Why do I want one of those ugly beasts?

Valkyrie · Apr 25, 2017

I'm smitten by anglers, but I hear they don't do well in captivity. Why not? How are we failing them? I'd like to learn more about them, even if the rumors are true and they die under a year. It makes me very sad and I'd never just sentence one to death by my hand. I'm just interested to know what can be done to keep them healthy and alive.

Lionfish. Fu Manchu to be specific. What a cutie. Unfortunately, my husband isn't too keen on me keeping something venomous because I'm such a klutz. Besides I jump when I think one of my clownfish is going to bite me. ;Hilarious

Luckily I don't have a tank large enough to keep a Fu Manchu in so that's out. I have no idea what I'd put an angler in and one sure couldn't go in the tanks I have, but I still would like a striated or a black, someday. ;Vamp

lion king · Apr 25, 2017

Anglers do have a high mortality rate, I'm not sure how long would be considered success. I have my 3rd angler now, he's a wartskin and it's coming up on a year. My first angler I had about 15 years ago, before most knew what they even were, I had him for a year, and stupidly killed him by letting him eat a fish as large as himself. He was a painted angler, my second painted angler I had for 2.5 years, I believe I could have overfed him otherwise he was doing great right up to the end.

First they should be in a species tank, mostly alone or very select and similar fish in habits and feeding. I recommend feeding live food, they become nothing more than ornament that eats when feeding dead. They even stop using their lure and almost always just stop eating and die very shortly after feeding dead. Just like any living thing, they need some sort of stimulus; keeping them in a glass cage and feeding them from a stick, there just isn't any point in that.

They can be housed in a 30 gallon comfortably, feeding live can produce a heavy bioload even when just keeping one species. They are tolerant but water quality still should be highly maintained. They will swim more and be more active when flow is on the light side, they also like caves, overhangs. cliffs, and such to perch. I think the light could also be on the lower side. They are ambush predators. Letting them gulp air can be deadly, I believe on 2 occasions seeing an angler die when exposed to air. Once in transport, and one guy during a water change. Don't overfeed, but feed enough, easier said than done. I feed mine every 2=3 days, mostly 2 until I see a good(not large) bulge in his belly.

These are just some of my observations, BTW I also have a fu manchu that I've had for 4.5 years now. A wartskin angler and a fu manchu could live in like a 50g together. My fu lives in another tank with other lions. The striated and what you call a black angler would get too large and may eventually eat a fu. Black anglers are sometimes just a juvenile painted angler, and will usually change colors. Your tank decor has alot to do with it. A black angler could also be a commerson's angler, which get absolutely huge.