Ed Reef's '295-gallon Peninsular ZEOVit SPS tank'
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<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13765518#post13765518 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Ed Reef
I might (if I run out of patience) but at this moment as the Ca level is inline with the dKH level, I would rather try to reduce the level of Ca (by reducing the output of my Ca Rx) and see if this bring down my dKH accordingly
I turned off my reactor for 12 hours at a time if my params get too screwy.
Ed Reef
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FROGFISH REVIEW
FROGFISH REVIEW
A face only a mother could love…
I realize I didn’t do any review on my frogfish and since it’s a slow week, I thought why not as there could be people like me who are fascinated with this unique fish??
The below information are from research I have done on frogfish from another website which have a dedicated forum on this fish.
So let’s start with the basic….
Basic Tank Setup?
Frogfish, depending on the species, range in size from a max 5 inches of the warty or 'clown' angler, to the max 12 inch 'giant' or commersons angler... there are even species such as the dwarf and Randalls frogfish which stay under 2 inches... but are not commonly avaliable. Most commonly available would be Antennarius maculatus (wartskin - to about 4"), A. pictus (painted), A. multiocellatus (longlure), A. nummifer (Coinbearing), A. coccineus (freckled or scarlet) all grow to about 5", A. striatus (tiger or striated) and A. hispidus (hispid or shaggy) get to around 6 or 7"
Juvies can grow to adult size in a year. It is dependent on the quality and frequency of feeding (recommended: twice a week), water quality, tank temp.
For a smaller species, say a wartskin, a 20g should be fine.
Good filtration would be a good idea as they produce a lot of waste. A good running skimmer always helps to remove the excess waste.
Tank's water temp around room temp is alright as long it not over 30 degree.
Water changes of 10% ~ 15% weekly, or 20% twice monthly.
As for lighting.. normal FL lights are more than enough.. using of MH etc will juz speed up the rate of evaporation and cook the water.
Lots of Live rocks for the beloved froggies to hide which for these froggies would feels more secure and also helps them to catch their meals easily as they belnd into the rock work. Create caves and hills like the reef in the tank.
The amount of liverocks in the tank also plays a major part of the bio system of the tank health.
The water current in the tank shall not be too strong nor weak. A mild gentle flow throughout all areas of the tank would be good enough.
Point To Note:
Do not leave the frogfish out of the water while transporting or handling. It will be fatal once these creatures take in air into their stomach.
FROGFISH REVIEW
A face only a mother could love…
I realize I didn’t do any review on my frogfish and since it’s a slow week, I thought why not as there could be people like me who are fascinated with this unique fish??
The below information are from research I have done on frogfish from another website which have a dedicated forum on this fish.
So let’s start with the basic….
Basic Tank Setup?
Frogfish, depending on the species, range in size from a max 5 inches of the warty or 'clown' angler, to the max 12 inch 'giant' or commersons angler... there are even species such as the dwarf and Randalls frogfish which stay under 2 inches... but are not commonly avaliable. Most commonly available would be Antennarius maculatus (wartskin - to about 4"), A. pictus (painted), A. multiocellatus (longlure), A. nummifer (Coinbearing), A. coccineus (freckled or scarlet) all grow to about 5", A. striatus (tiger or striated) and A. hispidus (hispid or shaggy) get to around 6 or 7"
Juvies can grow to adult size in a year. It is dependent on the quality and frequency of feeding (recommended: twice a week), water quality, tank temp.
For a smaller species, say a wartskin, a 20g should be fine.
Good filtration would be a good idea as they produce a lot of waste. A good running skimmer always helps to remove the excess waste.
Tank's water temp around room temp is alright as long it not over 30 degree.
Water changes of 10% ~ 15% weekly, or 20% twice monthly.
As for lighting.. normal FL lights are more than enough.. using of MH etc will juz speed up the rate of evaporation and cook the water.
Lots of Live rocks for the beloved froggies to hide which for these froggies would feels more secure and also helps them to catch their meals easily as they belnd into the rock work. Create caves and hills like the reef in the tank.
The amount of liverocks in the tank also plays a major part of the bio system of the tank health.
The water current in the tank shall not be too strong nor weak. A mild gentle flow throughout all areas of the tank would be good enough.
Point To Note:
Do not leave the frogfish out of the water while transporting or handling. It will be fatal once these creatures take in air into their stomach.
Ed Reef
New member
What to Feed?
What to Feed?
What to Feed?
It is not advisable to over feed. In the wild, these fishes usually goes without food for a period of time, therefore a general guide would be feed once or twice a week. I usually feed mine once a week then once in two weeks alternates. Feeding is also much easier in a smaller tank.
For feeding, I like to used live Damsels but was told his fav food is Clowns fish or marine shrimps :eek2: I know of some people who feed it with freshwater fish (gold fish, Guppies, mollies, fw ghost shrimps, etc) but I personally don’t think it’s right as I think it’s not the ideal prey for marine predators.
Frogfish Tankmates?
Tankmates are quite tricky. Keep any fish smaller than it's size and it will probably become a meal for the angler, yet keep something bigger/ aggressive and the angler may get picked on. Ornamental shrimp may not be a good idea, but from what I research, crabs, snails, and echnoderms seem to be ok.
FWIW, I have a sea urchin in his tank to help keep the tank clean and do not seem to post any problems.
What to Feed?
What to Feed?
It is not advisable to over feed. In the wild, these fishes usually goes without food for a period of time, therefore a general guide would be feed once or twice a week. I usually feed mine once a week then once in two weeks alternates. Feeding is also much easier in a smaller tank.
For feeding, I like to used live Damsels but was told his fav food is Clowns fish or marine shrimps :eek2: I know of some people who feed it with freshwater fish (gold fish, Guppies, mollies, fw ghost shrimps, etc) but I personally don’t think it’s right as I think it’s not the ideal prey for marine predators.
Frogfish Tankmates?
Tankmates are quite tricky. Keep any fish smaller than it's size and it will probably become a meal for the angler, yet keep something bigger/ aggressive and the angler may get picked on. Ornamental shrimp may not be a good idea, but from what I research, crabs, snails, and echnoderms seem to be ok.
FWIW, I have a sea urchin in his tank to help keep the tank clean and do not seem to post any problems.
Ed Reef
New member
FEEDING
FEEDING
Aggressive Mimicry
The most interesting aspect of the frogfish, apart from his prefect camouflage is the way he attracts his prey. Other fish lie in wait until the prey swims close to their mouth (lie-in-wait predation), but the frogfish (or anglerfish) lures the prey (fish, crustaceans) actively to where it can strike. The lure mimics food animals like worms, small shrimps or small fish. The prey approaches to catch the lure and then is engulfed by the waiting frogfish. This strategy is called aggressive mimicry.
Of course not all prey is attracted by the lure. A more passive approach is the excellent camouflage of the frogfishes. Many animals just mistake a frogfish for a sponge, come too close and are swallowed. I have actually seen on various occasions, how small gobies flittered over the body of a frogfish sitting in a sponge, without being aware of the danger of getting swallowed.
Other fishes will perceive the camouflaged frogfish as perfect shelter and approach too close. Frogfishes often look like algae covered rocks. In coral reefs there isn't really a plenty full supply of algae for herbivore fishes. These fishes will approach a frogfish because they perceive a good feeding ground and are then caught. Because no herbivore fishes can eat plants surrounding the frogfish (they all get caught) these plants will grow extensively and even more fishes are attracted to the ambush site.
The frogfish sometimes also actively stalks prey, I have seen a frogfish trying to catch a small flounder by slowly sneaking towards it. It was trying to get the flounder into striking distance. The strike zone is about one frogfish body length.
Luring prey
Frogfishes mainly eat fishes and crustaceans (shrimps and crabs). They can swallow items of prey that are twice as large as them. Luring techniques vary depending on the surrounding the frogfish lives in. A frogfish (for example A. striatus) living mainly on sand often has a lure that reaches close to the ground, so it can move the lure at the entrances of burrows or entice benthic animals like flounders to come closer. A frogfish living exposed on sponges or corals (for example A. commerson) will lure more often above its head and might have a longish lure. A frogfish living hidden in crevices (for example A. nummifer) often is small and has a small lure, more like a white ball and will stretch it in front of its head or just above.
Each frogfish species moves the rod (illicium) with its lure (esca) in a special pattern to attract the attention of potential prey. For example the warty frogfish (A. maculatus) moves its lure in wavy lines either above the head or directly in front of the mouth close to the ground, the lure is doing a circle. The giant frogfish (A. commerson) is moving its lure up and down in jerky movements. The frogfish on the following photos all have long lures.
Frogfishes also employ a chemical attractant. This is of importance to frogfish that forage at night like the hairy frogfish (A. striatus). This frogfish also enlarges his esca by 35% when actively luring.
Small frogfishes often prefer shallow water and live hidden in crevices between corals and among rubble. Hiding in such a way they avoid being preyed on by larger fishes. Smaller frogfishes probably don't use their lures as much as larger frogfishes to attract prey. Several of these frogfishes have very small lures (like A. coccineus) or one that is nearly not discernable (like A. tuberosus).
Because the esca acts as bait it is apparently highly susceptible to loss or damage by attacks or nibbling of potential prey as well as predators. Therefore some frogfish (for example A. pauciradiatus or A. randalli) have a pocket-like aperture formed by the membrane between the second and third dorsal spine, which is used to protect the esca. Frogfish can regenerate their lure but might undergo a time of fasting until completion.
The Deep-sea anglerfishes even have a glowing lure (bioluminescence produced by symbiotic bacteria) decorated with filaments or branches that also glow in the dark. These frogfish have a massive mouth and razor-sharp teeth. The lure can be four to five times longer than the fish itself and some anglerfishes of the family Linophrynidae (Leftvents) even have barbels on their chin that also generate light and look like a hanging basket.
Gape and Suck
When feeding, the frogfish expand the oral cavity. They engulf their prey with a reflex that sucks it in by creating suction pressure inside the mouth (increase up to 12 times in volume by expansion of the oral cavity). This is the fastest "gape and suck" of any fish, it takes only a six-thousandths of a second, which is faster than a scorpionfish or a stonefish (15 msec).
They can actually catch a fish out of a school without the other fish noticing the disappearance. A frogfish will easily swallow prey that is larger than it is. It doesn't have teeth, because the prey is swallowed whole and not cut into pieces by the teeth.
The frogfish is sometimes seen, opening its mouth and yawning. But only on two occasions I have seen how a frogfish actually eats its prey. Actually everything happened so fast, that all I really saw was the shrimp in front of the frogfish and then the frogfish moved and the next thing I realized the shrimp was gone and the frogfish made swallowing movements. No wonder that the frogfish can eat fishes out of a school without the otter fishes noticing!
FEEDING
Aggressive Mimicry
The most interesting aspect of the frogfish, apart from his prefect camouflage is the way he attracts his prey. Other fish lie in wait until the prey swims close to their mouth (lie-in-wait predation), but the frogfish (or anglerfish) lures the prey (fish, crustaceans) actively to where it can strike. The lure mimics food animals like worms, small shrimps or small fish. The prey approaches to catch the lure and then is engulfed by the waiting frogfish. This strategy is called aggressive mimicry.
Of course not all prey is attracted by the lure. A more passive approach is the excellent camouflage of the frogfishes. Many animals just mistake a frogfish for a sponge, come too close and are swallowed. I have actually seen on various occasions, how small gobies flittered over the body of a frogfish sitting in a sponge, without being aware of the danger of getting swallowed.
Other fishes will perceive the camouflaged frogfish as perfect shelter and approach too close. Frogfishes often look like algae covered rocks. In coral reefs there isn't really a plenty full supply of algae for herbivore fishes. These fishes will approach a frogfish because they perceive a good feeding ground and are then caught. Because no herbivore fishes can eat plants surrounding the frogfish (they all get caught) these plants will grow extensively and even more fishes are attracted to the ambush site.
The frogfish sometimes also actively stalks prey, I have seen a frogfish trying to catch a small flounder by slowly sneaking towards it. It was trying to get the flounder into striking distance. The strike zone is about one frogfish body length.
Luring prey
Frogfishes mainly eat fishes and crustaceans (shrimps and crabs). They can swallow items of prey that are twice as large as them. Luring techniques vary depending on the surrounding the frogfish lives in. A frogfish (for example A. striatus) living mainly on sand often has a lure that reaches close to the ground, so it can move the lure at the entrances of burrows or entice benthic animals like flounders to come closer. A frogfish living exposed on sponges or corals (for example A. commerson) will lure more often above its head and might have a longish lure. A frogfish living hidden in crevices (for example A. nummifer) often is small and has a small lure, more like a white ball and will stretch it in front of its head or just above.
Each frogfish species moves the rod (illicium) with its lure (esca) in a special pattern to attract the attention of potential prey. For example the warty frogfish (A. maculatus) moves its lure in wavy lines either above the head or directly in front of the mouth close to the ground, the lure is doing a circle. The giant frogfish (A. commerson) is moving its lure up and down in jerky movements. The frogfish on the following photos all have long lures.
Frogfishes also employ a chemical attractant. This is of importance to frogfish that forage at night like the hairy frogfish (A. striatus). This frogfish also enlarges his esca by 35% when actively luring.
Small frogfishes often prefer shallow water and live hidden in crevices between corals and among rubble. Hiding in such a way they avoid being preyed on by larger fishes. Smaller frogfishes probably don't use their lures as much as larger frogfishes to attract prey. Several of these frogfishes have very small lures (like A. coccineus) or one that is nearly not discernable (like A. tuberosus).
Because the esca acts as bait it is apparently highly susceptible to loss or damage by attacks or nibbling of potential prey as well as predators. Therefore some frogfish (for example A. pauciradiatus or A. randalli) have a pocket-like aperture formed by the membrane between the second and third dorsal spine, which is used to protect the esca. Frogfish can regenerate their lure but might undergo a time of fasting until completion.
The Deep-sea anglerfishes even have a glowing lure (bioluminescence produced by symbiotic bacteria) decorated with filaments or branches that also glow in the dark. These frogfish have a massive mouth and razor-sharp teeth. The lure can be four to five times longer than the fish itself and some anglerfishes of the family Linophrynidae (Leftvents) even have barbels on their chin that also generate light and look like a hanging basket.
Gape and Suck
When feeding, the frogfish expand the oral cavity. They engulf their prey with a reflex that sucks it in by creating suction pressure inside the mouth (increase up to 12 times in volume by expansion of the oral cavity). This is the fastest "gape and suck" of any fish, it takes only a six-thousandths of a second, which is faster than a scorpionfish or a stonefish (15 msec).
They can actually catch a fish out of a school without the other fish noticing the disappearance. A frogfish will easily swallow prey that is larger than it is. It doesn't have teeth, because the prey is swallowed whole and not cut into pieces by the teeth.
The frogfish is sometimes seen, opening its mouth and yawning. But only on two occasions I have seen how a frogfish actually eats its prey. Actually everything happened so fast, that all I really saw was the shrimp in front of the frogfish and then the frogfish moved and the next thing I realized the shrimp was gone and the frogfish made swallowing movements. No wonder that the frogfish can eat fishes out of a school without the otter fishes noticing!
Ed Reef
New member
Some Interesting Facts
Some Interesting Facts
HOW DOES HE DO IT?
When a frogfish strikes, it takes just 1/30 of a second to grab and eat its prey - too fast to be visible to the human eye. It opens its mouth rapidly and sucks in its prey before the victim realizes what is happening. It can increase the volume of its mouth twelve-fold and swallow prey as large as itself.
Jet propulsion is a common method used for getting around. Frogfish swallow water and expel it through small round openings behind the pectoral fins, essentially the same action as breathing, but more forceful. When using jet-propulsion, a frogfish appears to levitate and drift along using its fins as stabilizers.
Frogfish are weak swimmers. Swimming using the caudal fin or tail for propulsion is not frequent and only really used for brief dashes such as fleeing from a predator.
Most tropical water frogfish lay eggs as a gelatinous mass that expands on contact with seawater, absorbing sperm ejected by participating males. After floating near the surface for a few days, the raft sinks to the sea floor and the eggs hatch far away from their parents. Other species lay fewer but larger eggs which the male guards until they hatch.
Frogfish possess a highly modified first dorsal spine that they can wave about. At the tip of this spine grows a bit of flesh, known as the esca, that resembles food and entices other fish into its striking path. The diner becomes dinner.
The esca often simulates a particular kind of prey. Some look like worms, others resemble small fish. Esca often also imitate the features of the prey item, such as wriggling, swelling up or emitting a chemical. Frogfish adopt an appearance that matches a particular habitat not as a defense but as a means of remaining unseen by their prey. This combination of using coloration to appear a part of a prey's normal habitat while using a lure to attract that prey within striking distance is called aggressive mimicry and is the frogfish's trademark.
Often frogfish walk, using the two pectoral fins and pelvic fins. This can be slow when stalking prey, or a faster "gallop" for traversing open territory.
Frogfish were fishing before people. Frogfish are masters of camouflage and are incredibly hard for divers and snorkelers to find. These small predators often sit on sponges, and as long as they are still, they look very much like the sponges they perch upon. They also have the ability to alter their coloration to match that of the substrate they are on (sponge, algae, coral, etc). To top it off, frogfish have spots on their bodies that look like the holes (out-current siphons) of sponges.
No scales? These fish are mostly small (the largest is about 30cm in length) and sedentary in nature, spending most if not all of their lives squatting on the bottom amongst reef and rubble. Their scaleless skin is often brightly colored and patterned, sometimes with elaborate tassels and filaments, to help camouflage their presence.
Disclaimer:
I’m not a frogfish expert but just a humble reefer who was always fascinated by this unique fish from all the deep-water monster movies I used to watch when I was young! The above article was written in another website, which I thought I would share for those who are interested as I was not sure if it was OK to link.
Some Interesting Facts
HOW DOES HE DO IT?
When a frogfish strikes, it takes just 1/30 of a second to grab and eat its prey - too fast to be visible to the human eye. It opens its mouth rapidly and sucks in its prey before the victim realizes what is happening. It can increase the volume of its mouth twelve-fold and swallow prey as large as itself.
Jet propulsion is a common method used for getting around. Frogfish swallow water and expel it through small round openings behind the pectoral fins, essentially the same action as breathing, but more forceful. When using jet-propulsion, a frogfish appears to levitate and drift along using its fins as stabilizers.
Frogfish are weak swimmers. Swimming using the caudal fin or tail for propulsion is not frequent and only really used for brief dashes such as fleeing from a predator.
Most tropical water frogfish lay eggs as a gelatinous mass that expands on contact with seawater, absorbing sperm ejected by participating males. After floating near the surface for a few days, the raft sinks to the sea floor and the eggs hatch far away from their parents. Other species lay fewer but larger eggs which the male guards until they hatch.
Frogfish possess a highly modified first dorsal spine that they can wave about. At the tip of this spine grows a bit of flesh, known as the esca, that resembles food and entices other fish into its striking path. The diner becomes dinner.
The esca often simulates a particular kind of prey. Some look like worms, others resemble small fish. Esca often also imitate the features of the prey item, such as wriggling, swelling up or emitting a chemical. Frogfish adopt an appearance that matches a particular habitat not as a defense but as a means of remaining unseen by their prey. This combination of using coloration to appear a part of a prey's normal habitat while using a lure to attract that prey within striking distance is called aggressive mimicry and is the frogfish's trademark.
Often frogfish walk, using the two pectoral fins and pelvic fins. This can be slow when stalking prey, or a faster "gallop" for traversing open territory.
Frogfish were fishing before people. Frogfish are masters of camouflage and are incredibly hard for divers and snorkelers to find. These small predators often sit on sponges, and as long as they are still, they look very much like the sponges they perch upon. They also have the ability to alter their coloration to match that of the substrate they are on (sponge, algae, coral, etc). To top it off, frogfish have spots on their bodies that look like the holes (out-current siphons) of sponges.
No scales? These fish are mostly small (the largest is about 30cm in length) and sedentary in nature, spending most if not all of their lives squatting on the bottom amongst reef and rubble. Their scaleless skin is often brightly colored and patterned, sometimes with elaborate tassels and filaments, to help camouflage their presence.
Disclaimer:
I’m not a frogfish expert but just a humble reefer who was always fascinated by this unique fish from all the deep-water monster movies I used to watch when I was young! The above article was written in another website, which I thought I would share for those who are interested as I was not sure if it was OK to link.
Felipe_Caetano
New member
Wow! a lot of information about froggies... it seems you realy like this fish.
Great job putting this info, i think there are a lot of people who want have this fishe in their tanks, but they just dont know this or they cant because it´s not reef safe.
I like exotic fishes, the only shame it´s they´re allway non reef safe.. if i have a sump like yours i´ll probably get one of this for me..
:L
P.S. please dont care about my poor english
Great job putting this info, i think there are a lot of people who want have this fishe in their tanks, but they just dont know this or they cant because it´s not reef safe.
I like exotic fishes, the only shame it´s they´re allway non reef safe.. if i have a sump like yours i´ll probably get one of this for me..
:L
P.S. please dont care about my poor english
edandsandy
Active member
Job well done on the frog fish Ed.
Felipe_Caetano
New member
That´s what i was about to ask
Ed, do you have any idea what happened to your clam?
Would you try to get another one soon, or you will consider not adding other clam?
What happened to your clam really got to me, i´m considering not adding one to my tank (i was planning to do it very soon), for two reasons:
1st-I dont have any idea of how treat clam diseases or injuries caused by any fish or plague..
2nd-Here in Brazil clams are really expensive, one Crocea can be worth the equivalent of 400 dollars, it´s to much for mee to risk adding some organism i´m not really prepared to deal with... especialy diseases that could kill it just overnight..
I hope you have a something to learn and share after this episode.
My best wishes!
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