cardinal question

[dianeww]

Will a banggai cardinal get along with a pajama cardinal? Or do two cardinals have to be the same?

 

[SALTYDAWGY]

From experience, it is risky. I have had my PJ for about 6 months. Best $10.00 I have ever spent. My wife picked him out and I wasn't to thrilled with the choice at first but his colors have really intensified and he adds a cool laid back disposition to the tank. I decided a few months after I got him that I would try a bangai of similar size. The PJ had grown a bit and didn't like the competition. I noticed the day after I got the bangai, his fins were nipped. Each day the nips were worse until I woke up one morning and all his fins were gone and he was struggling for life. Being nocturnal (Great big eyes) the PJ was beating the hell out of the bangai every night until he was incapacitated. I realized the PJ was the one and only cardinal ever going into the 75 and decided to move on to a blenny.

 

[Kizayaen]

While I don't pretend to be any sort of authoritative expert at ALL (I'm still doing my initial research before starting up my own first marine tank) everything I've read indicates that that's fairly unusual. Cardinalfish, both pajamas and Benggais, are supposed to be peaceful and docile... the reef equivalent to tetras.

As I'm wanting to get a few of each variety for my own forthcoming reef tank, I'd be very interested to find out if there's any further input on this subject from some of you far more experienced folks.

 

[Guest]

Go ahead and try it.