Barramundi - Seafood Market Rescue

Bonytang

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Feb 21, 2018
334
247
61
Almost got one of these MONSTERS from the fish market today -
they were $39/lb!


would've been a pretty crazy tankmate for the barra the more i think about it glad i didn't get it.

i'm pretty decided on getting either -
* dither fish such as chromis, damsels, smaller bait fish or ballyhoo if i can find those
* the cleaner wrasse though i've read they can become annoying to fish in the long run
* sea bream (a striped one) or a sergeant major damsel
* striped surgeon tang or other tang
* lawnmower or molly miller blenny
* lookdown (selene volmer)
* aiptasia eating file fish
* other algae reef fish, starting to see hair algae & doing manual removal now.

the convict tang & possibly the blennies may be the only ones that may not adapt well in lower than 1.020, but as i've been reading more and more about how pet stores keep salt range, i think 1.017- 1.108 could be possible.

I'm at 1.014 now since i haven't bought salt in a while but i'd rather keep my tank more towards the marine side vs the freshwater side. if i can maintain 1.018 i can probably get some yellow tangs, the convict tangs, and other reef fish.

I just didn't want to get another predator fish that can get up to 2" so it was a good choice not to get the one i saw today.. but they're pretty cool though i just watched 10+ vids on them in the past few minutes. I'd rather eat one tbh but i just bought frozen takoyaki, green onion panckes, & some boba drink maybe next time

if i do get another predator fish it would most likely be the lookdown, another panther grouper, or if i come across something else here at the market like a red snapper or similar range.
 
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Kayden

Polypterus
MFK Member
Jul 12, 2018
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256
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Arkansas
Almost got one of these MONSTERS from the fish market today -
they were $39/lb!


would've been a pretty crazy tankmate for the barra the more i think about it glad i didn't get it.

i'm pretty decided on getting either -
* dither fish such as chromis, damsels, smaller bait fish or ballyhoo if i can find those
* the cleaner wrasse though i've read they can become annoying to fish in the long run
* sea bream (a striped one) or a sergeant major damsel
* striped surgeon tang or other tang
* lawnmower or molly miller blenny
* lookdown (selene volmer)
* aiptasia eating file fish
* other algae reef fish, starting to see hair algae & doing manual removal now.

the convict tang & possibly the blennies may be the only ones that may not adapt well in lower than 1.020, but as i've been reading more and more about how pet stores keep salt range, i think 1.017- 1.108 could be possible.

I'm at 1.014 now since i haven't bought salt in a while but i'd rather keep my tank more towards the marine side vs the freshwater side. if i can maintain 1.018 i can probably get some yellow tangs, the convict tangs, and other reef fish.

I just didn't want to get another predator fish that can get up to 2" so it was a good choice not to get the one i saw today.. but they're pretty cool though i just watched 10+ vids on them in the past few minutes. I'd rather eat one tbh but i just bought frozen takoyaki, green onion panckes, & some boba drink maybe next time

if i do get another predator fish it would most likely be the lookdown, another panther grouper, or if i come across something else here at the market like a red snapper or similar range.
I would be worried about reef fish or chromis/damsels with a barra, I’m sure he wouldn’t turn down a nice tasty snack tho!

usuall the rule for predatory fish is at least 1/2 the length and 2/3 the height and they should be safe. I don’t know how voracious perch are about ripping other fish apart, but I’ve had groupers that wouldn’t even tolerate fish bigger than them.

All depends on how much money you want to throw at getting him tank mates. But honestly a fish that can reach 4+ feet and 100 pounds I. Would be more than content keeping singly
 
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Bonytang

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Feb 21, 2018
334
247
61
I would be worried about reef fish or chromis/damsels with a barra, I’m sure he wouldn’t turn down a nice tasty snack tho!

usuall the rule for predatory fish is at least 1/2 the length and 2/3 the height and they should be safe. I don’t know how voracious perch are about ripping other fish apart, but I’ve had groupers that wouldn’t even tolerate fish bigger than them.

All depends on how much money you want to throw at getting him tank mates. But honestly a fish that can reach 4+ feet and 100 pounds I. Would be more than content keeping singly
i use the term "predator fish" with my barra loosely he's kinda a diva lol he won't eat the shrimp shell sometimes, won't touch hermit crabs, snails, or the conch, not interested in pellets, pretty much need to skip a feeding session if i'm training to feed with shrimp shell on, picky with fish fillets, at this point i'm almost positive he won't attack other smaller fish but the $10 chromis would be a good test and from there if they survive it's pretty much a green light for the yellow tang.

i kept aros w/ dither fish and tiny loaches + more fun when the rule is broken lol + since we know this barra was farm raised on fish meal i'd be pretty happy if he did eat a chromis actually that'd be his 1st legit kill!

here he is hanging out with the sand sifting conch from his first few weeks in the tank, the scar on his side healed up 100% and he scratches less & less every day. i was leaning towards the cleaner wrasse for some time since that'll solve the scratch problem but the downside is that when there are no more parasites, the wrasse may perhaps pick at a fish to cause stress and force parasites to a host! chances of that unlikely but just the thought of being picked ta 24/7 just sounds awful

 

Bonytang

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Feb 21, 2018
334
247
61
I snuck in a piece of raw chicken lastnite & he ate it! Hope he doesn't grow feathers but until then i got him a new tank mate -


So far so good, he went right up to him a dozen times with every opportunity to snack.
Let's see i he makes it through the week & then we can start adding some chromis & the yellow tang if i'm lucky enough to find one on sale.
 

Bonytang

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Feb 21, 2018
334
247
61
Day 1 update for the new best buds -


The tilefish is pretty cool to watch he doesn't really swim like a normal fish he kinda just hovers in & out of rocks & blends in with the live rock. Barra sometimes goes right up to him but the tilefish never flinches or tries to dart away just stays in the same spot. Even at the pet shop the guy didn't even grab a net he just put the acrylic fish holder in the tank and just scooped him out so not much of a challenge for anything that wanted to go for a bite. They have a few kinds that grow to over 12" but this aiptasia eating one just gets to 4"-5" average probably get a few other ones for sure. Coolest ones I saw went for $1300 each from Australia called Southern Pygmy Leatherjackets ~ Brachalatures Jacksonianus prolly won't get that one i guess
 

Bonytang

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Feb 21, 2018
334
247
61
Alright so the chromis were a bad move. Barra's killer instinct is alive and well.
1st chromis didn't last 2 seconds & the second one is hiding & will eventually make the menu.

Dither fish experiment will need a few adjustments.
- no small fish that are shiny or that have skittish movement, this triggers his senses & attracts attention that barra considers food
- next filefish will
- next fish must be introduced after barra has eaten
 
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