Coral Catfish Care?

[Aspect]

Hey all, I am curious about Coral Catfish. There is limited information about their care requirements online, but a few online fish stores have them in stock. I read they are a brackish water species but can live in full saltwater. Can anyone give me more information about these and any experience with keeping them? Thanks for any help.

 

[Slocke]

I considered these for my eel tank but ended up deciding they weren't worth it.
There is a reason why you don't see them as adults. They're a fish that likes to live in large groups as a juvenile but solo as adults. They also grow big fast and lose a lot of their color.

On top of that they're predatory and will eat other fish and are just generally thought to be aggressive. Finally there is the venomous spines which from experience will ruin your day (dads a fisherman and he says it's a lot worse than freshwater catfish venom.)

 

[Aspect]

I considered these for my eel tank but ended up deciding they weren't worth it.
There is a reason why you don't see them as adults. They're a fish that likes to live in large groups as a juvenile but solo as adults. They also grow big fast and lose a lot of their color.

On top of that they're predatory and will eat other fish and are just generally thought to be aggressive. Finally there is the venomous spines which from experience will ruin your day (dads a fisherman and he says it's a lot worse than freshwater catfish venom.)

I thought it was odd I couldn't find any pictures of them as adults. My tank is 8' x 4' x 20" 420 gallons so it should provide plenty of room for 2 as adults. I know they have the bad venomous spines but so do foxface and they are one of the most commonly kept fish in the hobby.

 

[Slocke]

Well the tanks big enough! Obviously if you have any small fish I'd still advise against it.

As for the venom yes it is a similar protein venom I believe and not lethal. Still important to consider obviously and the sting of the coral cat is known to be particularly painful. There is a reason that some species of goby and blenny mimic them.

 

[Aspect]

Well the tanks big enough! Obviously if you have any small fish I'd still advise against it.

As for the venom yes it is a similar protein venom I believe and not lethal. Still important to consider obviously and the sting of the coral cat is known to be particularly painful. There is a reason that some species of goby and blenny mimic them.

I have sharks so I don't have any small fish. My only worry is that they will not be able to acclimate to full 35 ppt salinity.

 

[Slocke]

I have sharks so I don't have any small fish. My only worry is that they will not be able to acclimate to full 35 ppt salinity.

No need to worry there. I've only seen them in the ocean. Didn't know they could do brackish honestly. They are called coral cats for a reason. I think LA is wrong or maybe that's where they sell them at. I'd make sure to test their water and be prepared for a slow acclimation if needed.

 

[Aspect]

No need to worry there. I've only seen them in the ocean. Didn't know they could do brackish honestly. They are called coral cats for a reason. I think LA is wrong or maybe that's where they sell them at. I'd make sure to test their water and be prepared for a slow acclimation if needed.

I always do at least a 2 hour acclimation. Some places say it's better to float and release as the fish are very stressed from shipping, but I've never lost a fish from a slow acclimation, but I have lost them from quick float and release acclimations.

 

[Slocke]

Yeah, obviously in a perfect world you know the water parameters before hand and you have some water prepared but sellers usually don't tell you or get it wrong.

Obviously I haven't kept them so take everything I say with that in mind. I researched them a while back and saw some caught fishing.

 

[Slocke]

Sorry to go off topic but if I had a shark tank and was looking for appropriate but beautiful and exciting tank mates...

 

[Aspect]

Sorry to go off topic but if I had a shark tank and was looking for appropriate but beautiful and exciting tank mates...

Woah what is that? A dragon??

 

[Slocke]

Prionotus tribulus, the big-headed sea robin. Here's where you can get one.

Boney Fish - Gulf Specimen Marine Lab

F-2200 OCELLATED MORAY EEL, Gymnothorax saxicola A beautiful animal with speckled yellow and black body, and a dorsal fin that runs the length of the body. Colorful and docile in the aquarium, but should be handled with care. Size: 20-35 cm. Each: $56.50 F-2210 SHRIMP EEL, Ophichthys gomesei...

gulfspecimen.org

 

[Aspect]

Prionotus tribulus, the big-headed sea robin. Here's where you can get one.

Boney Fish - Gulf Specimen Marine Lab

F-2200 OCELLATED MORAY EEL, Gymnothorax saxicola A beautiful animal with speckled yellow and black body, and a dorsal fin that runs the length of the body. Colorful and docile in the aquarium, but should be handled with care. Size: 20-35 cm. Each: $56.50 F-2210 SHRIMP EEL, Ophichthys gomesei...

gulfspecimen.org

Wow what a stunning fish. My tank is also a soft coral reef tank. Do you know any more about it?

 

[Slocke]

It's a pretty standard predatory fish. Can get about 16" and I would assume eats whatever you feed your sharks. It does crawl along the bottom with those "fingers" but I saw this one swim in the open water as much as it perused the bottom. It's a remarkable fish but has pretty basic care requirements. You could ask Lion King of course, I actually almost bought that one for him but we were too slow and he was bought before we finalized plans.

 

[Aspect]

It's a pretty standard predatory fish. Can get about a 16" and I would assume eats whatever you feed your sharks. It does crawl along the bottom with those "fingers" but I saw this one swim in the open water as much as it perused the bottom. It's a remarkable fish but has pretty standard care requirements. You could ask Lion King of course, I actually almost bought that one for him but we were too slow and he was bought before we finalized plans.

It almost kind of looks like a type of waspfish? Is it venomous/poisonous or does it just have sharp teeth that it uses toi hunt?

 

[Slocke]

"Prionotus are able to create grunting vocalisations by vibrating the swim bladder with certain muscles, this sounds like the croaking of a frog and has is the origin of the alternative common name of gurnard, derived from a French word meaning, “to grunt”. These fishes are less active in the daylight hours and are mostly nocturnal, using their enlarged separate pectoral fin rays to walk along the substrate and detect prey buries in the sand or mud. These rays can manipulate objects and detect prey using chemoreception , The bony, square head can be used to excavate small prey items from the substrate and their rather catholic diet includes crustaceans, cephalopods, gastropods, bivalves, amphipods, eggs, other fish and seaweed, juveniles eat more copepods. Their sharp spines seem to deter most predators but they are preyed on by some sharks."

Doesn't sound like it's venomous just spiky and I've never heard of a venomous robin.