Check out this fish!!!

[Anonymous]

Whitelined or Zebra Toadfish, Sanopus greenfieldorum.

A friend of mine just picked one of these up for $200. Apparently is already eating well and getting along okay with a Rhinopias sp. Very cool and extremely rare fish, and beautiful in person!

 

[Anonymous]

Wow cool fish. If it's like most other toadfish its probably extremely hardy in my experience.

 

[GSchiemer]

It's my understanding that these fish are endemic to the reefs around Cozumel and illegal to collect. Was it offered for general sale at a LFS?

Greg

 

[dave_atl]

The hurricane must have swept it to the texas coast, where it was then collected and transported to california. 8)

 

[Anonymous]

It's my understanding that these fish are endemic to the reefs around Cozumel and illegal to collect. Was it offered for general sale at a LFS?

Greg

Greg,
I think you're thinking of Sanopus splendidus.

Those are from Cozumel only, and illegal to collect as you said.

S. greenfieldorum is only found in Belize, and is listed as threatened by the IUCN. Apparently a very limited (legal) collection is still allowed, however. This was for sale at a large LFS in Sacramento. Sea Dwelling Creatures (the owner of the above image of S. greenfieldorum) has one for sale on their website as well.

 

[Anonymous]

Wow cool fish. If it's like most other toadfish its probably extremely hardy in my experience.

In "Reef Fishes" Scott Michael says they have a very large easy to raise larvae as well. I think he said they'll take baby brine IIRC. Great for captive breeding, not so great for establing a widely distributed population in nature. Banggai cardinals are another example.

 

[GSchiemer]

Matt,

I stand corrected. I was thinking of Sanopus splendidus, which is obviously a closely related species but not the same fish.

I've actually seen the Splendid Toadfish while diving in Cozumel. The temptation to collect it was great but I weighed that against the possibility of spending time in a Mexican prison and left it alone.

Greg

 

[Anonymous]

That splendid toadfish would be an excellent subject for a captive breeding program.

 

[Anonymous]

Matt,

I stand corrected. I was thinking of Sanopus splendidus, which is obviously a closely related species but not the same fish.

I've actually seen the Splendid Toadfish while diving in Cozumel. The temptation to collect it was great but I weighed that against the possibility of spending time in a Mexican prison and left it alone.

Greg

:lol:

I hear that, similar to Clarion angels, they are locally very abundant. Just a very small range.

 

[Anonymous]

There was one at a local LFS that had blue stripes instead of white. I drooled.

 

[Anonymous]

Very jolie laid.

 

[Anonymous]

Very nice looking fish.

 

[Anonymous]

I had one- it liked to be out in open much more than the run of the mill toadfish you commonly see- had to sell it after I woke up one morning to find all his tank mates missing, and it having a rather suspicious looking bulge in its belly.

 

[Anonymous]

Did it even bother trying to look innocent or just sat there looking smug? :lol:

 

[Anonymous]

Did it even bother trying to look innocent or just sat there looking smug? :lol:

it actually had the audacity to "beg" for more food. Serious glutton that bastige was.

 

[Anonymous]

Did it even bother trying to look innocent or just sat there looking smug? :lol:

it actually had the audacity to "beg" for more food. Serious glutton that bastige was.

Yet the glutton in me has some grudging respect for a fellow "inhaler" of food. :lol: