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[Fish Finder]

Picked up three new fishy's today. One barb Anthias and two pinapple fish. All three are currently in QT. Whatcha think of them??

[Len]

Nice fish. Just make sure you have caves for those Pineapples. Borbs are awesome ... tons of personality.

[jhemdal]

Fish Finder,

Are those pinecones from Japan? I've found they do better in slightly cooler water - we keep ours around 68 degrees F. They look quite a bit smaller than ones I've gotten before (based on the size of their eyes in relation to their body size).


JHemdal

[Fish Finder]

Nice fish. Just make sure you have caves for those Pineapples. Borbs are awesome ... tons of personality.

The pineapples have one more day in qt then off to there new tank where they have a lot of places to hide.

I already have 2 that i have had for some time now. I got this one and going to introduce the other two to my 150G all together.

[Fish Finder]

Fish Finder,

Are those pinecones from Japan? I've found they do better in slightly cooler water - we keep ours around 68 degrees F. They look quite a bit smaller than ones I've gotten before (based on the size of their eyes in relation to their body size).


JHemdal

I can't say where they r from because the LFS i got them from had no idea. There watter is 70F. ill try to drop it again a bit. Have u had any luck getting yours to eat prepared foods over live? When do yours come out? Any info you would like to throw my way will be greatly appreciated. Though i have done my research it never beats info from first hand ppl.

Yes these two are small i would say around 3" mark if that.

[jhemdal]

Fish Finder,

No need to drop the temp., 70 is o.k. for them (just not typical reef temps). We've had four of the Japanese ones over the past 3 years. Two never fed for us and died at 3 and 4 months respectively. The second two were better - one fed right away on all manner of foods and the second one started feeding a few months later. Prior to that time, I had never experienced any difficulty getting these fish to eat (but previous ones did not come from Japan). Here is an exceprt about them from my Advanced Marine Aquarium Techniques book:

Pinecone fish
Monocentris japonicus
Maximum size: 15cm
Habitat: Rocky reefs from 10 to 200 meters depth, 50 to 68 degrees F.
Range: Red Sea through the Western Pacific
Aside from shipping costs, pinecone fish seem to be relatively inexpensive from Japanese collectors as opposed to those in Australia or elsewhere in this specie’s range. One collector offers small specimens (not including shipping charges) for 1400 yen, or less than $15 US at the time of this writing. Hardy and peaceful, pinecone fish may be slow to begin feeding, and live brine shrimp may be required as a starter food. Acclimated specimens feed readily on frozen mysids and small krill. If kept in dim aquariums, and kept sufficiently healthy, you may be able to observe this species luminescent bacteria pockets that glow green beneath each of its eyes.

[joetbs]

We've had great response feeding them gut-loaded ghost/glass shrimp. Mysis/brine seems too small.

[Fish Finder]

Fish Finder,

No need to drop the temp., 70 is o.k. for them (just not typical reef temps). We've had four of the Japanese ones over the past 3 years. Two never fed for us and died at 3 and 4 months respectively. The second two were better - one fed right away on all manner of foods and the second one started feeding a few months later. Prior to that time, I had never experienced any difficulty getting these fish to eat (but previous ones did not come from Japan). Here is an exceprt about them from my Advanced Marine Aquarium Techniques book:

Pinecone fish
Monocentris japonicus
Maximum size: 15cm
Habitat: Rocky reefs from 10 to 200 meters depth, 50 to 68 degrees F.
Range: Red Sea through the Western Pacific
Aside from shipping costs, pinecone fish seem to be relatively inexpensive from Japanese collectors as opposed to those in Australia or elsewhere in this specie’s range. One collector offers small specimens (not including shipping charges) for 1400 yen, or less than $15 US at the time of this writing. Hardy and peaceful, pinecone fish may be slow to begin feeding, and live brine shrimp may be required as a starter food. Acclimated specimens feed readily on frozen mysids and small krill. If kept in dim aquariums, and kept sufficiently healthy, you may be able to observe this species luminescent bacteria pockets that glow green beneath each of its eyes.

Thank you so much for the first hand info. For now there in a 20G tank that has no lighting and no medication. I plan on moving them this week to my 22G pod so i can make sure there eating and all. I figure with the only the autinics being on they will be fine. What do you think? Im going out this weekend to catch some ghost shrimp for them. If you can think of anything else that can help me feel free to tell.

[jhemdal]

Fish Finder,

We've always used live brine as their starter food, primarily because its available. We also culture live mysids, but those stay near the substrate and are very fast, and the pinecones had trouble catching them. I've never relied on live ghost shrimp because of supply issues and because lsome of the shrimp would come in too large. On the last one we had that had trouble starting to eat, I did notice that it was more klutzy than most I've seen - it would take frozen krill, etc., but not until it had hit the bottom of the tank, and then it would take in gravel as well, and begin spitting gravel out all over the place (and probably swallowing some). In retrospect, a bare bottom tank would probably be a good idea until they have gotten profficeint at feeding from midwater.

Here is a link to an article I wrote on chronic anorexia in fishes:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2007/12/aafeature1

The little bit of info on pinecones it has probably won't add much, but it has some other hints and tips as well.


JHemdal

[thecommersoni]

I've always wanted Pine cones but never could afford them. Nice find!