Cockatoo Waspfish

[Jason Coy]

Good evening, I have a chance to purchase a Cockatoo Waspfish that is about 4-5" that is an orangish brown color and was wondering how difficult they are compared to others in the family. I don't mind feeding a live only diet although they say it is eating frozen. It did not look thin.

I'm wondering if it would be better to find one that is smaller and would it be ok with a smaller skeletor eel. From what I gather they should both coexist together but would both be able to compete for food ok.
TIA Jason

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Good evening, I have a chance to purchase a Cockatoo Waspfish that is about 4-5" that is an orangish brown color and was wondering how difficult they are compared to others in the family. I don't mind feeding a live only diet although they say it is eating frozen. It did not look thin.

I'm wondering if it would be better to find one that is smaller and would it be ok with a smaller skeletor eel. From what I gather they should both coexist together but would both be able to compete for food ok.
TIA Jason

Hopefully we'll get more than just my opinion here, but I'd guess a waspfish and pebble tooth eel would be fine together - as long as they're both big enough not to be swallowed whole by the other, that is.

Live diets are likely the best, but you can feed frozen if you select good foods to offer. My post in the thread below has a ton of good info for feeding predators like waspfish and lions using either live or prepared diets (such as frozen feeds), and on breeding ghost shrimp to use as live feeders if you want to go that route:

2 new lionfish

I went and bought ghost shrimp a krill. The guy said to mix the krill and ghost shrimp together. The seemed to only eat the ghost shrimp. Only had tge lionfish fir a couple of days. I assume no reason to worry? Krill is okay but not all the time. Neither one of my lions likes krill actually...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Cantusaurus]

Im surprised no one else responded. I have not had experience with them. But I have done a TON of research on them. I have never seen one in person, but have always wanted one. I would say go for it. They definitely are not small fish. They shouldn't be easily eaten especially how they are shaped. I know they are the easiest of the scorpionfish/waspfish to get eating prepared food. Some eat it right away. Adult brine shrimp and small feeder shrimp will be good in meantime. But as long as you get a very high quality frozen food they should do well. They also are a lot more active and go after the food more, so feeding is a lot easier and often people don't even have to target feed them.

But they are the best of these fish to have with smaller or similar sized tank mates since their mouths are not very large. it definitely won't eat an eel though regardless of size.

 

[Jason Coy]

Hopefully we'll get more than just my opinion here, but I'd guess a waspfish and pebble tooth eel would be fine together - as long as they're both big enough not to be swallowed whole by the other, that is.

Live diets are likely the best, but you can feed frozen if you select good foods to offer. My post in the thread below has a ton of good info for feeding predators like waspfish and lions using either live or prepared diets (such as frozen feeds), and on breeding ghost shrimp to use as live feeders if you want to go that route:

2 new lionfish

I went and bought ghost shrimp a krill. The guy said to mix the krill and ghost shrimp together. The seemed to only eat the ghost shrimp. Only had tge lionfish fir a couple of days. I assume no reason to worry? Krill is okay but not all the time. Neither one of my lions likes krill actually...

www.reef2reef.com

Thanks! I briefly skimmed through it and looks like a lot of good info. I'll reread in more detail over the weekend. At least for now I think it will be kind of fun to breed my own food.

 

[Jason Coy]

Im surprised no one else responded. I have not had experience with them. But I have done a TON of research on them. I have never seen one in person, but have always wanted one. I would say go for it. They definitely are not small fish. They shouldn't be easily eaten especially how they are shaped. I know they are the easiest of the scorpionfish/waspfish to get eating prepared food. Some eat it right away. Adult brine shrimp and small feeder shrimp will be good in meantime. But as long as you get a very high quality frozen food they should do well. They also are a lot more active and go after the food more, so feeding is a lot easier and often people don't even have to target feed them.

But they are the best of these fish to have with smaller or similar sized tank mates since their mouths are not very large. it definitely won't eat an eel though regardless of size.

I did not end up getting it as of yet. The LFS is a couple hours away and I wanted to research some before buying. I'm going to be going back that way in about a week for a nice black and white zebra eel and possibly a gold spotted eel if it is there. If the Waspfish is still there then maybe I'll pick it up.