White spotted Grouper (Panter Grouper)

[pweesng]

Hi Guys,

I'm getting some one to customise a 3 feet tank (as you might have read) about 90cm X 45 cm X 60 cm. There will be a sump tank. But i dunno how big.

A conservative estimate, the tank would be about 70g.

I am thinking of keeping some Panther Grouper. It is suppose to be an easy fish to keep, although i heard they grow really fast. But I have a back up plan for that.

Just wondering if any one has any idea on what i should look out for? What to feed them...etc...etc...

Also, what can i comp them with? It will be a FOWLR for a start.

Thanks in advance

[xnsdvd]

Congratulations on the new tank, though according to your dimensions you tank is 243 liters or 64 US Galons. That gives you about enough space for just 1 fully grown panther grouper. Or 2 small ones.

As for food, try to feed them anything with a high protein content. On my farm, I notice that those fed live Ikan bilis are twice the size of raised on fish pellets. So you could tailor your feeding to suit your desired growth rate. Though I would advise the live food since, IMO, the health of your animal is always the most important aspect of being a pet owner.

Unfortunately, there are very few things you can actually keep them with. I've successfully kept them with large blue ring angels and spiny lobsters, but anything small enough to fit into the grouper's mouth or not fast enough to duck back into a hole isn't going to survive long in the tank. You might also consider things like starfish, crabs and very fast gobies/blennies. So basically, when if it's companion is too big to eat or too small to notice, it's safe.

[comycus]

Care to share your backup plan?

You can probably keep an aggressive fish only tank. Lionfish, Scorpionfish, Groupers, Foxface. Prob have to watch your bioload due to their diet. These fishes might not be easy to wean off live food too, although I've seen Henry train his lionfish and scorpionfish to feed on frozen.

Will be fun to watch your progress!

[pweesng]

ha ha... don't worry, i am not thinking of steaming the fish with chili and kiam chai...

A friend of my who is in the process of converting his tank into a FOWLR will be willing to adopt them when they become too big for my small tank. His tank is a 3 feet cube, so it should be enough until much later.

If I throw in some ikan billis as feeder, will they eat it all up at once, or like arowana, they know how to ration their food?

thanks again for all advice!

[comycus]

ha ha... don't worry, i am not thinking of steaming the fish with chili and kiam chai...

A friend of my who is in the process of converting his tank into a FOWLR will be willing to adopt them when they become too big for my small tank. His tank is a 3 feet cube, so it should be enough until much later.

If I throw in some ikan billis as feeder, will they eat it all up at once, or like arowana, they know how to ration their food?

thanks again for all advice!

wah my subtle question u also can guess! okok glad you not thinking down tt road.

hmmm all fishes are just greedy. Period. Hahaa it's part of their nature, never know when the next meal is coming, so will gorge themselves even if they are full. You will need to feed sparingly. And probably want to wean them all to frozen food. Much more economical and cleaner for your water.

[pweesng]

wah my subtle question u also can guess! okok glad you not thinking down tt road.

hmmm all fishes are just greedy. Period. Hahaa it's part of their nature, never know when the next meal is coming, so will gorge themselves even if they are full. You will need to feed sparingly. And probably want to wean them all to frozen food. Much more economical and cleaner for your water.

Hee hee.. i phrase the statement in such a way to bait people to ask that question mah...

i would love to be able to ween them to frozen food, but in case i fail... i don't have additional tank at home to be able to keep these feeder fish.. unless they can reside in the sump tank before they get eaten...

Also, from my past experience, feeder creatures, after keeping them for a while, will develop emotions.. and than after that, cannot use them anymore... That is the trouble i face...

That is why i was hoping to be able to throw all of them in, and hope the grouper only eat when it is hungry...

[gp2700]

Panther groupers are very easy to keep and yes, they grow quite fast too.

I have some (2in to 4in) in my tank and they eat anything - pellets, prawn meat, ikan billis, whiting. Just have to cut them into small pieces (small enuff to fit into their mouth) and dump 2 pcs at a time until they don't want to eat. Walk away for 30mins and dump a piece of prawn again .... they should come up again for more.

From my fishing days, groupers can do 2 amazing things :

1) Gulp down more food even if the stomach is full

2) Open their mouth real big i.e 2 or 3 times the normal size

I've not any problems with them eating my cleaner shrimp ..... yet. The shrimp can't really fit into the mouth .... yet. So I reckon it's safe for the shrimp .... for the time being. I've not fed them any live food yet cos it's hard to get those small/tiny fishes that they can hunt down as food.

If it helps, I have some clownfish, wrasses, copperbands, tangs and damsels in my tank.

[pweesng]

Panther groupers are very easy to keep and yes, they grow quite fast too.

I have some (2in to 4in) in my tank and they eat anything - pellets, prawn meat, ikan billis, whiting. Just have to cut them into small pieces (small enuff to fit into their mouth) and dump 2 pcs at a time until they don't want to eat. Walk away for 30mins and dump a piece of prawn again .... they should come up again for more.

From my fishing days, groupers can do 2 amazing things :

1) Gulp down more food even if the stomach is full

2) Open their mouth real big i.e 2 or 3 times the normal size

I've not any problems with them eating my cleaner shrimp ..... yet. The shrimp can't really fit into the mouth .... yet. So I reckon it's safe for the shrimp .... for the time being. I've not fed them any live food yet cos it's hard to get those small/tiny fishes that they can hunt down as food.

If it helps, I have some clownfish, wrasses, copperbands, tangs and damsels in my tank.

This is great advice. Thanks!

was it hard to train them on pellet?

yah, from my fishing days... Grouper has always got that magical touch! i need to study how to eat the prawn, so that i know how to bait them when i'm in the sea!

hiak hiak hiak...

The clownfish will add some colour to that tank, i don't think i can have many fishes, given that it is only going to be a 3 footer.

Does Grouper need to be in a pair? or they are fine minding their own business on their own?

[gp2700]

Mine groupers took to the pellets like a fish to water(pun intended!)

I have a couple in my tank and they chase each other sometimes. It does not seem to be bullying since they are not injured and still eating like pigs.

Anyway, try to create some crevices/holes/hiding spots for them. I noticed that they like to "take cover" in the LRs when the lights go out even though they are supposed to be nocturnal hunters too.

Nice to see a fella fisho here too !

[pweesng]

yah.. the hiding in the rock part is definitely real... everytime you hook a grouper, if you don't keep your line in fast, the bugger will go into the structure under the water, and you can almost not pull that guy out...

So i'm gonna hook the grouper in my tank pull out and release back and hook a few more times... just to take revenge!

ok ok.. i'm only joking!