Actual Bangai Spawning!

[salt-rookie]

I'm not sure how many of you have ever seen the spawning dance and release of eggs when Bangias spawn. I wish you could see the body shimmies that they exhibit! I hope you enjoy!

http://www.saltbucket.com/d/10933-1/SpawningBangais.jpg (http://www.saltbucket.com/d/10931-1/SpawningBangais.jpg)

http://www.saltbucket.com/d/10936-1/SawningBangais2.jpg (http://www.saltbucket.com/d/10934-1/SawningBangais2.jpg)

My best buddy, Gary, calls it "Gettin Jiggy"!

Phil

[Amphibious]

I've had a spawning pair of Banghi and it is quite a sight. It's especially amazing when the female ejects a massive ball of eggs all at once and the male turns quickly and engulfs them into his mouth.

Cool stuff. Thanks for the photos.

Dick

[thesaent14]

this is cool picture

[CarmieJo]

Nice images!

[Pinecone_Jeff]

Is the male on the left? Amazing looking pectoral fins!!! Excellent pictures!

[clownfish4me]

Is the male on the left? Amazing looking pectoral fins!!!

is that how you tell male from female is from the pec, fins? because its more colorful?
by the way it is awesome pictures. i have not seen fish do this yet although i notice two clowns i
have has paired up and i am hoping they mate. I'm waiting to see if i can manage some babies:)

[CarmieJo]

I listened to Frank Marini, the first to successfully breed Bangis in captivity and he said that all his previous comments to the contrary he is now convinced that you can not sex them. However, they are mouth brooders and it is often said that the male has a bigger mouth.:shout:

[salt-rookie]

I was unable to determine what the sexes were until they spawned. When the male is holding a clutch of babies, his jaw is VERY squared and exaggerated. I then began to notice the individual differences in the pattern, my male is slightly larger and has a bent ray in his rear dorsal fin. I was lucky, I got a pair the first try. I can now distinguish which is my male and female, not because the sexual physiology is distinctly different, rather becuase I have observed the differences in them as individual specimens. These are fascinating and very personable fishes. Don't get ANYTHING just to try to breed them...get them because you love them and you like what they bring to your reef! If they breed...generally it means that you are being successful at what you SHOULD be successful at doing...PROVIDING the needs of the specific species. TOO few people in the hobby truly appreciate and assume the HUGE responsibility that we assume when we keep living organisms in captivity!

[JustDavidP]

You really can't use "pennant length" to sex the fish. Some are longer than other males', some are ragged from battles or tough nights in the live rock etc. The males DO have larger, squared off jaws as opposed to the female's narrower jawline. I'm sure it has something to do with mouth brooding, but then again, it may not. If you look at dog breeds for example, females have a smaller, tapering jaw while most male dogs have square, boxier jawlines.

In any case, great Kodak Moment ;) Get ready now..and get the baby brine shrimp hatcheries going. Banggais are fun. I love em to death. The hobby could use more tank bred BCs, since the wild populations are in danger.

Dave