The Frogfish Files

[Mr. Ugly]

I'd separate them just to be safer.

[CKreef]

you should just send the red one to me!! LOL

[lucy.lou.glass]

has any on eseen the giant froggy at the shedd in chicago???
i just went last weekend what a great suprise.

[rjarnold]

Last night I was examining gonad morphology when I noticed the frogfish I cut open (these have all been long dead, no worries) had some type of worm within its gut cavity. Further examination showed infestation around the heart as well. This prompted me to write here and advise everyone to make sure they de-worm their frogfishes, as this is far from the first frogfish I've run across that's been infested with some type of worm. Frogfishes within the aquarium and in the wild have been parasitized by these things. I am not sure if it's all the same type of worm or not- if I have time I'll try follow that up some more. I do not know all the types of de-wormers available for fish, but I did order some not too long ago named Praziquantel that I was only able to find at pondrx.com (medication added to water (fine for a reef tank!) vs. food, but I think the recommendation was to find one that was added to the food, which would be easy for a frogfish if it's eating dead items). I have no idea how well Prazi works, not having tried it on frogfish myself, but I have added it to my display tank as a precaution with no adverse effects. The guy at PondRX (Ted) is really nice as well.

[Reefcherie]

What makes you so certain it is "fine for reef tanks?"

[rjarnold]

I wouldn't say I'm absolutely certain but someone that knows a lot more about medications than I do said it would not harm it, the label says it will not harm any reef biological system, and I added it to my own without seeing any adverse affects. *shrugs* If it makes you feel more comfy do it in a hospital tank - that's probably the way to go anyways

[Reefcherie]

I would definitely prefer any kind of treatment be done in a quarantine tank. I'm always a little leary of blanket statements like, "won't harm your reef" because I suspect sound scientific studies of the effects on a wide variety of reef creatures haven't really been done.

Thanks for the tip though. I have never de-wormed a frogfish but now I know that I should. Is there a specific dosage to give?

[rjarnold]

The problem with Prazi from PondRX is that the smallest amount you can get is for 1000G. I had to divide the amount by 100 to get my dosage. It also doesn't dissolve very well. I think the best possible method would be to find out where the type of Prazi you add to the food can be found.

This is what Lee Birch wrote about it:
"Praziquantel may be hard to find. But it is available on-line along with other medications at: National Fish Pharmaceuticals, Fishyfarmacy. It is also available on-line from PondRX. Unfortunately, the quantity of Praziquantel you need to order as a minimum order may be more than you’ll need in the next few years. It is administered at 23mg per pound of fish, in their normal food. There is a commercially prepared Anti-Parasitic pellet food available. It is made by Jungle (called -- Anti-Parasitic Pellets). The active ingredients in this food are levamisole, metrodinazole, and Praziquantel. This particular formula will kill a much broader spectrum of intestinal organisms. Also, the product Gel-Tek Ultra Cure PX can be used instead of Praziquantel. Another de-wormer alternative is the product Pipezine. The aquarist is looking for a treatment that the fish will swallow (not a water treatment). However, if the fish isn't eating, the water treatment is necessary."

I tried finding the Jungle product with no luck, but obviously, you would optimally use a product that can be added to the food.

[rjarnold]

Looks like the Gel-Tek Ultra Cure PX is at Drs. Foster and Smith and contains Praziquantel. It looks like it would be fairly easy to use - instead of doing as the directions say (hold back food for a day, then add it drop by drop so the fish will eat it) just add it to the prey item. Of course, that's if digesting food while digesting the medication doesn't adversely effect it, but I wouldn't think so.

[elvn]

My frogfish seemed to lose interest and stop eating. I feed him approximately every 4 days. He seemed only half interested in food. He would lure but not vigorously, and when I got him to snatch the food his lower jaw was more of a weak 'blip' than a lunge. Then he would cough a bit and spit the food out.

I let him go another 2 days then got him to eat a very small section of silverside tail with the fin cut off (pre-soaked with a drop of selcon). He kept it down. Yesterday was another 3 days after the small feeding and he finally seemed really hungry and "active". He ate a good chunk of thawed uncooked cocktail shrimp (pre-soaked with a drop of selcon).


A few things that might have affected him were a large water change where I removed and cleaned a few rocks, and that he got stuck on the feeding stick a few times. I've also noticed some snails with flat shells in the tank with him and wonder if he might have eaten one. The snails also have been spawning recently.

I've since modified the feeding stick so that he can only get the fishing line part in his mouth. I've also begun to slide the food back and forth on the fishing line its impaled upon so that its able to come off very easily.

It took some patience but hopefully he got over whatever hurdle he had.

[lucy.lou.glass]

look every one i finally got my frog fish!!!!... Doc Hopper is his name.
I got him yesturday, and i got him to eat a silverslide this evening.
Suposedly his first frozen food yet. so that's just great. All i did was drop the first half of the fish in there, and used my turkey baster to move it around a bit... worked great.

-lucy[IMG][/IMG]

[jmasterdiver]

Hello froggy folks! I thought I would add a bit about my newfound obsession, frogfish. I have two, one A. nummifer which I absolutely adore, and one I picked up this weekend, sold to me as A. commersoni, but I have my doubts. Any help on ID would be great if you have an eye.

The nummifer:





The new guy (that needs ID):





Can anyone shed some light on the second guy?

For the record, the nummifer is currently about 1" and is eating small marine shrimp and salt acclimated guppy fry once every three days. I am looking into marine feeder fish, as well as trying to get ahold of some large amphipods to culture for him. He is in QT at the moment as he has only been here for about three weeks and his intended home is a 37 gallon cube with a 20 gallon refugium. He will be the sole occupant except some snails and he may get a serpent star as well. The new guy is also in QT and he will go in a 50 gallon system with a 29 gallon refugium as the sole occupant (since is doesn't look like I'm gonna source a ceph any time soon, was on the lookout for a dwarf cuttle and gave up ). He is about 3" and I haven't fed him yet as he is pooping up a storm and his belly is a bit rounded. I suspect he had a rather large meal in the fish store, maybe a blenny or a small tang. In the next day or two I plan to offer him some frozen food, but if he doesn't take it I have plenty of live to go around, same fare but larger than what the nummi gets twice per week. Sound like a solid plan to you guys?

Thanks,
Jessica

[CKreef]

I cant find any anglers!!!!!!!!! None of my LFS can get them in. I want to find one but cant find any cool ones on the internet. Someone help me find one please. Thanks Chris

[rjarnold]

I think this one's rad -
http://www.liveaquaria.com/diversden...8398&siteid=20

And this one -
http://www.reefhotspot.com/store/pro...oducts_id=1968

And this one -
http://www.reefhotspot.com/store/pro...oducts_id=3002

Last two are A. maculatus...the first looks like A. nummifer.

[rjarnold]

I find this very interesting, especially because I was 'diagnosed' as having come into contact with tuberculosis and had to go on a year of meds, even though I knew no one with it nor had I ever knowingly come into contact with it. After learning that fish TB really isn't that rare, I chalked it up to owning an aquarium and sticking my hands in it (which may have had cuts on them at one time or another). Fish TB isn't dangerous to humans, but I am assuming that it might show up on a general TB test. Then I saw this paper, and I work with frogfishes, and well... Anyways, here's the abstract of the paper, which may also point to another reason frogfishes might die in the aquarium:

Title: Atypical presentation of mycobacteriosis in a collection of frogfish (Antennarius striatus).

Author(s): Yanong, Roy P. E.; Curtis, Eric W.; Terrell, Scott P.; Case, Gail

Source: Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 34 (4) : 400-407 December 2003

Language: English Medium: print

Abstract: Severe systemic mycobacteriosis without typical granuloma formation was diagnosed in a group of six mature, captive, striated frogfish Antennarius striatus approximately 5 mo after fish originating from Brazil were purchased by Mote Marine Laboratory Aquarium. Beginning 1 mo after spawning, over a period of 9 mo, individuals began to show a variety of signs including egg retention, ocular opacity, poor buoyancy control, ascites with coelomic distension, skin lesions, and anorexia. Two fish died, and four were euthanatized. At necropsy, raised pigmented skin nodules; pale pink gills; and pale yellow or tan, fatty livers were noted. A systemic fungal infection was diagnosed histopathologically in one female, and the remaining fish had severe, systemic, histiocytic inflammation and necrosis. Although large numbers of acid-fast bacterial rods were identified in each fish, no bacteria were cultured aerobically from skin, kidney, spleen, liver, or brain. Mycobacterium marinum was cultured from the liver of the last fish that was euthanatized after it became moribund and failed to respond to symptomatic treatment.

[Emokidjosh26]

Can someone help me identify this angler?

[uberfugu]

ohh... nicely colored Lophiocharon.

[Emoezekielsr5]

definately, very nice...

[smoney]

it looks like the dirtiest hawkfish I have ever seen.

[Emokidjosh26]

Thanks after looking at pictures based on that name, I believe he is a Lophiocharon trisignatus (Spotted-Tail Frogfish)

[lucy.lou.glass]

Question,
I've had Doc Hopper for about 1 1/2 month. He's been great, eating chunks of silverslide every otherday (some times 3 days) He seems realitively active for a frog fish. I do 5 gallon water changes every other week ( in a 20 gallon tank) All levels seem fine... but I'm afraid.
he seems to be gasping for the past couple days. I noticed last night when I was trying to feed him.. he wasn't interested in food, which he normally takes right away. The gasping seem somewhat subtle, but noticeable.

I seem to remember others having this problem and then turning up with a dead frog fish.. I'm worried about Doc.. Any one have any suggestins?

[smoney]

Check out what my angler has in his stomach.... wish I would have caught it in the action.....


http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...readid=1250049

[gotfrogs]

I moved my new frogfish into his new home today. I think he is so freaking cute!

[rjarnold]

Originally posted by smoney
Check out what my angler has in his stomach.... wish I would have caught it in the action.....


http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...readid=1250049

Not really at all surprising...frogfishes have died, both in the aquarium and out, trying to eat eels several times larger than themselves. They certainly do not know what's best for their well-being :P