Not sure how many people are familiar with this fish but they have been one of my holy grails for a long time. Although they are not expensive they are rarely available and when they are they disappear within minutes of going up for sale. These guys have a horrible mortality rate in captivity but LA has been putting in a lot of effort to change this with a stringent holding and conditioning program before reselling these fish. They are also trying to actively breed Apogon parvulus which i believe would be a first. Anyways, i know most cardinals are a required taste and these arent the eye candy that most people look for in a fish but i can not wait to get them tomorrow!!!
The first person that says they look like FW tetras will be perma-baned! >LOL<
Craig - could you please ban John and yourself please? lOl
The irony is that Tetras are probably one of my favorite freshwater fish. Ive never had a FW tank but really want to set up a planted system with a large school of tetras!
Cardinal fish have just really grown on my over time and have become one of my favorite SW fish. I kept a small school of Apogon leptacanthus for a long time before tearing down my 75g. I moved them to my 34g and my pair of black occs killed them all one by one in the course of a month. Ive never seen a nastier pair of fish. They make my maroons look timid by comparison. They have now killed everything in the tank with the exception of my yellow assessor who has tattered fins at least once a month. If they kill my assessor their next tankmate will be an undulated triggerfish(im only half joking!!).
I was going to put 15 Apogon leptacanthus in my 265g next month until i bought these guys. If all goes well with the Apogon parvulus im considering doing a smaller school of Apogon leptacanthus along with a small school of Apogon cyanosoma. Guess we will see hot it goes!
Along with the cardinals i also picked up a second Yellow Assessor for only $49.99 in DD. Its an ORA CB.
There are a lot of nice SW cardinal fish. Those are very colorful and bright. i like them. The cardinals are nice because they are small, and very reef freindly. and like to hang out front of their cave and sun. I liked my Banggai Cardinals too. all great little fish.
You might try adding a couple yellow clown gobies with your black ocellaris. Mine got along fine with my spawning pair of percs. and a blue hippo tang too, and some sand sifting gobies. they all get along for me. different swimming styles and habitat in the tank.
they all get along for me. different swimming styles and habitat in the tank.
my fish could not have been more different from one another. these black occs are just plain nasty! the tank is only 34g and the think they own the entire tank. i even saw the female picking at my serpernt star the other day.
Hey Shawn. If you are really interested in doing a planted FW tank, drop by the April 12 DSAS meeting at William Penn High School. There will be a special guest speaker, from DC i think, Doing a live demo of planting a FW aquarium. Lots of plants will be on sale and raffle. along with driftwood and stuff too.
Better Knock another hole in yer wall and make room for that planted tetra tank. There should be a post in the Freshwater Forum soon. and flyers at local stores.
Those pics you posted are the kind that i have been drooling over for you. ADA sponsors a FW aquascaping contest every year that blows my mind.
Hey Shawn. If you are really interested in doing a planted FW tank, drop by the April 12 DSAS meeting at William Penn High School.
Ken, if you can remind me the weekend before the meeting i will definitely make it. If you dont i know i wont remember. I came SO close last night to making an impulse purchase for a rimless ADA clone tank last night. Luckily i already have a complete CO2 setup for the tank as well as a light fixture so the cost should be fairly low. I just need to wrap up my other projects and find a place to set the tank up!
OK, I’ll let you know. But you know, you could also do a salt water planted tank for your cardinal fish, that could double as a fuge filter for the big tank. Soon it will be sea grass and macro collecting season in florida again and most of these will be available. Ive always wanted to do a sea grass tank but never have the room or round to it. We can get plants here in season.
plus i have a few of these now, and i think longbalz has a planted SW fuge too. for some starter plants. a sea grass tank is more demanding. matured deep sand bed, and bright lighting plus a good supply of fish waste, ie nitrates. they soak em up.
Hey Ken, dont buy the plants from there. Depending on the amount you guys want, I can get you a TON for free/cost of shipping. It’s good to have friends in FL.
Sounds great Icy. I’ll keep you in mind. I understand there are some restrictions but its ok to pick up loose sea grasses on the beach. and other stuff might drift up too like sargassum full of critters. One former member used to stuff it in a plastic water bottle to bring some home on the plane after a vacation down there. But no bottles on planes anymore.
