Pajama Cardinal Breeding

mck > reef > pajama cardinal breeding            

 

Our pair of pajama cardinals have been breeding since fall 2007. We attempted to capture and raise the larvae once, with no success.

Like Banggaii cardinals, the female transfers her eggs to the male, who holds them in an egg-ball in his mouth while they mature. Unlike Banggaii cardinals, the male pajama cardinal releases free-swimming larvae, not baby fish. This makes them much harder to raise. Reportedly, these larvae eat SS-strain rotifers. I believe our attempt failed because of an overdose of Instant Algae while trying to prepare green-water, which fouled the tank.

 

The fish have kept breeding, but after months of busy travel schedules our rotifer cultures crashed and I just haven't gotten around to buying more SS-Strain roti's to get this started up again. So for now, our larvae become coral and fish food.

 

This page will be updated soon with photos of the rotifer-breeding and larvae tank equipment setups, daily photos of the male holding eggs, and hopefully a blog dedicated to future rearing attempts. For now, I've been updating the reefblog whenever the male carries or spits the eggs. The easiest way to find the posts for now will be to search the tags or categories for "Breeding."

 

Photos of the male carrying eggs, click on the photo for larger images (I may resample some of the originals for better quality):

 

Day 1:    
Male Pajama Cardinal holding eggs, day 1
Close-up of eggs, day 1
  
Male holding eggs, ~day 1
Close-up of eggs, ~day 1
 
     
Day 2:    
Male Pajama Cardinal holding eggs, day 2
Male Pajama Cardinal holding eggs, day 2
Close-up of eggs, day 2
Male holding eggs, ~day 2
Male holding eggs, ~day 2
Close-up of eggs, ~day 2
     
Day 3:
Male Pajama Cardinal holding eggs, approx day 3
Male Pajama Cardinal holding eggs, approx day 3
Male carrying eggs, approx day 3
Male holding eggs, ~day 3
Male holding eggs, ~day 3
Male holding eggs, ~day 3
     
Day 4:    
     
     
     
Day 5:    
     
     
     
Day 6:    
Male Pajama Cardinal holding eggs, approx day 6
Male carrying eggs, approx day 6 - eyes visible
Close-up of eggs, day 6
Male holding eggs, ~day 6
Male holding eggs, ~day 6
Close-up of eggs, ~day 6
     
Day 7:    
     
     
     
Day 8:    
Male Pajama Cardinal holding eggs, approx day 8
Close-Up of Eggs, Day 8
Male holding eggs, ~day 8
Close-up of eggs, ~day 8
     
Larvae:    
Larvae
Larvae
Larvae
Larvae Upon Release
Larvae Upon Release
Larvae Upon Release
     
Larvae
    
Larvae Upon Release