Freshwater Toadfish

[simonas]

I've just bought a fire eel off a local guy and he had a tank with two of these guys in. They're about 6 inches long and gorgeous!! He described them as freshwater toadfish although he has them in brackish water and said they are doing fine and they appeared ok.

I've searched on here and web in general and they look the same as pics of oyster toadfish I've seen but also the same as a web page describing freshwater toadfish that are brackish!!

I've arranged to get them on sunday and have sorted my tank out with the same level of salinity the guy has his in. They'll be in on their own in a 36 x 15 x 12 for now and see how they grow.

Has anyone kept them or got one that can offer any advice. Obviously I'll have no worries about tankmates but its the conditions for the fish I'd be concerned about I'd want to make sure they thrived

when the guy moved them ( not sure if he knew they were venemous) they made a loud noise

 

[nmonks]

If they are Opsanus sp., then even if you can't ID them to species level, keeping them in mid-salinity brackish water will likely be essential. No Opsanus sp. toadfish spends any length of time in freshwater, and they're rather uncommon in brackish water. SG 1.010 would surely be the minimum for long term health. All are really marine fish, and would do best kept thus.

On the other hand, there are some true freshwater and brackish water Batrachoididae. Thalassophryne amazonica is moderately common in the UK and is a strictly freshwater species. The truly brackish water Allenbatrachus grunniens is also fairly regularly sold. Other species may occasionally appear. A little time spent on Fishbase could be useful.

Care for all toadfish is remarkably consistent. They are largely nocturnal, somewhat territorial, and very predatory. Anything small enough to swallow will be eaten. Most prefer live foods such as river shrimp and earthworms. If you must use feeder fish, use home-bred, gut-loaded livebearers and never cyprinids (goldfish, minnows, etc.).

Cheers, Neale

 

[simonas]

Thanks for that Neale

I'm going to get them at the weekend. When I do I will post pics to see if they can be properly identified!!!

I'm glad you mentioned earthworms cos I get them off ebay anyway for my eels and knifefish so always have a steady supply.

I'm quite excited now as always liked these fish!!Even if they don't move much!!!!

 

[simonas]

well I've got them and the look great.

They aren't the freshwater species amazonicas from looking at the link in your post Neale however they are an identical match to Allenbatrachus grunniens so I assume its the brackish one. Just waiting for worms to arrive tomorrow. any other suggestions for food?

 

[simonas]

I'm made up. wiggled some lancefish in their last nighht by their mouths and they gulped making me shat myself in process as the huge and quick gulp took me by surprise

 

[poopsydrew]

I'm made up. wiggled some lancefish in their last nighht by their mouths and they gulped making me shat myself in process as the huge and quick gulp took me by surprise

Good to see they have settled in, thanks for the laugh.

Drew

 

[CFC]

Oh yeah, i forgot to mention to you that they can move like lightening when they want

 

[simonas]

not half... it was made worse cos I was only paying slight attention to fish and when they moved I had the thougt of a venemous fin in mind!!! lol

 

[simonas]

they love earthworms which i got off ebay

 

[Straydum]

good to hear any pictures?

 

[simonas]

I've just taken some but how do you post them?

 

[Marine/Freshwater?]

You set up an account on photobucket.com. When you upload your pics at photobucket you can get a code for your image to paste into your post.