thinking about adding a D. biocellatus (Fu Man Chu Lionfish)

[psykokid]

what say ye?

my current stock list as as follows:

sixline wrasse
mandarin goby
yellow leaf fish
yellow watchman goby
flame hawkfish
banggai cardinal
percula clown

all fish are about 3 or so inches. I know i was worried about the leaf fish eating my small male tomato clown. Well big mamma and little man got moved on to another tank with their nem so thats not an issue. If i get the smallest Fu i can find i think i should be ok as the max size they get is about 5 inches and that is in the wild. In a tank he may get about the same size as my leaf.  Going to be opening up some sand bed soon as some pieces i am holding will be going back to the tank where they belong.. I'm going to move a few other things around and make a small rock wall that will fit in the center opening of my aquascape. that way i can mount things that like to grow outwards into the current from it and see how things do.

also, i know fu's can be tough to wean onto dead but its no big deal because my leaf has refused all attempts at weaning so he's more than likely a live for lifer.. just a few more ghosties at the lfs to buy. Thinking about setting up a small 5 gallon in the garage and using it to hold ghosties in, hopefully slowly converting them over to saltwater so i can put them in the sump and not have to worry about them..

[Bergy]

i would worry about the mandarin.. how big is she???

[psykokid]

yeah, i kind of worried about that at first with the leaf fish. The mandarin isnt a monster like i've seen some, he's a little smaller than the leaf fish is. If i get the smallest fu i can find i think things should be OK.

[Just_Greg]

Jake,

I think you'll be fine...our D. biocellatus is sharing its digs with a fairly small female Paracentropogon  rubripinnis (~2.5") and a little Caracanthus madagascarensis (about 2") with no issues.  Granted, the fu isn't a full-grown fish, but IME, they really prefer crustaceans to fish.

Also, if you get a younger specimen, you may have better luck weaning it.

[psykokid]

Lanny is going down to the wholesalers tomorrow to pick up some fish for a client so i have him on the look out for the smallest healthy fu he can find..

[pinkorchid]

Cool! Good luck...be sure and post pics once you land one :) 

[Bergy]

Jake, how come you dont have your own forum???  I will set one up tonight, or something.. got any idea for a name???

and btw:  here is a link for you to consider before you put dinner into your tank..

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38632799/ns/us_news-environment/

[psykokid]

we've talked about this before Bill.. i just post here and there willy nilly.. dont need my own specific thing. If I had wanted one i would have made me one some time ago.

anyhow, no sunshine in wholesaler land today on the trail of Fu.. dwarf fuzzies abound but nill on what i wanted (figures, par for the course..)

[Learner]

Shame that, I was looking forward to reading about your latest acquisition!!!!!

Hope one comes along soon.

[Bergy]

yea, i guess we have, but i keep forgetting... dang it

[Just_Greg]

DD has a biocellatus as well as a barberi ATM...not wholesale prices, but the fish are eating and QT'd.

[psykokid]

while qt'd and eating are nice i cant justify the cost difference especially with shipping factored in vs what i would pay at wholesale and qt'ing it myself in the nano cube.. Also, that fish is a bit bigger than i'm looking for at present..

[Just_Greg]

I get where you're coming from Jake...I wish we had the chance to get to the wholesaler more often, as there are usually a few "scorpy gems" among all the ho-hummers.  Ya gotta LOVE mis-ID'd fish...

[psykokid]

yup.. gotta love the gems when they are oddballs.. i

iirc the fu's would be around 15 ish wholesale and time to qt and feed them would be a non issue. 15 vs 115 is a no brainer in my book.. i've got lots more time than money as of late.. :)

[pinkorchid]

Hope you come across one soon! KUP :)