Leaf Goblinfish, Freshwater Butterfly Grouper, Freshwater Waspfish...?

I bought two of these yesterday and had never heard of or seen them before - they are really a cool looking fish. They looked like brackish fish to me (no idea why, probably the pattern) but the person at the shop told me they were freshwater. After researching them on the internet, it seems that they are not only brackish but venomous! I don't mind the venom (not like I'm holding them) but I really don't know whether or not I need to move them into their own tank. I can set-up a temporary 10 gallon for them if I need to get them in brackish, but I'd really prefer them to be in my freshwater community. Does anyone know anything else about them, and whether or not they can be kept in freshwater?

I attached a picture of the fish I found on the net. I can't get a good pic of my own.

 

If they are brackish then they need to go in a brackish tank then, google is the best bet I know of, does anybody on here even have a brackish tank, if not you are probably on your own sorry.

 

they get about 4 inches

 

ATM, some brackish fish could do well enough to stay in a freshwater. I was wondering whether or not it would drastically cut short their lifespans.

 

Very cool Fish! Here's some info that might help:





I think for them to thrive and live a long life, you would have to keep them in a brackish tank. Very interesting fish you have there!

 

I was kinda thinking that - and I'd really like to see them thrive. As far as I can tell they really like to have very gentle water - one of them keeps wedging himself behind one of my breeder nets (he doesn't know about the calm spots in my tank). If I got a 40 gallon brackish, what else could I put in it? Most brackish fish I see locally get too big - scats, for example, get huge. There are Monos around here too, and I'm sure I could order a fish (if it's not TOO rare). But I also heard Monos get too big - that, and as adults they need a full marine environment.

EDIT: I could keep mollies in it, right?

 

Managed to snag myself a 5 gallon hex as a temporary home for these little guys, they are hardly an inch long so they fit quite nicely. Also going to get some plants for it. Can anyone recommend a common brackish suitable plant, other than what's listed on plantgeek as brackish adaptable ( )? There will be about 2 wpg.

 

Ok, one of them died - he had not been eating and didn't adjust too well even though I had tried to pamper and offer various foods, but sadly he didn't make it... But, the other one has been moved into the 5gal which I will be slowly adding salt to. I've put in some live plants (courtesy of the plants in my 55g.. all free!) and I'm wondering what kind of snails could tolerate brackish, if any?

 

Sorry don't know about the plants and snails but molllies would be able to live with them as long as it wouldn't killl it.

 

Well.... I went back to the store... and bought the tank! Nobody had bought any in the 6 days since I had been there - probably because they aren't too colorful. I have my 5 gallon well-stocked and they're feasting on live brine shrimp as I type this

 

Ah, I see that pond snails can tolerate brackish... had one sneak over on a plant I transplanted. Guess I answered my own question!

 

I think Java Ferns are one of the few plants that can tolerate brackish.

 

Good! I have two in there ;D

 

If you still need help with your wasp fish I believe I hav found somebody who has one that is full grown. let me know

Austin

 

No problems to speak of. Thanks, though.

 

You said you bought the tank(have felt like doing that myself before ) how many do you have all together now?
Carol

 

I have 3. Some of them started to noticeably waste away a few days after getting them - any others that made it past that point are doing WONDERFUL! It may have been from poor care at the LFS - maybe something similiar to how Oto's are, since they probably weren't fed.

They are little gluttons - if I walk anywhere near the tank they swim directly towards me and try to get noticed in an attempt to get more brine shrimp (the only thing I can get them to eat).

On a side note, I still haven't been able to get them to switch entirely to frozen BS - if their "prey" isn't moving realistically, they won't eat it.