease that shows a variety of “off” symptoms in the fish.
Jay

I bought them from my LFS and Im pretty sure they get all there's tank raised. Not positive though

Bear Claw · Jul 11, 2023

vetteguy53081 said:
This may be an aggression issue as two rarely coexist especially if makes. If one is stuck in power head, likely weak and becoming moribund and will weaken and not eat or swim normal

Should I see if my LFS will take him?

collins.jason.k · Jul 11, 2023

Common issue with Cardinals. I have two in my tank and they both keep to opposite ends of the 5 foot tank. I had them previously in a smaller setup and they wouldn't live together peacefully. Once they had enough space to call their own, they both have thrived... One on either end of the tank

Bear Claw · Jul 11, 2023

collins.jason.k said:
Common issue with Cardinals. I have two in my tank and they both keep to opposite ends of the 5 foot tank. I had them previously in a smaller setup and they wouldn't live together peacefully. Once they had enough space to call their own, they both have thrived... One on either end of the tank

I only have a 35 gallon tank and Im guessing that's why they are fighting

vetteguy53081 · Jul 11, 2023

Bear Claw said:
Should I see if my LFS will take him?

Sorry for delay- was at a movie. If fighting, you can check with LFS. Many wont take a fish back due to disease risk but try

Bear Claw · Jul 12, 2023

vetteguy53081 said:
Sorry for delay- was at a movie. If fighting, you can check with LFS. Many wont take a fish back due to disease risk but try

They will take the fish. Do you think its the right thing to do given my situation?

vetteguy53081 · Jul 12, 2023

Bear Claw said:
They will take the fish. Do you think its the right thing to do given my situation?

Yes- It preserves the other one you have which is a great fish to have on hand

Bear Claw · Jul 12, 2023

vetteguy53081 said:
Yes- It preserves the other one you have which is a great fish to have on hand

Im quite torn between if I should return the one or not. The one fish will act totally fine (like he is right now) and then act all weird again. I feel so bad about taking him back.

Bear Claw · Jul 12, 2023

vetteguy53081 said:
Yes- It preserves the other one you have which is a great fish to have on hand

Like now the fish are side by side like best friends now

vetteguy53081 · Jul 12, 2023

Bear Claw said:
Like now the fish are side by side like best friends now

It comes and goes. This is their sleep time as they are wide in the evening and night but keep an eye on them

Bear Claw · Jul 12, 2023

vetteguy53081 said:
It comes and goes. This is their sleep time as they are wide in the evening and night but keep an eye on them

Do you think I should still return the bullied one back to my LFS? If I was going to now would be the time

vetteguy53081 · Jul 12, 2023

Bear Claw said:
Do you think I should still return the bullied one back to my LFS? If I was going to now would be the time

personally - yes before regrets

collins.jason.k · Jul 12, 2023

Bear Claw said:
Do you think I should still return the bullied one back to my LFS? If I was going to now would be the time

Personally, I would keep the picked on fish as long as he seems healthy when not being harassed. I would take the bully back as punishment.

Bear Claw · Jul 12, 2023

collins.jason.k said:
Personally, I would keep the picked on fish as long as he seems healthy when not being harassed. I would take the bully back as punishment.

The picked on fish doesn't seem to be very healthy and I'd rather someone with more experience try and revive him.