Chilomycterus Schoepfi & Water Temperature

[FishFan]

Both our C. Schoepfi have been extremely active, and I'm tempted to say almost hyperactive. The one we had in 2008 was named Mr. Busy for a reason. Seeing as this fish is found in Atlantic waters on the East coast as far north as Maryland, New York, and we know people who've caught them as far north as Boston, I find myself wondering if it is often kept too warm. We are thinking 72F or even less may be better than 76 where we have our new guy now.

I believe this fish is available in the fish trade only seasonally in the winter too. It is said to be pelagic, making me wonder if it is collected in littoral waters by divers mainly in the cooler weather, and otherwise remains in deeper cooler waters. Anyone have any direct knowledge or experience with this? I could all be completely wrong as the source information for this fish is very thin and often contradictory.

[Pufferpunk]

I'd look them up on Fishbase.

[FishFan]

I'd look them up on Fishbase.

That was where some of the info I gave came from. No authoritative information to speak of on temperature.

Edit: Fishbase says this fish is even seen in the waters off Maine (where we live) and Nova Scotia (North of here in Canada). The waters up here are definitely not tropical. It is also found in Florida waters and in brackish riverine environments, so it is obviously tolerant of varied temperatures. Perhaps there are different strains in these different areas.

[RTR]

Quite a number of tropicals are captured from the Gulf Stream in summer and fall, even along the far NE Coast of the US and Canada. The low water temperatures may be withstood for a time, but they may well not survive them long-term, much less being adequate for indefinite maintenance in captivity...

[FishFan]

Quite a number of tropicals are captured from the Gulf Stream in summer and fall, even along the far NE Coast of the US and Canada. The low water temperatures may be withstood for a time, but they may well not survive them long-term, much less being adequate for indefinite maintenance in captivity...

The Maryland DNR describes them as indigenous to the region and speculates that they breed offshore. They say they live in waters down to 54F and cannot survive below 43F, but what this means isn't clear. Their article cites sources and provides a contact link, but I haven't chased them down yet.

http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/fi ... rrfish.asp

Then again, this is a government source, so who knows.

[RTR]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chilomycterus_schoepfii

Not a lot of info there, but you might follow up on the New Jersey summer breeding report(s?) within NJ's info sites. If you can find those water temperatures, you might get an optimum level and could operate a bit below that with long-term safety.

If that is significantly below "tropical" temperatures, there could be issues with FOWLR +skimmer operation, and would likely be issues w/24/7 lighted macroalgae refugium operation if those temps were well below what we are accustomed to operating. Or are you planning to hold at low level BW? However you handle the fish long-term, keep us posted on your efforts. Few of us have experience w/long-term subtropical tank operation. that could be interesting info. As these are not even Fahaka-sized fish, they could open a another niche for puffer fans who would like a "smallish" burrfish pet which did not require a huge tank.

Good luck!

[Tripp]

Not sure this will give you a bunch of data on them but found this
Chilomycterus Schoepfi = Striped Burrfish

Source: http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm ... 9&aid=1853
Quick Stats: Striped Burrfish

Family: Diodontidae
Range: Caribbean
Size: Up to 10 inches
Diet: Carnivore
Tank Set-up: Marine: Coral or rock, plants
Reef Compatible: No
Tank Conditions: 72-78ºF; sg 1.020-1.025; pH 8.1-8.4
Minimum Tank Capacity: 180 gallon
Light: High
Temperament: Semi-aggressive
Swimming Level: No specific level
Care Level: Difficult
Reproduction: Egg Scatterer

The Striped Burrfish is also known as the Spiny Box Puffer. It has a tan to yellow body with dark striping, and short, fixed spines which help protect it from larger, more aggressive fish. Its teeth are actually a fused beak-like structure.

A 70 gallon or larger aquarium is suitable, provided it is a fish-only tank with plenty of room for swimming. The Striped Burrfish is nocturnal and will hunt for its food at night. It is known to nip at slow-moving fish and long-finned fish, but is not aggressive with others in its own family. It will eat invertebrates found in a reef tank.

The Striped Burrfish needs a varied diet of meaty foods including squid, krill, clams, and hard shelled shrimp to help wear down their ever growing teeth. Feed no fewer than 3 times per day.

[FishFan]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chilomycterus_schoepfii

Not a lot of info there, but you might follow up on the New Jersey summer breeding report(s?) within NJ's info sites. If you can find those water temperatures, you might get an optimum level and could operate a bit below that with long-term safety.

If that is significantly below "tropical" temperatures, there could be issues with FOWLR +skimmer operation, and would likely be issues w/24/7 lighted macroalgae refugium operation if those temps were well below what we are accustomed to operating. Or are you planning to hold at low level BW? However you handle the fish long-term, keep us posted on your efforts. Few of us have experience w/long-term subtropical tank operation. that could be interesting info. As these are not even Fahaka-sized fish, they could open a another niche for puffer fans who would like a "smallish" burrfish pet which did not require a huge tank.

Good luck!

Without data I'm not ready to experiment with sub-tropical temperatures using our beloved pet, but I think there are good reasons to keep this fish species at the low end of the tropical range. I've dropped the tank temperature to 72F and plan to hold that temperature indefinitely unless there is good cause to think even lower temperature is needed. It is possible that the C. schoepfii in Maryland and other more temperate waters are strains that have adapted to those temperatures and that a fish collected in the Caribbean may suffer if maintained at arbitrarily lower temperatures. I'd love to hear from others who have kept, collected, or studied C. schoepfii, but because it is not a food fish, an environmental pest or endangered species, and isn't a candidate for weaponization or a cure for cancer it doesn't appear to have been studied much.

For salinity, the current plan is to hold SG at 1.009-1.010 long enough to entirely rid the rock, filters, tank, and fish of Cryptocaryon irritans, then we'll probably gradually raise SG to 1.020. Though these fish are found in brackish waters I've found no evidence that this is optimal nor that they remain in brackish waters for a significant part of their life-cycle. Entering brackish waters seems to be most common for smaller specimens suggesting it may be a means to avoid marine predators while small, for more food sources, or a way for the fish to rid itself of external parasites that can't tolerate the lower salinity and pH. At this point, I think maintaining permanent brackish conditions may risk problems with liver function and regulation of calcium and other ions.

[FishFan]

Not sure this will give you a bunch of data on them but found this
Chilomycterus Schoepfi = Striped Burrfish
...

Thanks Tripp.

[Pufferpunk]

I do not suggest hypo for an established SW system. QT the fish separately. If you keep the established tank fallow, you won't kill off the life in your rock/sand with that low of a SG (hypo) & will cause the Crypt to die off without a host.

[FishFan]

I do not suggest hypo for an established SW system. QT the fish separately. If you keep the established tank fallow, you won't kill off the life in your rock/sand with that low of a SG (hypo) & will cause the Crypt to die off without a host.

I understand and agree. In this case, however, there is no substrate, the tank was set up three days earlier, the rock was lifeless and only used for its bacteria, and the ammonia and nitrite as the salinity was dropped were monitored and didn't rise.