The Frogfish Files

[Mr. Ugly]

Just click on the "free" option and wait for the countdown timer to finish.

Then you can click on a link to download the file.

Working for me right now.

Downloading at 150-225 kb/s.

 

[Jeff]

Very cool .
Darwin's first meal was a piece of thawed krill. He didnt seem interested when I held the krill with forceps but when the it fell off, he devoured it. I am relieved that he is taking frozen one day after getting him.

 

[reefscape15]

That is very good! Mine took a couple months before it would regularly take frozen food, so it's a good sign that yours is taking it so soon, espically after the stress of shipping!

 

[Jeff]

Just a little update. Darwin is doing great. He doesnt seem to like the bright lights and hides under an overhang a lot but is still eating. He took a second piece of krill. I tried to hold the krill in front of him but he didnt seem interested until I dropped it in front of him. He then stuck he lure out and ate it quickly. I started adding some corals to the tank and he doesnt go near them really.

 

[reefscape15]

Sounds like your fish is doing well. What lights are you running over your tank? My angler was never bothered by the 96watts of T-5, but now doesn't venture too near the tank after I added a 250watt MH. I have a few more pics uploaded that i'd like to share.

One of the best pics I've gotten of him so far.

Lure extended looking for his dinner

After eating!

 

[reefscape15]

I don't know how many people read this thread, but does anyone know how long they are expected to live? Just wondering

 

[E.intheC]

those are some great pics, reefscape. I like the second especially. At first I thought something was wrong with his eye, but turns out it's the lure, haha.

 

[reefscape15]

haha thanks! He's a pretty interesting fish, but I really wish I could set up his own tank.

 

[Jeff]

Sounds like your fish is doing well. What lights are you running over your tank? My angler was never bothered by the 96watts of T-5, but now doesn't venture too near the tank after I added a 250watt MH.

I am running a 150 watt metal halide.

 

[Jeff]

 

[reefscape15]

nice fish!

 

[Jeff]

Thanks, the 20K bulb washes out his colors when taking a pic. Here he is under Diver's Den lighting:

 

[reefscape15]

I'm also running a 20k, and when it's time to switch it out, i'm going with 14k. I thought I wanted the very blue look, but 20k washes out the colors of everything too much. It does make certain stuff pop, but overall i'd rather have something a little more white.

 

[LisaD]

I don't know how many people read this thread, but does anyone know how long they are expected to live?

I've kept them 3-4 years, I expect they can live longer. Keep temperatures below 80, no competitive tankmates, moderate flow, varied diet...

 

[wrott]

I really like frogfish. I want to keep one eventually. Without having read this entire thread, what are a few of the more painstaking chores involved, the ones besides keeping a reef tank and an anemone tank?
Here's one I saw while diving in HI a couple of weeks ago, it's ~12" long:
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ZLquc3X1TaQinxHqza-9ow?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fafthIIaoF0/SwCsGMvtd5I/AAAAAAAAE40/MpBYiX4GTpE/s800/rodney%20ott%2010-23-09%20193.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/corn64/Frog?feat=embedwebsite">frog</a></td></tr></table>

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Wfi2IxX9yZbXeTvDf8yYZA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fafthIIaoF0/SwCsRIx03VI/AAAAAAAAE5A/I2HtMPM9e_Q/s800/rodney%20ott%2010-23-09%20192.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/corn64/Frog02?feat=embedwebsite">frog</a></td></tr></table>

It was hanging out at about 50ft of water, between Molikini and Maui.

 

[reefscape15]

Being able to keep them in a smaller species tank would be ideal in my opinion. In a reef tank with other fish, it's hard to find tank mates that will help take care of the tank, and not be too large, or to small to be in with the Angler. Feeding can be a little bit of a chore, but I think watching them eat is why most people get an Angler to begin with. They produce a moderate amount of wastes, and do nothing to help keep your tank clean or pest free. Say you have a case of Flatworms, like I do now, it's almost impossible to find a fish that is known for controlling them that would be large enough not to get eaten by an Angler. Also if your tank has an algae problem, like mine also does, it's hard to find fish (in my case-54gal) that are big enough to avoid getting eaten, and small enough to fit in the tank and that help out with algae. Other than that, i've found it to be quite hardy. My tank has been through a somewhat mini-crash, and i've switched tanks and moved the rock around alot, and all the while the Angler seemed fine. I finally have my tank and rock set how I like, so it's become much more stable.

 

[wrott]

Thanks reefscape15, I forgot about those details--flatworms, algae, etc.. It is a good point, but the more I look at them, the cooler they get!
Will they eat snails, and what are some of the smaller fish that you could keep with a 5" angler?
Thanks again.

 

[reefscape15]

I have never heard of them eating snails, or anything with a shell for that matter, but Jeff has said they could eat them. A 5" Angler will eat just about anything 5" or less. Some fish may be quick enough to avoid being eaten, but the Angler will constantly be watching out to see if it could catch them.

 

[uhuru]

Ok, I have some noob questions:

What is the smallest size invert a wartskin will eat?

I'm thinking of adding a wartskin as the sole fish in my 20g. It is a non-photosynthetic tank that is fed constantly, and again with no fish. Thus I have pods of all size all over the place, in every square centimeter of the tank, coming out of every rock hole, swimming in the water column, etc... this is IMO a very important part of the food supply for my NPS corals.

Is it possible that the wartskin will over eat in my tank? Will it eventually wipe out my zooplankton/pod population?

Also is there a possibility that the angler will steal food like mysis and brine from the polyps of dendrophyllia, tubastrea, rhizotrochus as it is waving around in their mouths?

 

[reefscape15]

I would be suprised if it would eat anything that small. It really depends on how large the Angler is, but I would be very suprised if it would eat anything smaller than anything under 1/4". I don't think that it would wipe out any kind of population that's small enough for corals to eat. I do think that from how you have described your tank, that it is a very suitable house for an Angler.