Oxymonacanthus longirostris in the Home Aquarium

[kevin4052002]

I have stumbled across these guys and want to see what information I can gather on them.

So far, Bob Fenner has just flat out said no, and that there is no other way then to feed them SPSs. One book I picked up said that they can be coaxed onto frozen brine after starting with live brine.

Does anybody have any experience with these beautiful fish? I would like to try my hand at one if I get the chance, but would first like to have all the information I can possibly get. I would probably try out the live brine first, then try slipping frozen in at some point. That worked on my target mandarin really well.

If nobody has had any success with these guys, then I will see fit to just avoid them.

Thanks,
Kevin

 

[Jens Kallmeyer]

The only success I have heard of (and seen) is at Long Island aquarium, but they have a20000 gal tank full of SPS. In a home aquarium I haven't heard of any long term success, even when they take any given food eventually they fade away. Leave them where they are, in the ocean. In the reef I always saw them in pairs, juveniles in smaller groups, never seen one of them alone.

Jens

 

[kevin4052002]

Thank you very much. I'm sorry to hear that I won't be able to keep them.

 

[Kahuna Tuna]

I saw a guy who had a pair in a 250 gallon reef tank full of SPS (lots of SPS) and he said they didn't eat enough to excessively damage any given coral. He has had them for a while and despite all efforts has not been successful in weaning them onto any prepared foods. I wouldn't risk even a single fish unless you had a big tank and a lot of coral.

 

[triggerfish1976]

These fish are obligate coralivores and need a constant supply of SPS polyps in order to thrive. Only the more developed SPS dominant tanks would be appropriate for this fish.
People have experimented with mashing mysis and brine onto dead coral skeletons but this was only marginally successful and the fish eventually died.

This is one of those fish that should not be purchased until a suitable food is provided.

 

[small alien]

Interesting to find this thread now. Obviously, this was wrong and that's very exciting to me.

 

[rssjsb]

This is sort of mystifying to me because I honestly don't know how to explain this sudden and stark change in how this fish is considered.

Any ideas, (since you started this )? Improved collection practices? Better food? Better systems?

 

[snorvich]

Interesting to find this thread now. Obviously, this was wrong and that's very exciting to me.

So how is your pair doing Paul?

 

[snorvich]

I have stumbled across these guys and want to see what information I can gather on them.

So far, Bob Fenner has just flat out said no, and that there is no other way then to feed them SPSs. One book I picked up said that they can be coaxed onto frozen brine after starting with live brine.

Does anybody have any experience with these beautiful fish? I would like to try my hand at one if I get the chance, but would first like to have all the information I can possibly get. I would probably try out the live brine first, then try slipping frozen in at some point. That worked on my target mandarin really well.

If nobody has had any success with these guys, then I will see fit to just avoid them.

Thanks,
Kevin

Read down this thread. Small alien has a pair as do several others on this board.

 

[small alien]

Mine are doing awesome. Very active and robust. A lot of interaction betwee n the pair. I just posted a video of the female chasing the male for the first time in the other thread. I think mine may spawn soon. The changwe in how they're viewed is the result of some dedicated individuals (like SeahorsedreamsL who learned to ween them. Mine eat absolutely anything I throw in the tank now.

 

[snorvich]

You might read this thread.

 

[snorvich]

Mine are doing awesome. Very active and robust. A lot of interaction betwee n the pair. I just posted a video of the female chasing the male for the first time in the other thread. I think mine may spawn soon. The changwe in how they're viewed is the result of some dedicated individuals (like SeahorsedreamsL who learned to ween them. Mine eat absolutely anything I throw in the tank now.

Yes, it seems as if you are going to get spawning behavior. Any chance at trying to capture that on video? That would be terrific.

 

[jhentr]

I saw two at my LFS. I ask them to feed and they fed them NLS which they picked at. So I took them home. Unfortunately one died of bacteria infection, but the other is still with me for a good 1 year and two dosage of CU treatment period of 4 weeks each.

As long as they eat, you should be on your way to success. I know one year isn't long at all, but looking at him every day, he has weight on him. I also have two feeders that feeds 16 times a day.