Best Way To Grow Out Cardinals

[mattlee]

ive just been and got 10 cardinals that will eventually go in my discus tank. i couldnt find many locally and they are really small at the minute and just wondered whats the best food and treatment for them to grow... they are in my quarentine tank with a couple of shrimps and snails.
i have frozen bbs and mini prima would this be ok with planty of water changes.....?

 

[ian]

you in England, Matt?

I was talking to my man in the LFS a couple of weeks ago and there hasn't been many Cardinals about, due to the 2 main suppliers catching them out of season and this being highly Illeagal in South America, they apparently got sent down for it.

I think your on the right path with the food and water changes.


great Tetra!

 

[mattlee]

you in England, Matt?

I was talking to my man in the LFS a couple of weeks ago and there hasn't been many Cardinals about, due to the 2 main suppliers catching them out of season and this being highly Illeagal in South America, they apparently got sent down for it.

I think your on the right path with the food and water changes.


great Tetra!

Hi,
yes mate im in the UK. i must have rang 7 lfs today and only 2 had them and they were both very small examples. i went with the biggest of the 2 but these are still very small and less than an inch long so they have quite a bit of growing to do until i can put them anywhere near my discus......
ive not had much luck with neons in the past so im crossing my fingers these will be ok, this is why i only got 10 as i really want about 20-30 in total but thought i better just try a few to try out and 10 is quite a nice group for them to feel secure i guess. although the only other tank mates are 2 amano shrimp and a few snails so not much to spook them while they are in qt.

 

[ian]

I have never kept Neons, i bought 6 Cardinals about a month ago and they are going strong. They were about 2cm when i got them, i kept them in an old tank for a week, and they had got to at least 3cm feeding them on Tetra pro colour and freeze dried blood worms. I then introduced them, i have Angels, so kept my eye on them and they are now about 4/5 cms and looking good. You can' beat seeing a large school of Cardinals. I plan on getting another 6, when i can find em.

The bloke in the LFS says they'll be going up in price as well. Its a pity we can't successfully breed Cardinals in the UK!

 

[Truck]

Hi temperature (28-30oC) good diet, and clean water.

 

[mattlee]

Hi temperature (28-30oC) good diet, and clean water.

thanks Truck, this is what i thought.

do you have any idea how quick they grow.....?

 

[ben3486]

I've just bought some cardinals

I was also wondering what to feed them? The guy in my LSF said they would be fine on flake, but im not a huge fan of flake so is there any thing else i can feed them on? like pellets?

My LSF is in dereham, norfolk. Cost £2.25 each (is that a good price?) and the guy had about 40 of them in. He said they were from Germany and very good quality?!

Any way sorry to hi-jack... but any feedback would be amazing.

 

[ian]

I've just bought some cardinals

I was also wondering what to feed them? The guy in my LSF said they would be fine on flake, but im not a huge fan of flake so is there any thing else i can feed them on? like pellets?

My LSF is in dereham, norfolk. Cost £2.25 each (is that a good price?) and the guy had about 40 of them in. He said they were from Germany and very good quality?!

Any way sorry to hi-jack... but any feedback would be amazing.

if you don't want to feed flakes, Hikari do a mini pellet for tetras and barbs. I use these and would recommend them. I bought mine for 5 for £10, so i'd say its about the going price. I'm going to up my school to 20 later in the week. They look great in large schools.

 

[ben3486]

yeah the forty odd the guy had looked brilliant.

My six look good , biit shy though....this normal? they just shoot off if i come near the tank lol.

How many would you say i could get in a 26L tank? I have a fluval edge.

I'll have to go and find this food your on about. I prefer pellets as its easier to keep an eye on how much they're eating, and flake alwayssticks to the inside of the tank at the waterline

 

[ben3486]

just did a quick google. is the hikari mini pellet for cichlids and in a green packet? and is it a floating pellet?

 

[ajs2294]

You could try beef heat I know its a breeders secret for growing out discus fast due to its high protein, also they are much hardier than neons as far as I've heard. I also have a new discus tanks set up but can't find cardinals anywhere!

 

[ian]

have a look at this link

http/www.hikari.info/tropical/t_02.html

you have a fluval edge then?

if so i'd stick with the smaller shaol you have. That'd you being fully stocked at that.

ajs, i have wriiten in the above why Cardinals have been in short supply of late. Although, some are bread in captivity now, LFS are encouraged to buy wild ones still. The ones that seem to be arriving at the mo appear to be tiny!

 

[ben3486]

Are cardinals really shy?

Mine seem to hide at the back of the tank and when I go near it dash under the rocks lol.

Is this because they've come from a huge shoal and need to get confidence in a smaller shoal? Will they get braver?

Oh and just ordered some of that Hikari micro pellet. Was £3 off of ebay fo 45g bag ;D

And just for local peeps, Kings lynn pets at home have some cardinals in

 

[mattlee]

Are cardinals really shy?

Mine seem to hide at the back of the tank and when I go near it dash under the rocks lol.

Is this because they've come from a huge shoal and need to get confidence in a smaller shoal? Will they get braver?

Oh and just ordered some of that Hikari micro pellet. Was £3 off of ebay fo 45g bag ;D

And just for local peeps, Kings lynn pets at home have some cardinals in

to be honest a group of 6 is bare minimum for any tetra as they really prefer larger groups to feel secure. cardinals can grow to just over 2 inches so i wouldnt really recommend them for a fluval edge tank, maybe would have gone for rasboras or smaller tetras.....
this may be why they are not very confident and hide away when you approach! i only got 10 just to see how they got on but will increase the group as soon as i know they will be fine.
ive had them about 2 weeks or so now and all are still with me and have grown slightly but still have a way to go yet, temps at 28C and feeding tetra prima mini and bbs 2x a day with 40% water changes every 3 days.... so far so good