I in no way consider one year "success", but some may find my report of a one year anniversary for these 2 interesting. Two fish that you don't see very often, and ones that have a reputation for being hard to keep.
I lost a Rhinopias frondosa aka weedy scorpionfish in qt, internal parasites. Maybe he was too far gone but he could not tolerate any meds I was throwing at him; prazi, metro, or gc. He lasted less than a week and it was real kick in the jewels, and I paid a pretty penny for a lfs owner to hand pick him for me at the wholesalers. The one I have now ended up coming from a lfs, I monitored him for about 4 weeks, no signs of parasites, and I did not use any medication. He took to silversides right away and I was thrilled, as these guys are expensive to feed live. But that was short lived, about 3 months later he refused to eat at all, even threw up a silverside. I've only known 2 people to keep one of these guys before, both only lasted a few months. One was a friend and against my advice, he kept him in a large community tank afer he got him eating dead food. I guess it's like their routine to eat dead for a few months and just stop. This is the same routine I had keeping a leaf scorpionfish. Because of the other tank mates in my friends tank he had a hard time getting live food to him, and I think the stress took it's toll, and he refused all food and died; it took more than 2 months. So my guy eats 2-5 mollies a week over 2-3 feedings, he has a funny personality and is more active than I expected. I kind of hand feed him, I hold a live molly in my hand under water, and he hops to a few inches away and waits for me to open my hand. The big take away is, don;t expect these guys to stay on a dead only diet and live very long and they are very sensitive to meds. I've shared this write many times. it is the best write on rhinopias I've found: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/rhinopias-scorpionfish-care.633562/
Parapterois heterura aka blackfoot lionfish. I've never met anyone that's kept one of these and most of what I've read online doesn't really line up my experience. !st off they are pretty much like every other dwarf and medium bodied lions I've kept. Coming in eating live food only, if eating at all, with internal parasites and susceptible to bacterial infections. The whole cold water thing is a myth, pure and simple, they come from tropical waters and mine has been living just fine in 76*. He did come in with very stubborn internal parasites; he took prazi, metro, and gc. He then ended up with a prolapsed rectum and a ragged tail. I wish I wouldn't have, but I did use paraguard. I dosed up mu mg as well, somewhere I read it help with digestion and the meds and parasites likely lead to prolapsed rectum. His tail and fins got a little ragged over the 1st few months, mild bacterial infections, and I just let it ride. I've found with the lions it's best to keep good water quality, feed well, and let it ride; rather that to kepp throwing antibiotics at it. I'm concened now with the exposure he's had, meds seem to do a number on their organs. He is one of the most active lions I've ever had and he's a beast with an insatiable appetite. He's grown from under 3" to over 4" in a years time, so roughly 1.5". Pics just don't do this guy justice, his coloring goes through shades of rust with an iridescent gold and green on the top of his head and pectoral fins, bright fluorescent blue sparkles underneath his pectoral fins and his anal fins. He will take dead food; krill, silverfish(not silversides), salmon chunks, and shrimp chunks. But he gets mostly live food; ghosties, guppies, and he's now big enough for mollies.
I lost a Rhinopias frondosa aka weedy scorpionfish in qt, internal parasites. Maybe he was too far gone but he could not tolerate any meds I was throwing at him; prazi, metro, or gc. He lasted less than a week and it was real kick in the jewels, and I paid a pretty penny for a lfs owner to hand pick him for me at the wholesalers. The one I have now ended up coming from a lfs, I monitored him for about 4 weeks, no signs of parasites, and I did not use any medication. He took to silversides right away and I was thrilled, as these guys are expensive to feed live. But that was short lived, about 3 months later he refused to eat at all, even threw up a silverside. I've only known 2 people to keep one of these guys before, both only lasted a few months. One was a friend and against my advice, he kept him in a large community tank afer he got him eating dead food. I guess it's like their routine to eat dead for a few months and just stop. This is the same routine I had keeping a leaf scorpionfish. Because of the other tank mates in my friends tank he had a hard time getting live food to him, and I think the stress took it's toll, and he refused all food and died; it took more than 2 months. So my guy eats 2-5 mollies a week over 2-3 feedings, he has a funny personality and is more active than I expected. I kind of hand feed him, I hold a live molly in my hand under water, and he hops to a few inches away and waits for me to open my hand. The big take away is, don;t expect these guys to stay on a dead only diet and live very long and they are very sensitive to meds. I've shared this write many times. it is the best write on rhinopias I've found: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/rhinopias-scorpionfish-care.633562/
Parapterois heterura aka blackfoot lionfish. I've never met anyone that's kept one of these and most of what I've read online doesn't really line up my experience. !st off they are pretty much like every other dwarf and medium bodied lions I've kept. Coming in eating live food only, if eating at all, with internal parasites and susceptible to bacterial infections. The whole cold water thing is a myth, pure and simple, they come from tropical waters and mine has been living just fine in 76*. He did come in with very stubborn internal parasites; he took prazi, metro, and gc. He then ended up with a prolapsed rectum and a ragged tail. I wish I wouldn't have, but I did use paraguard. I dosed up mu mg as well, somewhere I read it help with digestion and the meds and parasites likely lead to prolapsed rectum. His tail and fins got a little ragged over the 1st few months, mild bacterial infections, and I just let it ride. I've found with the lions it's best to keep good water quality, feed well, and let it ride; rather that to kepp throwing antibiotics at it. I'm concened now with the exposure he's had, meds seem to do a number on their organs. He is one of the most active lions I've ever had and he's a beast with an insatiable appetite. He's grown from under 3" to over 4" in a years time, so roughly 1.5". Pics just don't do this guy justice, his coloring goes through shades of rust with an iridescent gold and green on the top of his head and pectoral fins, bright fluorescent blue sparkles underneath his pectoral fins and his anal fins. He will take dead food; krill, silverfish(not silversides), salmon chunks, and shrimp chunks. But he gets mostly live food; ghosties, guppies, and he's now big enough for mollies.
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