The Frogfish Files - Page 8

allimar · #**176** 01/09/2004, 08:03 AM

The only time that Elmer investigates the Turbo snails is when they are on the glass (seemingly floating in mid-water). They don't move enough to incite his hunger apparantly.

Now a Nudibranch might get up on the glass and make him hungry.

I wish there were a way to test potential tankmates without feeding them to him...

Reefcherie · #**177** 01/09/2004, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by spanker
This little bugger is larger than a softball. While it's not too wild about being touched, it didn't try any rapid escapes while I moved it into position so I could grab a few pictures of it. I tried to include a few pictures with other objects around the tank that this fish is in to give you a concept of how large this angler is. I think the tank it's in is 12" tall just to give you an idea. [/URL]

Holy Moly! That's a BIG boy!

You have no idea how closely I just studied your pictures to try to decide if that frogfish's lure and dorsal spines looked the same or different than my Fuggly's (looks quite different to me). I don't yet have a postive ID on the species of mine. I think a football sized frogfish is ultra cool, but I'm hoping I have A. pictus because I'm out of room for more tanks in my house! I feel bad for that guy in the LFS though...all day long he sees fish he wants to eat just out of reach and he's in such a small enclosure! Hope the right someone takes him home soon!

Cheri

Fishy1 · #**178** 01/09/2004, 09:54 AM

What a big froggie

I wonder if that is what the one I'm going to look at this afternoon and possibly buy will be like. I was told he's solid black with no other markings. I do hope someone buys that frogfish soon. You do have to feel sorry for it being snatched out of his natural environment and placed is such a small tank. Let us know when he gets a new home.......soon I hope

Thanks for sharing all the pics........awesome fish!

Janey

Algae Blenny · #**179** 01/09/2004, 08:10 PM

Just seen this on a Japanese retailer. Very cool looking, just wanted to share.

Antennarius maculatus

The URL for the website is:

http://reef-kuki.com/antennariidae1.html

Fishy1 · #**180** 01/09/2004, 10:58 PM

Well, I'm no longer frogfishless

I bought a commerson's frogfish this afternoon.......He's really quite the charming chap. I call him "Bubba." He's about 5 1/2 inches long and ate 2 frozen silversides for me (not without coaxing). He is somewhat afraid of the feeding stick so had to let them free fall several times before he took them. Hopefully in time he will be eating off the stick

I really like him a lot! Here's a pic .........see if you can find his eyes and mouth!LOL!!

Janey

spanker · #**181** 01/10/2004, 07:38 AM

Very cool Fishy. Nice looking angler to say the least. I wish I had a tank big enough to keep the big guy in my picture.

Reefcherie · #**182** 01/10/2004, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Fishy1
Here's a pic .........see if you can find his eyes and mouth!

Congratulations Janey

Bubba is already a big guy/gal! It will be interesting to see if he stays so black or changes a little to match your decor. I can find his mouth, but sure do have to just assume he's got eyes!

Cheri

Fishy1 · #**183** 01/10/2004, 10:32 AM

When I got up this morning Bubba was on top of the rockwork leaning against the back aquarium glass. I've got a black background so all I could see was a bunch of white specs when looking at him.......I have a feeling he's going to stay black

fishy1

allimar · #**184** 01/10/2004, 01:51 PM

Interesting observations.

We have had Elmer, the Sargassum Angler for about a month. He is eating well, and displaying some amusing behavior. Sargassum Fish have swim bladders, and so they are *relatively* good swimmers compared to most frogfish.
He likes to ride the water coming off the powerhead.
He swims under it, then floats up into the current and rides it around the tank. He'll do this for 30 minutes at a time. Then he takes a nap, and goes back to it an hour later.

Since we've had Elmer, neither my wife or I have ever seen him actually "angle". We knew that he had a lure, we just figured that he didn't know how to use it, as he swims after most of his food anyway.
I have been having trouble finding live Sargassum to put in his tank, so last night -despite my normal preferences- I put a large, artificial Sargassum plant (From Aquarium Systems) in the tank.
Today, Elmer is sitting in the new "plant," fishing away.
I suppose that he needed a familiar setting to initiate his fishing ability.

Just thought that I'd share these observations about what is fast becoming my favorite fish.

Reefcherie · #**185** 01/10/2004, 02:03 PM

Great observation - thanks for sharing! I've been wondering about that. I had to take the real tree sponges out of Fuggly's refugium home because they were starting to get algae covered and didn't want to risk nuking my tank with dying sponge! He used to sit for hours in the tree sponge and colored himself just like it, including imitation siphons like a sponge. If Fuggly is indeed A. pictus, sponge is a natural habitat for them. Now all he's got is live rock and red Gracilaria and I swear he isn't as "happy" looking...though I could be imagining it. He still lures often when he first sees me or if I drop a fish in for him.

Now I'm looking for qood quality, life-like, reef safe fake sponge to put in with him. If anyone knows of a source of something like that, particularly in red/orange, please let me know.

Cheri

Algae Blenny · #**186** 01/10/2004, 02:07 PM

Cheri, is this what you are looking for:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...&N=2004+113148

Reefcherie · #**187** 01/10/2004, 02:22 PM

Algae Blenny - thanks for the link! That would be a real possibility. He's more orange than red right now, but when I first got him he was quite red. I expect he could alter coloring and marking to match that coral pretty well.

Cheri

mantisshrimp · #**188** 01/10/2004, 02:23 PM

Man,I just can't get my frogfish to eat prepared food!

Genetics · #**189** 01/10/2004, 02:24 PM

Don't you think that sponge will get dirty? Not saying I won't buy one when I get my frogfish.

Anyone know some good names for these fish. I really like fuggly and I don't want to steal that name from anyone. My cat was almost named fugly a few years back.

mantisshrimp · #**190** 01/10/2004, 02:26 PM

I named mine Jabba

Reefcherie · #**191** 01/10/2004, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Genetics
Don't you think that sponge will get dirty? Not saying I won't buy one when I get my frogfish.

Anyone know some good names for these fish. I really like fuggly and I don't want to steal that name from anyone. My cat was almost named fugly a few years back.

I imagine artificial sponge or coral would get dirty, but my refugium is on my bathroom counter (another story), so it is easy to get at. Taking it out and scrubbing it w/ a reef tank dedicated toothbrush would be no big deal.

"Fuggly" got his name when I brought him home and my husband looked at him, laughed and said, "He's f* ugly!"

My Warty frogfish that died was "Bumpkin" because he was all bumpy. What does yours look like?

Cheri

Genetics · #**192** 01/10/2004, 02:49 PM

I don't have him yet

I asked a LFS to order me one a few weeks ago and they won't know if he will be available until this week when they order from outside the Carribean. I am hoping for a painted frogfish, the one that everyone seems to have that changes to many different colors. Right now I am still getting my tank set up for him. It used to have two clowns but they were moved recently. The rocks are mostly purp but I want to get him to turn red so I probably will have to by that faux coral online. I am trying to get some red grape calerpa going, as well.

I guess I can't name him until I actually see him, but I think fuggly is a cool name. My cat was almost named fugly b/c my brother said something close to that effect (f****** ugly).

Do you guys know if the yellow polyps/anemones would harm these guys? I can't seem to get rid of them and gave up a few months ago. They now cover two rocks and the entire back of my tank.

Fishy1 · #**193** 01/10/2004, 08:36 PM

Mantissshrimp.......last night Bubba ate two small silversides that were "freefalling" in front of him. He scooped them up off the sandbed and took in a mouthful of sand. He spit the sand out and all was fine. This morning, I tried to tempt him with an impaled silverside but he was afraid of the feeding stick. I tried impaling a silverside on a piece of aluminum wire and he was afraid of that too. My daughter suggested tieing a silverside on a piece of thread and dangeling it in front of him. He got all excited when I did this.....he must of thought it was injured prey (one of their favorites). Anyway he gulped it down and at first it was only 1/2 in his mouth and 1/2 out. I thought, "Oh No," he knows it's not alive because it not wiggeling and he's going to spit it out........but he didn't

He ate the whole thing! You might try this trick and see if it works for you. I just used a piece of white thread and tied it once very loosely around the tail. Then I pulled on it until it started to give way a little......that way I knew that it would come free of the thread once he took the bait. I'm going to try again on Monday and see if he falls for the same trick. Hope it works for out for you.....it's so much better if they will take prepared food soaked in vitamin preps.....

Fishy1

mantisshrimp · #**194** 01/11/2004, 02:17 PM

I finally overcame the live food barrier!I bought some frozen silversides,and put them on the feeding stick and wiggled them in front of him.He ate three of them like candy!I'm just so glad he's eating them.

Fishy1 · #**195** 01/11/2004, 05:37 PM

That's awesome news, Mantisshrimp

Really happy for the both of you.......

ozadars · #**196** 01/12/2004, 11:37 AM

these anglers are super cool! Wish they were fish and shrimp safe

they all great but imo the most beautiful ones are black and wartskins.

look at this angler, i found it in a website

Algae Blenny · #**197** 01/12/2004, 03:35 PM

Ozadars, thats a really cool angler.

allimar · #**198** 01/12/2004, 06:38 PM

I tested my Peppermint Shrimp theory.

I dropped a large Ghost Shrimp in the tank. Elmer immediately took notice of him. The Shrimp sat still, and Elmer just hovered over him, when the shrimp made a break for it -Elmer gobbled him up.

Oh well, back to killing Aipstasia by hand...

criccio · #**199** 01/12/2004, 07:12 PM

Here's some pics of one that will be shipped to a fellow RC'r tomorrow.

criccio · #**200** 01/12/2004, 07:13 PM

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