unique fish????

[carnut]

Set up a 30 gallon nano tank. It's got rock and corals and a few sps. looking to add a fish or two. Looking for something truly different.Any ideas, no clown, gobies, filefish. Any ideas? adult size no matter, i have an understocked 300 and 150, Just trying to get something different. Have been looking at a leaf fish.

[OceanicCorals-Ian-]

Hi,What about a cool looking Angler or Frog fish?

[subman]

+1 on the mini angler!

[BlueAbyss]

Hmm 30 gallon... that's about Fu Manchu lion territory. How about a small predator tank? (I don't know how well they would mix with a frogfish :wink: )

[justinl]

boo to the fu manchu. that fish shouldn't even be in the trade considering it's success rate.

How about a dwarf eel like G. melatremus? or a ghost eel (Uropterygius concolor)? they should play nice with the angler or leaf fish. If price isn't an object, how about a rhinopias? or a candy basslet (Liopropoma carmabi) if you don't go with the predator theme?

note that a nano predator tank isn't done often because of the high bioload it produces... especially not conducive towards SPS tanks.

[BlueAbyss]

Hmm thanks justin, well noted. I didn't realize that Fu Manchus have a low success rate, I'll have to read some more. I realize that nano predator tanks aren't done often, I just thought it would be interesting... and I just reread the original post and noted the SPS. :redface: Didn't read clearly, apparently. :lol:

[carnut]

The tank was caused by a raccoon butterfly picking at my assuie acans. It leaves the indo alone, but really took to these. After the great sell or leave in the frag debate, we put this tank together. looking at a scorpion leaf fish right now.sps are just broken frags which can be moved. Mama is not found of live food so hence no lionfish.

[sphelps]

boo to the fu manchu. that fish shouldn't even be in the trade considering it's success rate.

How about a dwarf eel like G. melatremus? or a ghost eel (Uropterygius concolor)? they should play nice with the angler or leaf fish. If price isn't an object, how about a rhinopias? or a candy basslet (Liopropoma carmabi) if you don't go with the predator theme?

note that a nano predator tank isn't done often because of the high bioload it produces... especially not conducive towards SPS tanks.
I've never heard of the fu man chu being anymore difficult to keep than any other lionfish. All the ones I've seen at the LFS adapted much better than other types. I've also had one for over a year and it has always been easy to feed.

The rhino, leaf, and frog are however much more difficult. I've kept all three before and I probably won't keep them again because of the special requirements involved. I have also kept a white ribbon eel for a long time, although it's a great addition and easy to keep, 30 gallons may be a little small and they can get into tiny holes and escape tanks very easily. You would have to "ribbon eel proof" the tank which can be fairly difficult.

Predator and reef is not done often but it's not difficult. Most predators like lionfish are not very active meaning they use less energy than most reef fish, so you actually can feed them less. Check out my tank, not too many fish but my bioload is small, I go through much less food than I did with a more standard reef tank.

[Lance]

A small predator tank would be pretty cool, with smaller fishes, such as: a dwarf lion, small eel, hawkfish, dwarf puffer. (The puffer may be trouble though, fin-nipping the lion).

[justinl]

I've never heard of the fu man chu being anymore difficult to keep than any other lionfish. All the ones I've seen at the LFS adapted much better than other types. I've also had one for over a year and it has always been easy to feed.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-11/fm/feature/
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2004/fish.htm

I don't mean any offense, but your one success alone doesn't outweigh the majority. I honestly don't know much about keeping rhinopias or leafs. I always thought frogfish were supposed to be pretty easy to keep. True that the eel would require escape proofing; forgot about that.


Predator and reef is not done often but it's not difficult. Most predators like lionfish are not very active meaning they use less energy than most reef fish, so you actually can feed them less. Check out my tank, not too many fish but my bioload is small, I go through much less food than I did with a more standard reef tank.

You could say the same for any fish, but good husbandry means feeding the proper amount of food, not the convenient amount.

[naesco]

I've never heard of the fu man chu being anymore difficult to keep than any other lionfish. All the ones I've seen at the LFS adapted much better than other types. I've also had one for over a year and it has always been easy to feed.

The rhino, leaf, and frog are however much more difficult. I've kept all three before and I probably won't keep them again because of the special requirements involved. I have also kept a white ribbon eel for a long time, although it's a great addition and easy to keep, 30 gallons may be a little small and they can get into tiny holes and escape tanks very easily. You would have to "ribbon eel proof" the tank which can be fairly difficult.

Predator and reef is not done often but it's not difficult. Most predators like lionfish are not very active meaning they use less energy than most reef fish, so you actually can feed them less. Check out my tank, not too many fish but my bioload is small, I go through much less food than I did with a more standard reef tank.

SPhelps
I was surprised to read that you were of the opinion that ribbon eels are easy to keep. I was also surprised that you would put them in with predator/active fish.

Two of the acknowledged experts in marine fish disagree.
Scott Michael states they are difficult to keep and are on his red list.
http://en.microcosmaquariumexplorer.com/wiki/Ribbon_Eel

Robert Fenner states that 90%+ do not survive 30 days.
http://wetwebmedia.com/ribbonmorayeels.htm

With statistics like this the ribbon eel should not be on anyone's stock list and should only be available on special order by aquarists' who have the experience and patience to provide for their care.

Wayne

[sphelps]

I don't mean any offense, but your one success alone doesn't outweigh the majority. I honestly don't know much about keeping rhinopias or leafs. I always thought frogfish were supposed to be pretty easy to keep. True that the eel would require escape proofing; forgot about that.
None taken but it was not based on my one success, I've seen many of these fish come in and adapt well, much better than most other dawrf lions. Just because this fish may be considered "one of the more difficult lionfish to keep" doesn't mean it shouldn't be attempted as you seem to think. It may be difficult compared to other dwarf lions but may be quite easy compared to other fish which are often kept. It should of course be approached with caution as you may need to feed it live food until it can be trained on frozen but this is typical of most lions. Providing information about a fish and why it may be difficult to keep is helpful but simply stating it should not be done is not. No offense.

You could say the same for any fish, but good husbandry means feeding the proper amount of food, not the convenient amount.
Not really, most reef fish swim non stop and feed constantly in the wild to keep up the energy they require. This means in captivity they require several feedings daily to stay healthy. Predators like lion fish don't move around very much and conserve energy better, this is because they don't eat as often in the wild and this adaptation will transfer into the aquarium, therefore you should not feed them as often.

[sphelps]

SPhelps
I was surprised to read that you were of the opinion that ribbon eels are easy to keep. I was also surprised that you would put them in with predator/active fish.

Two of the acknowledged experts in marine fish disagree.
Scott Michael states they are difficult to keep and are on his red list.
http://en.microcosmaquariumexplorer.com/wiki/Ribbon_Eel

Robert Fenner states that 90%+ do not survive 30 days.
http://wetwebmedia.com/ribbonmorayeels.htm

With statistics like this the ribbon eel should not be on anyone's stock list and should only be available on special order by aquarists' who have the experience and patience to provide for their care.

Wayne
In the previous post I referred to a white (or ghost) ribbon eel which is easier to keep than the other types of ribbons. I would agree that other species should be avoided.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/sept2004/fish.htm

I kept one for well over two years before an unfortunate accident during my last move a couple months back. Did very well with other tank mates and never caused any issues.
A video from my previous tank (http://www.facebook.com/v/68286609531)

[naesco]

None taken but it was not based on my one success, I've seen many of these fish come in and adapt well, much better than most other dawrf lions. Just because this fish may be considered "one of the more difficult lionfish to keep" doesn't mean it shouldn't be attempted as you seem to think. It may be difficult compared to other dwarf lions but may be quite easy compared to other fish which are often kept. It should of course be approached with caution as you may need to feed it live food until it can be trained on frozen but this is typical of most lions. Providing information about a fish and why it may be difficult to keep is helpful but simply stating it should not be done is not. No offense.


Not really, most reef fish swim non stop and feed constantly in the wild to keep up the energy they require. This means in captivity they require several feedings daily to stay healthy. Predators like lion fish don't move around very much and conserve energy better, this is because they don't eat as often in the wild and this adaptation will transfer into the aquarium, therefore you should not feed them as often.

What do you mean when you say that you see many of these fish come in.......
Come into where?

[sphelps]

What do you mean when you say that you see many of these fish come in.......
Come into where?
The LFS, I may only have one tank myself but I've setup and maintained many in the past. I'm also good friends with the LFS owner and employees so I tend to notice when certain fish are trained on frozen. I've also been looking for a new dwarf lionfish but haven't found one just yet, like I said the fu man chu's seem to be doing better on average but I already have one of those. It also helps that the owner of our LFS is very knowledgeable and does very well at training many types of fish onto frozen.