scorpionfish question

[Moort82]

Hi, since i've had the pleasure of looking after my cockatoo waspfish, i've really been getting more interested in small predatory species. I've spotted this little guy

and although the picture will make an idea hard the closest i can find is Iracundus signifer. Is that a possible id or any other suggestions? If it is or equally isn't, what would the general care be like for this species? Going with my id it says they stay small and it seemed peaceful enough in the shop so was contemplating a possible tankmate for the waspfishm which is so laidback and friendly. Its the one i don't want to upset and would rather keep it than anything else.
The little guy in the picture greedily takes frozen food but is a much more aggressive feeder as you'd expect but would like to find out more first.

TIA

 

[CuttleKid]

It doesn't look like an I. signifer to me. It does not have the larger dorsal spine found in that species. It would really help to know where it came from, Caribbean/Pacific? to me it look like a S. brasiliensis. the get big too. They max out at about a foot from what i have read.

 

[namxas]

Nope...definitely not an Iracundis. Based on the photo, it looks like the fish in question is Scorpaena brasiliensis (AKA red barbfish) as CuttleKid has mentioned. It hails from the Western Atlantic and Northern Gulf of Mexico.

They're a really great fish, hardy, easy to feed, and our specimens have always been model citizens (we even kept a 4" juvie in one of our SH tanks for awhile!). However, they do get largish...plan on at least an 9"-10" fish in captivity, altho Fish Base lists the wild max size as 12".

 

[Moort82]

Thanks i found your site again the other day and had a bit of a read. Unfortunately the price list its on simply states scorpionfish and no other detail. It's probably obvious to you guys but is tere any chance it could be Scorpaenodes littoralis as the description of "one of the quickest scorps" really holds tru with the way it feeds. It is much more a dart and retreat unlike any other fish i've seen. Or is that just a family trait.
It is a bold little guy but that could be because the tank is bare apart from the odd rock.
If it is the Scorpaena brasiliensis then that will be too big for me as i like being able to house smaller fish with them which seems to be ok with the laid back leafy.

 

[namxas]

Nope...we've kept S. littoralis for quite awhile, and know the species well (it's a Pacific Ocean species):

Note the lack of spines, dermal flaps, etc on the head as well as the dark cheek spot (absent in your fish), which gives rise to one of its common names:

Finally, here's another specimen of Scorpaena brasiliensis:

It's possible your fish MIGHT not be a red barbfish (I've only seen the one pic), but it's definitely not a cheekspot.