Clown Grouper, Leaflip Soapfish - Pogonoperca punctata HELP / CARE ??

[Sav]

Does anyone have experience with this fish, I am reading reviews on it saying it is a very hardy fish, eats meaty foods etc. But on all the fish websites like LiveAquaria and Bluezooaquatics: The care level of this fish is listed as EXPERT ONLY??

Can anyone explain why this is? I know the fish is poisonous and can release toxins when stressed.

Does anyone have any experience keeping this fish? Any help would be much appreciated

Thanks

 

[Sav]

Ttt

 

[syrinx]

Its listed a expert only because it has the potential to release toxins if stressed or dies and is left to rot. I have kept several over the years with no issues. It is a great fish, and I really like the pattern- it makes the head look as if it takes up half of the fish-if you look closely you will see what I mean. I tended to keep them in tanks with lions and whatnot, but not real aggressive fish like triggers.

 

[Sav]

How do you get them feeding and what do you feed yours? The one I have is about 4" long and was eating live ghost shrimp in the shop

 

[Fishfirst]

I have never had any issues getting these guys to eat... they will eat anything but I would recommend pe mysis, krill, silversides, and squid.

 

[syrinx]

They will eat any number of live feeders to start. Once hungry and acclimated they will do well on silversides dropped in front of them. Then move on to chunky squid in the same fashion. Pretty soon they will eat a cube of anything that holds together enough to be size appropriate.

 

[solojrbb]

Mine was 4 plus inches long and if it could get it in its mouth, it was as good as swallowed or even half swallowed. He wouldn't mess with my dragonets or my coal banded shrimp. At night he would park and the shrimp would clean his gills, mouth and head.I guess the draonets had a natural warning in their colors. I always wondered if they would take a clown fish. Mine was too big for him to try. These are still in my top 5 favorite fish. They are awesome to watch and their color scheme is awesome. Remember the fish doesn't have to fit the entire fish in its mouth to try and eat it..I had a huge midas goby and even took into account that I had a clown grouper in the tank. For the next 2 days he had a tail hanging out of his mouth..;p