walking batfish friend

[seafarer's.reef]

Recently bought a walking batfish at the fish store, been wanting one for years. I have a plan to get it eating, however, has anyone else had experience with one? Would be cool to learn something I've maybe overlooked for greater success.

 

[SlugSnorter]

Recently bought a walking batfish at the fish store, been wanting one for years. I have a plan to get it eating, however, has anyone else had experience with one? Would be cool to learn something I've maybe overlooked for greater success.

@lion king is our resident predatory fish expert.



They need a mix of meaty and algal foods, as they are omnivorous.

 

[seafarer's.reef]

@lion king is our resident predatory fish expert.



They need a mix of meaty and algal foods, as they are omnivorous.

do you have experience with one?

 

[SlugSnorter]

do you have experience with one?

not personally, no. They are rather uncommon in the hobby and need large tanks.

 

[seafarer's.reef]

not personally, no. They are rather uncommon in the hobby

not personally, no. They are rather uncommon in the hobby and need large tanks.

Hopefully someone with direct experience views this thread. I already got him to eat hermit crabs.

 

[lion king]

I don't have personal experience with this species, I do have information which can be useful. This species is all likelyhood will not survive long in captivity if not fed live foods. I recommend ghost shrimp and mollies. If you do get them to take dead food, what you feed will be very important. They follow all the same rules as other ambush type predatory fish. Click my name and find all threads, follow tge same info on lions, scorps, anglers, etc. One of the main reasons you do 't see these guys live long in captivity is because people refuse to offer a live diet.

 

[SlugSnorter]

I don't have personal experience with this species, I do have information which can be useful. This species is all likelyhood will not survive long in captivity if not fed live foods. I recommend ghost shrimp and mollies. If you do get them to take dead food, what you feed will be very important. They follow all the same rules as other ambush type predatory fish. Click my name and find all threads, follow tge same info on lions, scorps, anglers, etc. One of the main reasons you do 't see these guys live long in captivity is because people refuse to offer a live diet.

They also require supplementation of some seaweed according to some recent data.

EDIT: this may be wrong, I think I may have gotten confused

 

[seafarer's.reef]

I don't have personal experience with this species, I do have information which can be useful. This species is all likelyhood will not survive long in captivity if not fed live foods. I recommend ghost shrimp and mollies. If you do get them to take dead food, what you feed will be very important. They follow all the same rules as other ambush type predatory fish. Click my name and find all threads, follow tge same info on lions, scorps, anglers, etc. One of the main reasons you do 't see these guys live long in captivity is because people refuse to offer a live diet.

this specimen is small. not large enough to eat mollies. Also, I never feed livebearers to my fish due to their lipid content.

 

[Steve and his Animals]

Walking batfish are actually anglers that specialize in eating small invertebrates. Their lure ends in an esca that produces a substance that attracts worms and snails to the surface of the sand. In captivity, they probably would eat fish but would likely prefer crustacean and worm prey.

 

[lion king]

this specimen is small. not large enough to eat mollies. Also, I never feed livebearers to my fish due to their lipid content.

Guppies are fine for a smaller species.. If you want real world examples of long term success feeding live guppies and mollies, check out my threads that go back many years. Guppies and mollies are both misunderstood, they are both actually a brackish fish and meet many of the requirements of fat and protein that predator fish need. Most predators not be fed a live fish diet are extremely fat defiencient.

 

[SlugSnorter]

Walking batfish are actually anglers that specialize in eating small invertebrates. Their lure ends in an esca that produces a substance that attracts worms and snails to the surface of the sand. In captivity, they probably would eat fish but would likely prefer crustacean and worm prey.

I've heard this too

 

[seafarer's.reef]

Walking batfish are actually anglers that specialize in eating small invertebrates. Their lure ends in an esca that produces a substance that attracts worms and snails to the surface of the sand. In captivity, they probably would eat fish but would likely prefer crustacean and worm prey.

that is what I've already had success feeding with. also why I've waited many years for my sandbed (~5 in) to establish. filed with worms.

 

[lion king]

Walking batfish are actually anglers that specialize in eating small invertebrates. Their lure ends in an esca that produces a substance that attracts worms and snails to the surface of the sand. In captivity, they probably would eat fish but would likely prefer crustacean and worm prey.

Would they eat fiddler crabs or other more expensive crabs like emeralds. What kind of worms.

 

[seafarer's.reef]

Guppies are fine for a smaller species.. If you want real world examples of long term success feeding live guppies and mollies, check out my threads that go back many years. Guppies and mollies are both misunderstood, they are both actually a brackish fish and meet many of the requirements of fat and protein that predator fish need. Most predators not be fed a live fish diet are extremely fat defiencient.

I typically feed fish that exist in the environment which my fish come from. Usually fry of various species. My groupers and boxfish particularly like these. Realistically these fish would never be able to acquire the amount of fat found in livebearers naturally

 

[lion king]

I typically feed fish that exist in the environment which my fish come from. Usually fry of various species. My groupers and boxfish particularly like these. Realistically these fish would never be able to acquire the amount of fat found in livebearers naturally

People need accessible alrernative to a natural that may be impossible in captivity. Feeding fry that you breed yourself woukd be safe, but feeding saltwater fish will eventually spread disease. Not may predatory fish are going to survive from fry being bred from a hobbyist, one of my preds would literally eat 100 at a single feeding.

Back to the batfish, what will be an accessible diet to feed these guys. What type of worms, are they accessible. Alternative crustaceans are easy, ghost shrimp and ifbtgey eat hard bodied inverts, fiddler crabs. I will bet the worms will be the bulk of their fat and protein, if you can't provide the worms, then what. I do know they never survive when people try and treat them as other species, feeding dead food exclusively.

 

[Steve and his Animals]

Would they eat fiddler crabs or other more expensive crabs like emeralds. What kind of worms.

Not sure exactly, never kept one myself. I've seen x-rays of the fish with stomachs full of shells from assorted snails and I assume hermits.

 

[Steve and his Animals]

Would they eat fiddler crabs or other more expensive crabs like emeralds. What kind of worms.

 

[seafarer's.reef]

People need accessible alrernative to a natural that may be impossible in captivity. Feeding fry that you breed yourself woukd be safe, but feeding saltwater fish will eventually spread disease. Not may predatory fish are going to survive from fry being bred from a hobbyist, one of my preds would literally eat 100 at a single feeding.

Back to the batfish, what will be an accessible diet to feed these guys. What type of worms, are they accessible. Alternative crustaceans are easy, ghost shrimp and ifbtgey eat hard bodied inverts, fiddler crabs. I will bet the worms will be the bulk of their fat and protein, if you can't provide the worms, then what. I do know they never survive when people try and treat them as other species, feeding dead food exclusively.

A large component of the batfish's diet is mollusks. This evening I will feed squid tentacles, as they are similar to worms and will hopefully prompt an instinctual response.

As for fish feeding, there is ich in my system. however, my uv sterilizer completely prevents the spread of any disease even with the most ich sensitive fish in the hobby present in my aquarium. Luckily I have an ideal supply of marine fish fry.

 

[seafarer's.reef]

They are known to swallow clams and rocks exposed in the sand. it is the primary component of their diet.

 

[lion king]

Not sure exactly, never kept one myself. I've seen x-rays of the fish with stomachs full of shells from assorted snails and I assume hermits.

Snails too, maybe, mollusks are good food and I recommend including these as a good part of a dead diet. If you are able to get them taking dead food maybe just keeping the diet high in things like squid, mussels, clams, would be enough to keep them satisfied. Squid is very high in protein, you would still need to figure out the fat.

Keep us informed on your success and what you start feeding.

Those shells may also play a role in their required nutrition