Synanceia verrucosa - stonefish

[Sitarangi]

I have recently been given an opportunity to get one of these bad boys. Anyone ever keep one? What is their temperament? I know they can kill you and even live out of the water for 24 hours. One source told me they have an appetite like a frogfish.

 

[alpinestar]

I've had and kept almost ever type of scorpion or stingfish and my favorites were these and the inimicus and rhinopias. But from my experience they were easy to keep ate well and yes reminded me of a frogfish if your talking about eating or trying to eat anything that swam by it. The kill you I was never directly stung by mine I always gave them a wide birth when my hands were in the tank but they weren't aggressive atall if you got to close mine would either flash it's fins or flare it's spines. And I have no idea if they can live out of the water for that long never had that situation arise. But the did grow pretty big I think mine ended up nearly a football in size before I sold him. Great fish either way just don't expect tank mates to last and be careful very careful just like bee stings everyone can have a different reaction

 

[bamato]

In my personal opinion (and this is just me) this species of fish doesn't belong in the home aquarium. The excitement of having a fish that could kill you is indeed enticing, (I understand that) but you have to be careful nonetheless. They are dirty, don't move much, and you need a very deep sand bed to keep them happy. They can get massive, and will most likely try to eat anything else you put in the tank...

I see you have experience keeping scorps, so I really don't need to tell you just how much respect this fish deserves...

That being said, it's a beautiful fish (in an ugly sort of way ).

 

[namxas]

VERY cool, and I'd be SUPER tempted, but the risks are pretty high. Neither of us has been envenomated by any of our fish, but if something DID happen, esp. to someone else, it would be one of those things where we'd be kicking ourselves in the a$$ for the rest of our lives.

Since Renee is an RN, she has seen the unfortunate outcomes of "questionable" decisions (I'm not saying that you wouldn't be WAY better suited to keep such as fish than the average aquarist, as would a couple of other folks we know). The stingfish we keep are dangerous, but extreme pain is different than death.

If you DO get it, let us know, because Renee would LOVE to come down and photograph it. You truly happened on a beauty there!

 

[bamato]

^^ A point I failed to mention. You have to worry the most about others. Siblings, kids, grand kids, friends, relatives, anyone that's at your house, is at a potential risk. Are they dumb enough to go dunking their hand in the tank? Doubtful, but you never know.

So if you decide to keep it, I'd figure out a way to keep a tight lid on the tank. AND, it's a requirement that Renee take photos... and share them...

 

[Sitarangi]

VERY cool, and I'd be SUPER tempted, but the risks are pretty high. Neither of us has been envenomated by any of our fish, but if something DID happen, esp. to someone else, it would be one of those things where we'd be kicking ourselves in the a$$ for the rest of our lives.

Since Renee is an RN, she has seen the unfortunate outcomes of "questionable" decisions (I'm not saying that you wouldn't be WAY better suited to keep such as fish than the average aquarist, as would a couple of other folks we know). The stingfish we keep are dangerous, but extreme pain is different than death.

If you DO get it, let us know, because Renee would LOVE to come down and photograph it. You truly happened on a beauty there!

I decided against getting it. Simply put, I don't have room for it. He'd have to go (temporarily) in a 20g with 3 other scorps and I dont want to risk any aggression with my current fish. My sea goblin already is quite flinchy and has almost stung me. I have a 75g in the works for my lionfish and that would have been its long term home but I dont want to risk it.

Hey Greg, if your ever down in San Diego let me know. Id really love someone to take some professional pictures of my venomous fish

 

[rossco_argus]

I am glad you didnt go ahead with the purchase. I have had mine for two months now 3 inches long and had to construct an 18 inch tall hood to ensure no hands will ever reach the bottom where it dwells. It is a full time job collecting shrimp and fry to feed it, they can be surprisingly active especially when my powerheads come online to represent a tide change, they are poor swimmers and dislike flow over 3000lph, however when they strike it can travel about 4 inches in the blink of an eye with no pre-empitive movement, luckily mine was a gift from a commercial fisho who found it in a mud crab pot we find the adults all the time, so i can always release it from where it was taken.
It is true that they can live out of the water for extended periods of time as i have witnessed this in the wild for 6 hrs. here is a few pics of the ugly little guy:

http://i916.photobucket.com/albums/ad3/Rock_2_Reef_Services/aquarium/stonefish2.jpg

http://i916.photobucket.com/albums/ad3/Rock_2_Reef_Services/aquarium/stonefish1.jpg

after the hermies stripped all the algae of him

http://i916.photobucket.com/albums/ad3/Rock_2_Reef_Services/hermiefeedingonstonie.jpg

 

[Mental1]

Hey welcome to RC rossco_argus. That is one cool looking dude in an ugly way. Where are you located? Just curious with the whitsundays ... seems like a UK connection. I lived in Cornwall for 8 years ...

 

[rossco_argus]

ta for the welcome mental1 I live in Airlie Beach and work on Hamilton Island as a skipper and sport fishing guide the missus is a marine ecologist who works on Knuckle Reef about 2.5 hrs from Airlie

 

[namxas]

Welcome rossco!

Nice to have another scorp-lover aboard.

 

[humaguy]

Welcome Rossco!
You all are quite brave!

I almost put my hand on one once while diving...that scared me enough!!

Will stick to triggers and angels...

 

[Mental1]

So you're an Aussie -- cool. You live and work in a place I would love to visit if you weren't such an incredibly long airplane ride away! Nice to meet you!