My 30 Rimless Frogfish Sanctuary

[MisterP]

Good question, well I don't feed him super heavily but I put in 3-4 damsels/chromis at a time and he usually takes down about 1-2 a week. Once he finishes off that batch I wait about a week before I feed him again. So I would say about 3-4 chromis every 3-4 weeks. I'm scared to over feed him because I know they can kill themselves, they are fat asses and don't know when to stop! Haha I figure in the wild they probably go weeks in between meals on occasion so I don't think this is out of line with how he would normally eat. He's also growing really fast, he's probably about 3 times the size of when I got him so I figure I'm doing just fine with his feeding regiment!

Thanks,
-Tim

Do you ever put any shrimp in there or are the fish cheaper and better for Bubba?

 

[tgcreef]

Do you ever put any shrimp in there or are the fish cheaper and better for Bubba?

I used to only feed him enriched ghost shrimp hence the name Bubba lol but that got so annoying to buy and keep a separate tank for the shrimp. I got fed up and decided to just put the damsels in for him. I tried peppermint shrimp but they are still in there 3 months later so I'm gonna say he doesn't like those. haha but the fish are plenty cheap enough and its nice to have some movement in the tank every once in a while! I would think the damsels would be healthier than peppermints and ghost shrimp since they are not bottom feeders eating all the waste, so it works out.

Thanks,
-Tim

 

[tgcreef]

Haha , i like this part. I want a MP10 too. i have a 15gal tall reef tank. with 2 nano koralias, i cant find a best way for flow. so i put 2 in same side. 1 on top and 1 at bottom. Anyone have an idea for my 15gal tall

I would put the power-heads on opposite sides of the tank facing your output flow from your filter. Having all the water crash together in the same area will create random flow which is what is more natural. Corals don't appreciate the flow hitting them from the same direction all the time, they want it to be random like wave action is. In the video, you can see in my tank how the two power-heads are at the top on either side blowing at the return nozzles, which makes the flow more chaotic and random.

Thanks,
-Tim

 

[tgcreef]

I added a little bit of new live rock today, I wanted to prop up the large neon green nepthea that is on the right side of the tank. I'm hoping that when it is opened up in this new position it wont shade out as many corals. Maybe Im wrong but ill find out tomorrow once it opens up.Hopefully the rock gets some color to it quickly as well!

Here is what it looks like now:




Thanks,
-Tim

 

[Ssteve]

How long have you had the frogfish? I love his colors but I hear a lot of people have them fade out to a brown eventually. Where did you get him if you don't mind!

 

[tgcreef]

How long have you had the frogfish? I love his colors but I hear a lot of people have them fade out to a brown eventually. Where did you get him if you don't mind!

I acquired him at a store down in South Florida. When I got him he was tiny, maybe an inch big and he was also black with orange polkadots which turned out to be its juvenile colors from what I have learned. He later change to this coloration while I was away in the Bahamas. So when I got back to my surprise I had a totally different looking frogfish, can't say I was upset about it! Here is the only picture I have of him when I first got him.



Then this is how he looked when I got back, his colors are still changing at this point. The orange ends up turning to more of a reddish maroon:





This is how he has looked for the past 3 months so I assume that this is his adult coloration:



It was really cool having him go through this transformation, It took about a month and a half to two months to complete. Unfortunately I was only able to witness the trail end of his transformation.

Thanks,
-Tim

 

[Ssteve]

That is really cool. The vibrant colored frogfish are just about the coolest looking creatures you could ever imagine keeping in a reef tank.

 

[MisterP]

I really dig Bubba! What is the waste/defication situation? I know they swallow the whole fish with no chewing. So, does he poop the whole fish out?

Any idea if you had 2 of them if they would eat each other?

 

[Ssteve]

I've read they will eat each other on occasion. Don't know how factual that is, but I was also wondering if there is anything they won't eat? Would any livestock be safe?

 

[MisterP]

I think your right steve I've heard they can and will eat about anything but I really have no clue about if they'll eat each other.

I wonder how hard it would be to keep a single one in a 20 gal with some SPS and LPS? Any issues that might come up regarding fish waste and NP levels? I think the answer may be obvious but I just wonder if its the only fish in there.

 

[tgcreef]

I really dig Bubba! What is the waste/defication situation? I know they swallow the whole fish with no chewing. So, does he poop the whole fish out?

Any idea if you had 2 of them if they would eat each other?

Honestly I've never seen him poop. lol I also haven't noticed any frogfish waste in the tank at any point. My system actually stays extremely clean between the cut out 25 micron filter sock and my skimmer. I actually have to feed my corals heavily to keep enough nutrients in my tank for proper coloration.

Thanks,
-Tim

 

[tgcreef]

I've read they will eat each other on occasion. Don't know how factual that is, but I was also wondering if there is anything they won't eat? Would any livestock be safe?

Ya, from what I've read about them is that they could possibly eat one another.

I also have an African blue lined pipefish that has been in there since before Bubba and he is still kickin. The fish is so bony, skinny, and has harder scales on its outside; I think this repels Bubba's desire for him. I plan on getting another species of pipefish in the tank along with another blue line. Im also thinking about trying some seahorses, they are similar species so I would think it might work. Although I haven't decided on that yet.

Thanks,
-Tim

 

[Ssteve]

Man if you could make a tank work with sea horses and a frogfish that would be one extremely cool nano. I would love to see it.

 

[gregrocks79]

THE COLORS!!! Amazing tank and awesome anglers

 

[MisterP]

Man I'm seriously thinking about getting one. Does Bubba have any issue with the flow in your tank. I want to keep a few choice SPS higher up in the tank and worried a frogfish might take exception to high flow.

Any feedback?

 

[Stork141]

Man after seeing this i may just have to change my nano over. Your tank looks amazing. What a fun and bizarre fish. Very cool. Any big challenges with keeping a frogfish?

 

[tgcreef]

Man I'm seriously thinking about getting one. Does Bubba have any issue with the flow in your tank. I want to keep a few choice SPS higher up in the tank and worried a frogfish might take exception to high flow.

Any feedback?

I have 7 pieces of sps at the top of my tank where there is more flow, he ventures up there often and doesn't care about the higher flow. I would say they are just fine with sps, the only issue I've had is he liked standing on my oregon tort when trying catch some of the chromis causing it to bleach a little. So all I had to do was move it to another spot where he didn't like to sit.

Thanks,
-Tim

 

[tgcreef]

Man after seeing this i may just have to change my nano over. Your tank looks amazing. What a fun and bizarre fish. Very cool. Any big challenges with keeping a frogfish?

Really quite easy to keep for me, all I do is put some chromes/damsels in the tank for him every few weeks, other than that nothing out of the norm.

Thanks,
-Tim

 

[wilsonline]

fantastic reef and bubba! but he eats the beuaty damsel =/
* I've watched Forest a thousand times auhauhauhauh

 

[Lilmatty5dimes]

this is an awesome build love bubba.