Miniatus Grouper Questions

karaim

New member
I am getting a small Miniatus Grouper. I have 3 questions:

1) What's a good size to get him (my fish are between 2 and 4 inches) so I would prefer him to be on the smaller side. Would a 2-3 inch miniatus be a good size or do they tend to die that young?

2) I've read that Groupers should be fed twice a week or so. I feed my fish every day and sometimes several small feedings a day. How can I possibly feed the other fish and not feed the grouper? Do I have to resort to feeding the other fish twice a week as well?

3) In addition to the miniatus (and the fish I currently have, an emperor angel, a tomato clown, and a rectangular trigger), I plan on adding the following fish (some fish will be added to the 120 and others will be added after I upgrade to the 260 in a few weeks/months):

- Harlequin Tusk
- Paired Maroon Clowns (to replace Tomato Clown I currently have)
- Dogface Puffer OR Pocupine puffer
- Bluethroat Trigger

When should the Miniatus be added? I was thinking the following order:

1) Tusk, Dogface Puffer, Bluethroat Trigger (doesn't matter which one is first, unless I get the Porcupine puffer, which would go after the tusk and trigger but before the Miniatus).

2) Miniatus

3) Maroon Clowns

Does this order seem OK?
 
I have a Miniatus and he will eat till it looks like his belly will burst, so maybe a couple times a week would be a good idea but like you that wont be to easy since you have others in there with different eating habits or needs. One thing I do is feed some mysis or brine and he doesnt care for that and also lifeline herbivore that he wont touch either. Remember it will grow really fast but is a beautiful fish. I got mine at 4-5" and now is 6-7" in 3 months.As far as dying, they are super hardy fish so I wouldnt worry about that, it will be a little defiant at new comers in the tank but nothing serious and lengthy.
 
he will eventually eat all your clowns. feed the grouper first with a large piece of food and he shouldn't chow down all the food thats for the other fish.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14202300#post14202300 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by badbrady06
he will eventually eat all your clowns. feed the grouper first with a large piece of food and he shouldn't chow down all the food thats for the other fish.

Thanks.

You think the clowns aren't safe? Maroons grow to 6 inches. Aren't they too large to be eaten? I understand a trigger might kill them, but a grouper? I mean they're too large to be eaten alive.
 
Miniata's althought beautiful have a bad reputation for deciding that they own the tank.... I would not add a tusk to the combo. I tried and that night the grouper had removed the red stripe on my HT.....the grouper went.....On the positive side they are BIG BEAUTIFUL fish.... I think the smaller the better. If you could find a really small mini you could feed daily and when it gets bigger feed it several times a week
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14202455#post14202455 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by karaim
Thanks.

You think the clowns aren't safe? Maroons grow to 6 inches. Aren't they too large to be eaten? I understand a trigger might kill them, but a grouper? I mean they're too large to be eaten alive.

They may get to six inches, but how big are they going to be when you get them? Groupers have huge mouths and can eat fish (or at least will try) that are over half of their own body length. If you get a very small miniatus with much larger clowns you should be ok, at least until your miniatus grows into a monster.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14205941#post14205941 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by anbosu
They may get to six inches, but how big are they going to be when you get them? Groupers have huge mouths and can eat fish (or at least will try) that are over half of their own body length. If you get a very small miniatus with much larger clowns you should be ok, at least until your miniatus grows into a monster.

I plan on getting the clowns around 3" - same as the grouper. I think I should be ok for a while, especially since maroons can be MEAN.
 
How mean they are has nothing to do with whether they will get eaten or not, it has to do with whether they will get bullied or not. I would say if they are the same size starting out you should be fine, but with predators you never know.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14206099#post14206099 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by anbosu
How mean they are has nothing to do with whether they will get eaten or not, it has to do with whether they will get bullied or not. I would say if they are the same size starting out you should be fine, but with predators you never know.

You're right. An Undulate Trigger obviously can't do anything to a 10 foot shark :eek:. All I meant was that they can stand up for themselves - at least while they are approximately the same size as the other fish.
 
my 3" minatus is now a 7 " monster. Not the toughest fish in the tank. I have an 8 " puffer and 9 " lion fish that keep the miniatus in check. More than doubled in size in less than a year.
 
I'd add the mini last, maybe even wait until you upgrade. I had one that did try to own the tank, against an aggressive halfmoon angel and purple tang. He was a very aggressive eater. He ignored mysis and other small food, so feeding the other fish wasn't a problem. But anything large, he'd gulp down. Maroons are pretty aggressive, I'd add them second to last for that reason. Will you have an anemone for them? That may help them from being eaten.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14207334#post14207334 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DamnPepShrimp
I'd add the mini last, maybe even wait until you upgrade. I had one that did try to own the tank, against an aggressive halfmoon angel and purple tang. He was a very aggressive eater. He ignored mysis and other small food, so feeding the other fish wasn't a problem. But anything large, he'd gulp down. Maroons are pretty aggressive, I'd add them second to last for that reason. Will you have an anemone for them? That may help them from being eaten.

Thanks. I thought the clowns might be more aggressive than the grouper, but I guess the grouper is larger and stronger, so you're probably right (clowns and then grouper). I would love to get an anemone, but am afraid any puffer would sample it and either kill the anemone (which might poison the tank) or kill itself. Trigger might also sample it, no?
 
Depends on the trigger or puffer. If the maroons are in it, they will be VERY protective of it. Theres so many different situations with stocking fish and it all comes down to unfortunately every fish is different, which makes it hard but nice since each fish is unique.
 
These guys grow super quick! I had one last year that went from 3" to 6" in less than 4 months. They will also eat anything that can fit in it's mouth.
 
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