Need advice about a new tank/current resident is a toadfish

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Laticauda

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Nov 16, 2010
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Central Oklahoma
I was looking at craigslist, cos I'm in the market for a 125 gallon to house the fish that I have most recently come into due to a friend getting out of the breeding business. (15 goldfish! They won't all be going in the 125, I also have a 90 gallon.)

Anyway, the guy has a toadfish (her name is Sprocket) in the tank right now, and is really adamant about her going with the tank.

I'm not even going to pretend to know anything about their husbandry or care or even SIZE, so!
My question is, what's the smallest size tank a toad fish can comfortably live in, so I can decide whether or not I can take her too, so she isn't completely homeless. I know I don't know anything about them, but I can learn (beforehand, obviously) and I know that clean water is the most important thing to a fish!

Any tips, guidance, suggestions, please let me know.

I would hate for this monster fish to go homeless just because of me!
 
i think they generally get a foot long so maybe a 55 but 60 would be better.
i hear they are brackish but also hear just as much that they are freshwater.
and you should also send him to me :)
 
Here's a website that has some helpful information. If this is not enough information and you wish to continue searching for more, google "toadfish" and you'll find much more.

http://www.gma.org/fogm/Opsanus_tau.htm

I hope this helps some.
 
a toadfish is not an easy fish too keep. I just lost my 2 guys and they started in fresh and went to brackish water. You will see that they die out of no where. mine were a year old. One day they will stop eating or the water will kill them no clue why but it happens alot.
 
I talked my husband into letting me take her. They've had her for a little over a year, they say she's 6-7" long. Seems small to me, but that's better since I only have a 55g for her. She's also eating frozen krill from forceps. I'll take her, see how she does, hopefully she'll be a good little fishy.
 
Me too. I'm a little concerned about how hard my water is. It's pH is ~8.0. I'm going to try to keep her kept the same way as the other people have her. I go into this knowing they have a high mortality rate, but I've always liked these fish, and really...it's my first "monster."

Can you provide some details for me?

Substrate, would play sand work? (other than top soil and pea gravel, this is all I really have...maybe peat would work...but I hate peat.)

Just how much salt do they need? How do I add salt back during water changes? I use a hose from my faucet to the tank. Could I just add all the salt that needs to be added before filling it or what? Never kept brackish before, so I could really use some husbandry practice tips.
 
Well find out what the fish is kept in now. if its in straight fresh the slowly add salt. They can survive in salt but they dont thrive in it. Water changes should be done by adding salt to to a bucket and letting it sit over night with salt in it. i dont like sand and mine liked the gravel. Provide cave they can get snug in. Theres alot of info on them in thr brackish section too. My biggest was about 9 inches when he died. If you have other fish in the tank this can cause concern because it can stress the fish and they wont eat. My toadfish that lived the longest was kept in a 40 gallon breeder with a female. Do some research on here because im far from an expert when it comes to brackish as i tried my hand at the toadfish a few weeks ago and it ended badly for me. GOOD LUCK!!!
 
Thanks.

She'll be the only fish in the tank. I'm debating on whether to put her in the 30 gallon or the 55 gallon. Water changes will be easier on the 30 gallon, but water quality will be more stable in the 55.

She's only 6-7 inches, so I believe either one would be fine. I may throw some livebearers in there (in hopes they get eaten.)
 
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