Trunkfish - 9 month update

alprazo · 01/06/2018, 10:07 PM

It has been 9 months since I added the pair and over a year since I purchased my first female. The second, paired, female died within a week of arrival. She was clearly bonded to the male as she followed him everywhere. This female has never bonded with the male and they stay away from each other. Otherwise, they are doing quite well. The female has grown about 3/8 of an inch. The male is unchanged. They eat almost everything but are very slow and could not compete with aggressive fish. I keep them with a pair of chain catsharks and there has been no problem. They eat mussels the starfish open, they like the starfishes feet, and eat the shrimp and menhaden I feed the sharks.

mike61289 · 01/06/2018, 10:56 PM

Gorgeous and so cool! Too bad about the other female, but it's great to see that these two are getting along!

Achilles Torben · 01/07/2018, 01:39 AM

Fantastic, what is your tank temperature.?

Greetings Torben

Gesendet von meinem SM-G935F mit Tapatalk

humaguy · 01/07/2018, 02:34 AM

sexy fish, they look great! killer to see them

Cliving1 · 01/07/2018, 08:12 AM

Any more info you can provide? Thats is awesome, congrats and good luck.

alprazo · 01/07/2018, 04:04 PM

They are kept at 55F. This is lower than most people do, but the chain catsharks must be kept at 55F since there is no temperature variation at the depth they live.

In addition to the sharks, they reside in a 300 gallon with a couple of long-clawed hermit crabs, Ochre starfish, a pair of mummichogs, and a bunch of grass shrimp, mussels, oysters and clams.

Myles · 01/07/2018, 05:07 PM

What is the smallest aquarium you would recommend for one? My temperate tank is 3ft by 2ft which I am guessing is too small.
Way cool fish and congrats on your success so far.
Myles

Dmorty217 · 01/07/2018, 06:19 PM

So cool, thanks for sharing C

alprazo · 01/07/2018, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Myles

What is the smallest aquarium you would recommend for one? My temperate tank is 3ft by 2ft which I am guessing is too small.
Way cool fish and congrats on your success so far.
Myles

I think a pair would do well in a 125 gal.

McPuff · 01/08/2018, 09:18 AM

Wow, those are very cool fish! You've got some nice systems.

Cliving1 · 01/08/2018, 09:53 AM

Do you have a pic of the full tank? Would love to see how its setup and its other inhabitants

Myles · 01/08/2018, 04:30 PM

Thanks for the help. They are really spectacular fish.
Myles

euod · 01/08/2018, 05:46 PM

Great job and thank you for sharing.
A full tank shot please?
I was hoping for you to document around 70F but at 55F for a 300gal, not in this lifetime for me

I have kept them at 74F for a few months on black worms mostly.
Do they kill any of your starfish and shrimps?

thomashtom · 01/08/2018, 11:16 PM

very nice!!!!

alprazo · 01/14/2018, 10:10 AM

This was shortly after he arrived. You can see the female in the background. He was beaten up from shipping and floating on his side at the surface when first added to the tank. I kept him in a ten gallon inside the 300 until he improved ~ 3 days. I then moved him to his own 40 gal with the female until they went through a treatment protocol as was eating well enough to return back to the main tank.

The tank decor is basic and very open. I have just a little rock. The chain catsharks are the clumsiest and poorest swimmers I have seen. I feed the starfish 3 lbs of mussels every other week and the shells fill the bottom.

The tank is 300 gal 1/2 acrylic packed into 2" foam board insulation covering the bottom, 3 sides and 3/4 of the top. I run an aqua ultraviolet bead filer, a 1/2 HP JBJ chiller and a Skimz 302 skimmer. I use dim actinic lighting only because of the sharks

alprazo · 01/14/2018, 10:14 AM

This was one of my starfish hoping that he would pull through.

alprazo · 01/14/2018, 09:28 PM

McPuff · 01/16/2018, 12:24 PM

WOW! That is very cool.

anbosu · 01/17/2018, 09:35 AM

Incredible video, thanks for sharing.

euod · 01/18/2018, 02:25 PM

They are so adorable.
Thanks for the video.

01/06/2018, 10:07 PM	#1
alprazo Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1,695 Blog Entries: 4	Trunkfish - 9 month update It has been 9 months since I added the pair and over a year since I purchased my first female. The second, paired, female died within a week of arrival. She was clearly bonded to the male as she followed him everywhere. This female has never bonded with the male and they stay away from each other. Otherwise, they are doing quite well. The female has grown about 3/8 of an inch. The male is unchanged. They eat almost everything but are very slow and could not compete with aggressive fish. I keep them with a pair of chain catsharks and there has been no problem. They eat mussels the starfish open, they like the starfishes feet, and eat the shrimp and menhaden I feed the sharks. __________________ NOT Moved on.

01/06/2018, 10:56 PM	#2
mike61289 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Montreal, Quebec Posts: 424	Gorgeous and so cool! Too bad about the other female, but it's great to see that these two are getting along! __________________ Just keep swimming... Just keep swimming... Just keep swimming swimming swimming. What do we do? We swim swim!

01/07/2018, 04:04 PM	#6
alprazo Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1,695 Blog Entries: 4	They are kept at 55F. This is lower than most people do, but the chain catsharks must be kept at 55F since there is no temperature variation at the depth they live. In addition to the sharks, they reside in a 300 gallon with a couple of long-clawed hermit crabs, Ochre starfish, a pair of mummichogs, and a bunch of grass shrimp, mussels, oysters and clams. __________________ NOT Moved on.

01/07/2018, 05:07 PM	#7
Myles Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 262	What is the smallest aquarium you would recommend for one? My temperate tank is 3ft by 2ft which I am guessing is too small. Way cool fish and congrats on your success so far. Myles __________________ Myles

01/07/2018, 06:19 PM	#8
Dmorty217 Saltwater Addict Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Vandalia OHIO Posts: 11,624	So cool, thanks for sharing C __________________ Fish are not disposable commodities, but a worthwhile investment that can be maintained and enjoyed for many years, providing one is willing to take the time to understand their requirements and needs Current Tank Info: 625g, 220g sump, RD3 230w, Vectra L1 on a closed loop, 3 MP60s, MP40. Several QTs

01/07/2018, 01:39 AM	#3
Achilles Torben Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Germany Posts: 582	Fantastic, what is your tank temperature.? Greetings Torben Gesendet von meinem SM-G935F mit Tapatalk

01/07/2018, 02:34 AM	#4
humaguy Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Western Ct, NYC Posts: 8,218	sexy fish, they look great! killer to see them

01/07/2018, 08:12 AM	#5
Cliving1 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Posts: 1,923	Any more info you can provide? Thats is awesome, congrats and good luck.

01/08/2018, 09:18 AM	#10
McPuff Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,735	Wow, those are very cool fish! You've got some nice systems.

01/08/2018, 09:53 AM	#11
Cliving1 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Posts: 1,923	Do you have a pic of the full tank? Would love to see how its setup and its other inhabitants

01/08/2018, 04:30 PM	#12
Myles Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 262	Thanks for the help. They are really spectacular fish. Myles __________________ Myles

01/08/2018, 05:46 PM	#13
euod Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: City by the Bay Posts: 613	Great job and thank you for sharing. A full tank shot please? I was hoping for you to document around 70F but at 55F for a 300gal, not in this lifetime for me I have kept them at 74F for a few months on black worms mostly. Do they kill any of your starfish and shrimps?

01/08/2018, 11:16 PM	#14
thomashtom Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2017 Posts: 70	very nice!!!!

01/14/2018, 10:10 AM	#15
alprazo Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1,695 Blog Entries: 4	This was shortly after he arrived. You can see the female in the background. He was beaten up from shipping and floating on his side at the surface when first added to the tank. I kept him in a ten gallon inside the 300 until he improved ~ 3 days. I then moved him to his own 40 gal with the female until they went through a treatment protocol as was eating well enough to return back to the main tank. The tank decor is basic and very open. I have just a little rock. The chain catsharks are the clumsiest and poorest swimmers I have seen. I feed the starfish 3 lbs of mussels every other week and the shells fill the bottom. The tank is 300 gal 1/2 acrylic packed into 2" foam board insulation covering the bottom, 3 sides and 3/4 of the top. I run an aqua ultraviolet bead filer, a 1/2 HP JBJ chiller and a Skimz 302 skimmer. I use dim actinic lighting only because of the sharks __________________ NOT Moved on. Last edited by alprazo; 01/14/2018 at 10:16 AM.

01/14/2018, 10:14 AM	#16
alprazo Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1,695 Blog Entries: 4	This was one of my starfish hoping that he would pull through. __________________ NOT Moved on.

01/14/2018, 09:28 PM	#17
alprazo Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1,695 Blog Entries: 4	__________________ NOT Moved on.

01/16/2018, 12:24 PM	#18
McPuff Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,735	WOW! That is very cool.

01/17/2018, 09:35 AM	#19
anbosu Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Mount Juliet, TN Posts: 4,528	Incredible video, thanks for sharing.

01/18/2018, 02:25 PM	#20
euod Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: City by the Bay Posts: 613	They are so adorable. Thanks for the video.