Frogfish and dwarf angelfish together?

[ladyonyx]

I have a 60g FOWLR tank with a diamond goby, midas blenny, blue-spotted pufferfish, and a red-stripe angelfish. I saw a Sargassum frogfish for really cheap at a petstore the other day and want to buy it. My puffer is really docile and doesn't fin nip, so I'm not worried about him, but the angel is a bit nippy. Do you think the frogfish and the angel would do alright together, or is that combo a bad idea? Please let me know what you think. Thanks.

-Alex

 

[Stumped]

You're aware that frogfish eat other fish right? Your goby, blenny, and dwarf angel are going to be meals for a frogfish. It's not a matter of if, but rather a matter of when. So I would definitely forget about going back and buying it, unless you want to set up a species only tank.

 

[FMarini]

sargassum anglers are one of the more food aggressive frogfish(lureless anglers), plus they get big very quickly
I would heed Stumped's advice- skip the frogfish

 

[AquariumMan]

I agree, Frogfish can eat things that are almost twice their size.

 

[ladyonyx]

Yes Stumped, I'm well aware that frogfish are carnivorous.

Both my goby and blenny are about 6in long and the angel is about 5 inches. The frogfish I'm considering is currently quite small (maybe 3 in?) and I've never seen a sargassum in captivity that exceeds maybe 6 or 7 inches. I realize they have the potential to get bigger in the wild, but I can't imagine it would get that big in a 60g tank. But thanks all for the advice.

 

[Kynigos]

Eventually all of those other fish are going to be more together with the angler than you want them to be...

 

[goldeneagle]

At 3", your Sargassum would make quick work of that 6" long Blenny and 5" long Angel.

If he can't eat it and digest, he'll still sure as hell still try. Then, you're gonna be out the cost of the dinner and the cost of the Sargassum.

Frogs will readily attempt to eat ANYTHING that's double their size. Most will succeed. Others will die from gastro-intestinal problems, resulting from digestive gasses building up, before they can digest said prey.

Frogfish are by far, a species only tank. They'll even happily attempt to eat each other.

 

[Stumped]

Yes Stumped, I'm well aware that frogfish are carnivorous.

Both my goby and blenny are about 6in long and the angel is about 5 inches. The frogfish I'm considering is currently quite small (maybe 3 in?) and I've never seen a sargassum in captivity that exceeds maybe 6 or 7 inches. I realize they have the potential to get bigger in the wild, but I can't imagine it would get that big in a 60g tank. But thanks all for the advice.

6" in length is nothing for a frogfish of similar size to consume, especially when you're talking about gobies and blennies. You seem to be greatly underestimating just how adept they are at consuming prey. Also if you were to keep a frogfish in a 60g tank and feed them regularly there is no reason they wouldn't attain considerable size.

I'm not an expert at all, but I would guess one of the main reasons some frogfish don't experience rapid growth or attain large size is because of poor nutrition and/or underfeeding. Which can also lead to the short lifespans you see people constantly bring up regarding frogfish in captivity.

 

[sTefaniA]

at our lfs they had a 5inch frogfish who ate a newborn shark...
i have also seen a 2 inch frogfish eating a 4inch goldfish
it didn't have the slightest problem swallowing his meal

 

[ladyonyx]

Alright then, I guess the frogfish will be waiting for another tank. Thanks