Flashlight Fish - or anything rare and unusual

[thorsen]

I have a two hundred gallon tank being made and am planning all the fish I would like to have in it. I'd really like to have something rare and unusual. The pinecone fish and the flashlight fish have recently caught my eye. I'd like the pinecone fish but I want shrimp. I was wondering if anyone out there has any experience with flashlight fish. I am planning an SPS dominated brightly lit reef, which doesn't seem to fit the needs of this fish. If a tank had sufficent caves and sheltered places could a person keep a couple of these in a bright tank, and then they come out at night and glow?

Most tanks seem to be repetitions on the same theme and if anyone has something really rare and unusual or has a suggestion of something rare and unusual I'd love to hear.

 

[tangers]

Re: Flashlight Fish - or anything rare and unusual

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11157323#post11157323 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by thorsen
The pinecone fish and the flashlight fish have recently caught my eye. I'd like the pinecone fish but I want shrimp.

Flashlight fish also eat shrimp and/or small fish.

 

[thorsen]

http://www.saltwaterfish.com/site_1...ategory=4&category_search=61&root_parent_id=4

It says they are two to three inches long and docile. Maybe those are juveniles, but I didn't think they would eat shrimp.

 

[lhoy]

Read Michael Scott's descriptions of them in his books on Reef Fishes.

If I remember, both are from deep water and the flashlight fish will not thrive in our typical reef tanks. Be sure and read his accounts, a lot of money to waste on something that probably won't do well in your tank.

Lee

 

[triggerfish1976]

Neither of these fish are appropriate for most reef setups because they are basically nocturnal and deep water fish so unless you get lucky, you will probably never see them during the day and will need to keep your tank temps. in the mid to low 70's which are not appropriate for most corals avail. in the trade. They need a species only setup with low light and a constant supply of live foods like vitamen enriched ghost shrimp. Most, generally adapt slowly if it all to captivity even if they are provided with the right setup.
If you consider yourself an experienced and dedicated aquarist willing to meet their husbandry needs than I would try the pinecone since success rates with them seem to be "slightly" higher than the Flashlights when they are properly cared for.

 

[Alex33324]

I have a Flashlight fish in a 10 gallons tank. Its being doing ok, but its definitely time consuming. I have no problem feeding the fish, but it will have no change in a reef tank or in a fish only tank. Despite having the organs with bioluminescence bacteria, it’s almost blind.

 

[philter4]

The flashlight fish are not too hard to keep once they get on to aquarium foods. The big problem is a lot of them do not eat and eventually starve.

They are not very good display animals, they are strictly nocturnal, and mine never fed during the day light cycle so you have to feed at night. They also will eat your shrimp, even a juv will eat a shrimp, I have seen one of mine grab a shrimp that was too big and carry it around for more then a day before letting the dead body go and leaving it on the bottom of the tank.

IMO they are very interesting animals, but if you have a big tank that you want to display rare or unusual fish, these aren't the best choice, they need a specialized tank, and are not easy to watch.