Yellow spot scorpionfish help

[mort]

Hi, had the above for a few years now and it's always been on it own. Just went to check on my tank and noticed it's tank was leaking. Since its after midnight I decided to put the scorpion in a floating breeding trap in my main display but as you could guess the little sod jumped out before I could get the lid on.
So my question is would you just leave it? I've seen people with them in mixed reefs but looking for experience as I've not tried mixing scorpionfish with anything before longterm and this one did kill a leopard toby right in front of my eyes (repeated stabbing of its dorsal into the underneath of the tobie) but admittedly in a bare qt. I don't have any shrimp so it's only fish capability I'm worried about. The other fish are marine betta, Darwin clowns, mag foxface and 2 allens damsels. The betta and the clowns mean the world to me.

TIA

 

[lion king]

If you have his feeding requirements covered I see no problem. Like you mentioned about the toby incident, it was just because it was in a smaller qt environment, and most likely an accident. They don't attack but if cornered or threatened could do some damage. I don;t think the betta will even pay any mind, but on second thought if your clowns decide to be butt heads, it could lead to trouble. That's just something to consider, you know their habits, he will likely find a spot and camp, they usually don;t cause any trouble and mostly no one pays any mind.

How long has he been in the reef so far, what are you thinking.

 

[lion king]

Hey @mort do you think you could keep 3 yellow spotted in a 40B, I know in the wild they are either singular or living in groups.

 

[mort]

That's just something to consider, you know their habits, he will likely find a spot and camp, they usually don;t cause any trouble and mostly no one pays any mind.

How long has he been in the reef so far, what are you thinking.

Thanks for the reply. I know the chances of it causing a problem is pretty slim but I've only ever seen a few people keep them and no one seems very good at recording anything but initial introduction. I tried to look at their compatability and didn't really find anything that suggested they weren't as safe as other similar sized fish like the little waspfish but I always have at the back of my mind, just how violent the attack on the tobie was. The little guy literally raised his dorsal spines and jabbed them into the tobie and that's what's making me second guess my normal advice.
Luckily the little guy had his head poked out of the rockwork this morning and I was able to catch it without moving anything. So its looking a little moody with me but will be getting it's own cube soon with a large stylophora I've been growing, so hopefully it should feel at home.

Hey @mort do you think you could keep 3 yellow spotted in a 40B, I know in the wild they are either singular or living in groups.

I've seen one guy with a trio in a slightly larger tank that did fine, plenty of doubles in smaller sized tanks, although I don't think more space does much as they are so sedentary. I've not heard of conspecific aggression so I wouldn't be overly concerned. I had considered getting at least another one after I've built the new tank but a trio might be a cool way to go. These are an interesting little predator which I wish were more commonly kept.

 

[ZipAdeeZoa]

As a rule of thumb if it can't fit in his mouth there isn't a huge need for concern. It sounds like the Toby may have just been in the wrong place at the wrong time, scorps venom is defensive and with exception of stonefish and their close relatives its actually a fairly primitive and inefficient delivery system compared to other venoms. Entirely conjecture but I think its more likely the that the scorpion got spooked or was on edge when the toby crossed its path and it defended it self from what it identified as a threat. It takes energy to inflict damage on another living thing and energy is the most precious resource to every living thing and everything an animal does (other than humans and a handful of other mammals) is either to get more energy by consuming something else or keeping itself from becoming energy to something larger. It wouldn't spend energy on something that would't give energy back unless it felt threatened.

Like you said there isn't much info on these guys other than when people first getting them, Luckily if you've had him for three years- your someone that can change that

 

[Mordie101]

Any pictures of the scorpionfish?

 

[mort]

As a rule of thumb if it can't fit in his mouth there isn't a huge need for concern. It sounds like the Toby may have just been in the wrong place at the wrong time, scorps venom is defensive and with exception of stonefish and their close relatives its actually a fairly primitive and inefficient delivery system compared to other venoms. Entirely conjecture but I think its more likely the that the scorpion got spooked or was on edge when the toby crossed its path and it defended it self from what it identified as a threat. It takes energy to inflict damage on another living thing and energy is the most precious resource to every living thing and everything an animal does (other than humans and a handful of other mammals) is either to get more energy by consuming something else or keeping itself from becoming energy to something larger. It wouldn't spend energy on something that would't give energy back unless it felt threatened.

Like you said there isn't much info on these guys other than when people first getting them, Luckily if you've had him for three years- your someone that can change that

I'll try and update to try and build experience with this species. I completely agree with your post and believe the death of the tobie was just an unfortunate mishap. I am more comfortable with the scorpion in its own dedicated tank that will hopefully mimic how they live naturally more, plus I need to frag the main display quite often so it's safer for both of us.

Any pictures of the scorpionfish?

I don't at the moment. I will try and do a thread when I setup the new tank for it.

 

[lion king]

Hey @mort got this guy in observation today, he already ate a few ghosties. He's going in with these 2 lions in a 40B I'm putting together, what do you think, a cool little predator tank. That scorp is quick, definitely gotta be careful with that guy.

 

[ZipAdeeZoa]

Thats a really nice one! @lion king

I’m hoping to get one of these guys for my nano- you guys are having much better luck finding them than I am though, I swung by most my LFS the other day and none have them have ever seen them on their list, one owner told me I was the first to ask for a scorpion fish in in 9 years;Hilarious

Hopefully a months notice is long enough for one of my LFS’s to track one down.

 

[mort]

Hey @mort got this guy in observation today, he already ate a few ghosties. He's going in with these 2 lions in a 40B I'm putting together, what do you think, a cool little predator tank. That scorp is quick, definitely gotta be careful with that guy.

Cool little guy. I found once they take ghosties it's not long before they will take anything. That rapid turn of speed is why I didn't really want it in my main display and would rather give it a nice biotope tank.
Adding it to your predator tank is your call. Mine has topped out at about 3" or so, so you will need to make a judgement call if it will be on the menu in the future. Compatability wise I don't think you will have any issue at all.

 

[Ryan1783]

Just keep him full hahah

 

[PurpleHabanero]

Anyone know if these guys will eat Hermit Crabs? I know they eat crustaceans but I was curious if I could get away with some hermits in my clean up crew.

 

[lion king]

Anyone know if these guys will eat Hermit Crabs? I know they eat crustaceans but I was curious if I could get away with some hermits in my clean up crew.

Hermits are fine as well as any hard bodied inverts. They will eat shrimp.

 

[PurpleHabanero]

Hermits are fine as well as any hard bodied inverts. They will eat shrimp.

Thanks for the fast response. I just picked up 2 Yellow Spotted Scorpionfish from LA Divers Den! Any suggestions on feeding other than ghost shrimp?

 

[lion king]

Thanks for the fast response. I just picked up 2 Yellow Spotted Scorpionfish from LA Divers Den! Any suggestions on feeding other than ghost shrimp?

Guppies or small mollies are tricky because these guys don;t swim, you can use a feeding stick to herd the small fish towards them so they can catch them. Small chunks or minced up seafood is always a challenge, but these guys will eat dead food with patience. Try salmon, mussel, shrimp, and Hikari silversides. Cut up small chunks and entice. You can also try to mince up food and use in baster, gently squirt towards them to entice. Also try to get attention and drop small chunk in the water column for them to grab, You can use the feeding stick to flick up a piece if it hits the substrate. The food needs to move or suspend in the water column.