Arrowhead soapfish, Belonoperca chabanaudi. Any tips?

[Slocke]

Wish I had better pictures but its a cool and weird looking fish just like I like them.

But has anyone else had one? Are they very hard to get eating normal food? Any other tips?

I was told they were easy by my LFS but now I'm beginning to doubt that but its hard to find much about them.

 

[littlefoxx]

Wish I had better pictures but its a cool and weird looking fish just like I like them.

But has anyone else had one? Are they very hard to get eating normal food? Any other tips?

I was told they were easy by my LFS but now I'm beginning to doubt that but its hard to find much about them.

@lion king just replied to another post last week about a soapfish I thought! Those are super cool. Is that the one your LFS has?

 

[Slocke]

@lion king just replied to another post last week about a soapfish I thought! Those are super cool. Is that the one your LFS has?

I meant to tag him, thanks!
And it was my LFS's... hopefully it will gain the blue color its known for. At the store it looked jet black except for the yellow spot.

 

[littlefoxx]

I meant to tag him, thanks!
And it was my LFS's... hopefully it will gain the blue color its known for. At the store it looked jet black except for the yellow spot.

Oh my god look at that mouth! Reminds me of a barracuda lol

 

[lion king]

Things to understand about fish that are rarely seen in the hobby, 1st of all it usually means they don't survive for one reason or another. The 2 most common reasons is feeding and disease. With predators offering live food and treating for internal parasites will get you success many times. Whether this fish will come around to eating a healthy dead diet is anyone guess, I would lean towards yes if you have patience and persistence, as with other groupers. Another concern is the depth these fish usually live, maybe considered a deep water fish, this also presents challenges. Overall deep water fishes tend not to do that well long term. Deep water fish like dimmer tanks or at least heavy scape with caves and overhangs, and also cooler water. Keeping deep water fish in tropical temps at the least lessens their lifespan.

 

[Slocke]

Things to understand about fish that are rarely seen in the hobby, 1st of all it usually means they don't survive for one reason or another. The 2 most common reasons is feeding and disease. With predators offering live food and treating for internal parasites will get you success many times. Whether this fish will come around to eating a healthy dead diet is anyone guess, I would lean towards yes if you have patience and persistence, as with other groupers. Another concern is the depth these fish usually live, maybe considered a deep water fish, this also presents challenges. Overall deep water fishes tend not to do that well long term. Deep water fish like dimmer tanks or at least heavy scape with caves and overhangs, and also cooler water. Keeping deep water fish in tropical temps at the least lessens their lifespan.

Thanks
I did as much research as I could. Seems like the suttoni and the Dr Seuss is sold pretty often but couldn’t find anything on long term success. A lot of things on those two species saying they are fairly quick to eat dead but reefs.com said this species (the arrowhead) is the exception (saw that after I bought of course). It is in the basslet family so not really a grouper. It’s the biggest Soapfish and maxes out at 6”.

They are cousins to the Dr Seuss which marine collectors suggest are as easy as a basslet. Hopefully they are correct.

 

[sc50964]

I saw two of these in wholesale last year. No one picked them up. Seems quite fragile as they didn’t make it after a couple of weeks.

 

[lion king]

Thanks
I did as much research as I could. Seems like the suttoni and the Dr Seuss is sold pretty often but couldn’t find anything on long term success. A lot of things on those two species saying they are fairly quick to eat dead but reefs.com said this species (the arrowhead) is the exception (saw that after I bought of course). It is in the basslet family so not really a grouper. It’s the biggest Soapfish and maxes out at 6”.

They are cousins to the Dr Seuss which marine collectors suggest are as easy as a basslet. Hopefully they are correct.

Oh so you already have the fish. What are they eating now? Ghosties are probably the best to offer them, make sure they eat right away, if not eating ghosties then I would treat with general cure.

What tank set up are they in now, If they are in an observation tank, I would make it dim with hiding spots to tuck away.

 

[Slocke]

Oh so you already have the fish. What are they eating now? Ghosties are probably the best to offer them, make sure they eat right away, if not eating ghosties then I would treat with general cure.

What tank set up are they in now, If they are in an observation tank, I would make it dim with hiding spots to tuck away.

I’m going to pick up guppies and ghost shrimp tomorrow. It’s currently in a corner of my predator in an acclimation big box with some pipes. Which is low light. I can move it to my 10 gallon which is just growing low light macros.

So far not interested in dead mysis or krill but seems alert so will see what it does to live tomorrow.

 

[lion king]

Given time I'll bet you'll get them eating dead. You just have to make sure internal parasites is not what is keeping them from eating, that's how alot of people get into trouble. They wait too long thinking they are just difficult to feed. That's why I immediately offer live food, to test their health as well as restoring health from the trauma of their travels.

 

[lion king]

See how it goes getting them food, sometimes it's better in a controlled environment like an observation tank, but if you don't have to move them, better. If they eat it's gold, but if you have to treat then obviously you'll have to move them. Fish like this will like chunky bits, appropriate size to their size. They will also respond to the food in motion and may not take food on the substrate, so attempt some target feeding with a pipette or even a clear feeding stick.

 

[Slocke]

See how it goes getting them food, sometimes it's better in a controlled environment like an observation tank, but if you don't have to move them, better. If they eat it's gold, but if you have to treat then obviously you'll have to move them. Fish like this will like chunky bits, appropriate size to their size. They will also respond to the food in motion and may not take food on the substrate, so attempt some target feeding with a pipette or even a clear feeding stick.

Hasn’t eaten during the day but guppies in the box disappeared over night. Left the head of one.

 

[lion king]

Hasn’t eaten during the day but guppies in the box disappeared over night. Left the head of one.

Yeah they may be a night time eater, over time they will adjust to your feeding schedule.

 

[Slocke]

I decided to release it. I doubt it will be hard to recatch if needed. I think it is a subtley pretty fish. The blue details on the dark body are quite nice.

 

[lion king]

How is it eating

 

[Slocke]

How is it eating

It shows interest in food but have only seen guppies disappear overnight. Hopefully it will learn from the lionfish. I will add some more guppies tonight and some ghost shrimp if I can find some.

 

[Slocke]

How is it eating

I didn’t mean to get minnows but my fish store ran out of guppies. They promised me next week. Still it ate a lot of minnows.

 

[lion king]

I didn’t mean to get minnows but my fish store ran out of guppies. They promised me next week. Still it ate a lot of minnows.

Wow he is super cool, I think he would fit right into my lion tank.

 

[NanoJHB]

What an awesome fish! Good luck with it and keep us updated :)

 

[0MNSH1ZLLC]

Such a cool fish, I've had 2 in my tank which did not last long unfortunately...

First was murdered by a Blueline Grouper lasted maybe 2 days...I had the 2nd one for 3 months max. I went on vacation for 10 days and either it got the parasite which killed 2 of my other fish or just got sucked into my mp40, both incidents happened in the same week.

Didn't have issues with the 2nd one eating. Hovered around and followed me slowly around the tank. Reminded me of a Cuda for sure and had some interesting coloration.

I'd do one again in smaller solo tank but not in my 230. Too expensive and fragile to risk it again.