frogfish

[ergert]

I recently bought a frogfish from a LFS - they dont know the name of it, but it is purple and white blotchy looking. Its head and body are a little different looking than a normal frogfish. It seems as though its eyes are a little more to the side of the head than normal frogfish. It still has the feet that is normal and its tail seems to slope down in the back. I know that is a terrible description, I am just trying to find out what type I have. The main thing is it is not totally purple as it has white on it as well. I have it in with my red frogfish and a bunch of shrimp. I was told I should probably take out the shrimp as they might eat too much. If that is not the case- thank you as I have about a hundred shrimp in there. Thanks for your input and hopefully I will have a pic to help out. Thank you.


Eric

[EdKruzel]

Check here for Frogfish secies.

Ed

[ergert]

I took a pic and posted it to MARSH website. You can find it here:

http://marshreef.com/modules.php?nam...wtopic&t=10108

[uberfugu]

I think you have a Histiophryne cryptacanthus, Rodless anglerfish. They are pretty rare in the hobby and very delicate. They come in a few different color/pattern morphs.

I have some patterned ones:

Histiophryne album

cool fish

[ergert]

Yeah, I saw pics of that on a website. Mine just doesnt have those white lines on it. Pretty cool. I am still worried as it hardly ever moves and it just sinks to the bottom when i let go of it. I might go get another one this weekend. Do they require any specific care that you dont give other fish like higher salinity, dont know where I heard that. I think I am going to set up an 80g frogfish tank with a snowflake eel. You never said whether you were Scandinavian uberfugu- I havent heard anyone say gravid = pregnant except for my wife who is Norwegian. Thanks


Eric

[exoticaquatix]

very cool, ive always wanted to set up an ambush predator tank. for now i like my $30 dollar shrimp where they are. haha.

i once heard a story of a LFS owner who had a big reef display tank who kept losing fish for no apparent reason. it turned out he had somehow, unknowingly introduced a frog fish into his tank and only noticed it when it had grown too big from eating all his fish to hide anymore.

-nick

[uberfugu]

ergert - where are you getting these guys?

Not Scandinavian ... Californian.

Histiophryne are very sensitive to Cryptocaryon and Amyloodinium. I prefer to keep them at 75°F and a salinity of 30 (1.022 spg). They don't do much, just sit there. Very ravenous, all of mine (6) have taken defrosted silversides off of a stick right off the bat. If you know of more purple guys let me know, I'd like to score one.

[ergert]

I get them from a LFS here in Houston. The next batch he is getting are whit ones with red stripes. He said they are about $130. A little out of my range as all the frogfish I have paid for are $39.00.

[Jeremy Blaze]

I am thinking about placing frogfish in my 50 gallon tank I am about to set up.

Anyone keep more than one? I figure if I get a couple at the same time that are the same size I will be ok?

[ergert]

I have 2 purple ones and a red one in a 20g. They are like dogs, they go up to each oher check each other out and walk away. Of course they are all the same size and the 20g is temporary. I would think you are more than fine.

[uberfugu]

I think you have to be careful keeping multiple frogfishes. I've had success with the following observations:

They do best when similarly sized. Larger ones will view most smaller ones as potential food items.

Tankmates should be same species or species-groups (I use Pietsch and Grobecker's classifications). A. pictus, multiocellatus, and A. maculatus (commerson if small) have all done well for me together. Likewise A. nummifer and coccineus. But a nummifer was harrassed and killed by two multiocellatus. I wouldn't keep different genera together.

Two same-species males may fight. The weaker, subordinate one will often sulk and eventually die.

IME, Lophiocharon and Histrio are extremely ravenous. I've posted this before but I've saw 6 similarly-size Histrio in a wholesalers cube, by the time I made my rounds, there was only 3 and one had another's tail poking out of its mouth.

You need to keep a regular feeding schedule so they don't try to munch each other. I'm on twice weekly feedings.

I recommend cautions and lots of observation. I often hear of people keeping their multiple frogfishes or frogggies with other fishes. A few months of peace and then either something kills a tankmate or eats a tankmate.

[ergert]

uberfugu-- post some other of your frogfish pics besides the ones in your link. If possible also you can send any one of them here to Houston for me to babysit! Lol.

Eric

[uberfugu]

my frogfish album

[Monkeyfish]

Uber - awesome group of fish. How long have you had them? What's the longest you've had any one particular angler and what type of set-up did you have him in?

[uberfugu]

my longest tenured frogfish was an Antennarius commerson, 4 years in a 70 gal FOWLR system, sole occupant.

I've had many mishaps over the last few years, two summers ago, my chiller blew up and I lost a dozen guys ... very sad.

Most recently moved and the new system came down with Crypto. Lost a few ... again sad.

But most of my current guys are in the one to two year captivity range. I have a few 16 gal bowfronts that overflow into a 50 gal LPS reef. Use a H&S skimmer, ozone, carbon and rowaphos, 1" aragonite beds and lots of waterchanges (25% weekly)

[ergert]

I love that green warty!! That is awesome. As you probably know from my threads I have a red angler and 2 of those purple frogfish, price range $40 and under. I am assuming that the one like the green warty are a lot more or the same I am spending on my fish? Great fish!

Eric

[uberfugu]

The green warty is just a yellow warty under the actinics. I do part-time at the LFS so I get a good discount and get to cherry pick

[Monkeyfish]

Thanks for the info uber. Sorry about the brief detour Ergert.

[ergert]

Hey, I am just as interested in this as you are No probs here.