Scatophagus tetracanthus can be kept in alkaline FW, BW, or even SW. I keep mine with some dats, bichirs, and assorted cichlids. I add about 1 tablespoon of salt/gallon, so the SG barely even registers above 1, maybe 1.002 max. They eat anything, but some vegetable matter is important. I feed mine frozen brine, pellets, frozen krill, spirulina flakes, algae wafers, etc. They also like to graze on algae. I think most of us got ours from Wes (fugupuff).
Tiger Scat Feeding Question
- Thread starter ZOO YORK 207
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They do shoal like other scats, but the shoal is more expensive due to their relative rarity in the hobby. 
Max size is around 30 cm/12 inches as mentioned above and in the fishbase profile:
http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/spe...enusname=Scatophagus&speciesname=tetracanthus
Max size is around 30 cm/12 inches as mentioned above and in the fishbase profile:http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/spe...enusname=Scatophagus&speciesname=tetracanthus
New theory!
I've kept some specimens in freshwater for many years, even in slightly acidic water, no ill effect, but the fish remained smaller, around 7" for 4 years.
Some may say its cruel, or unhealthy, but I beg to differ with the following supporting evidence.
Scats are found in land locked lakes in Phillipines, never connected to the ocean.
Trouts/Salmon/Chars-that sea run, anadromous grow much later, previously believed due to the abundance of food, but is it? I've seen that many fish, when kept in brackish conditions grow much faster and larger. the landlocked specimens breed and live healthy just like the saline counterparts.
Monodactylus sp,. will not grow very large in pure freshwater, but the ones in the ocean reach over 12" in lenght!!! Same with scats, the ones caught in the ocean grow much larger, and the ones in freshwater take much longer to grow. Most people have not even seen full grown mono argenteus, they're like a dinner plate.
My epinephelus lanceolatus grouper reached 16" in a hurry, and has maintained that size for the past few months, still aggressive as ever, and eats, but not much more growth.
I will turn over the theory of certain fish "needing" salt as they grow old, its a old theory that has not scientific support, its a theory at best
The theoriy is that the mineral content in the salt water that promotes the rapid grown, increased calcium, etc...
This is not just a hunch, I have pages of evidence to support this theory, but it has not been mentioned to my knowledge
I've kept some specimens in freshwater for many years, even in slightly acidic water, no ill effect, but the fish remained smaller, around 7" for 4 years.
Some may say its cruel, or unhealthy, but I beg to differ with the following supporting evidence.
Scats are found in land locked lakes in Phillipines, never connected to the ocean.
Trouts/Salmon/Chars-that sea run, anadromous grow much later, previously believed due to the abundance of food, but is it? I've seen that many fish, when kept in brackish conditions grow much faster and larger. the landlocked specimens breed and live healthy just like the saline counterparts.
Monodactylus sp,. will not grow very large in pure freshwater, but the ones in the ocean reach over 12" in lenght!!! Same with scats, the ones caught in the ocean grow much larger, and the ones in freshwater take much longer to grow. Most people have not even seen full grown mono argenteus, they're like a dinner plate.
My epinephelus lanceolatus grouper reached 16" in a hurry, and has maintained that size for the past few months, still aggressive as ever, and eats, but not much more growth.
I will turn over the theory of certain fish "needing" salt as they grow old, its a old theory that has not scientific support, its a theory at best
The theoriy is that the mineral content in the salt water that promotes the rapid grown, increased calcium, etc...
This is not just a hunch, I have pages of evidence to support this theory, but it has not been mentioned to my knowledge
X24;1342659; said:
not full potential. In our mind, we think that big, giant size is full potential. in actuality, its just the way nature is designed.
lets take trout for example, the ones that stay in creeks develop more intense colorations, breed just as well, and by staying small, whether its the water, lack of food, or genetic coding, they can hide from predators better, and easier to fill, a smaller stomach.
so when a fish stays smaller, but "healthy" meaing, no labored breathing, eating well, interacting with others, its probably pretty healthy, it doesn't have to grow to a giant to be at full potential.
salt water doesn't improve their life per se, but could potentiate their growth.
many fish actually grow much larger, fatter in home aquarias, but it doesn't mean that they're happier or healthier.
Adding to what Wes posted, it's been well documented with green chromides (Etroplus suratensis) that individuals in FW and light BW lagoons don't grow as large as individuals in SW, but that doesn't mean one is preferable to the other. With green chromides, FW specimens seemed to stop growing at around 6 inches, but SW specimens grew up to their full size of 12-16 inches. I've actually raised a green chromide pair up to 8-9 inches in 1.009 SG, where they laid eggs that were subsequently eaten by tankmates. Thus, salinity may affect their potential max size, but not necessarily their health.
BTW, I've kept and raised a school of decent sized (5 to 6 inch) Monodactylus argenteus in very low salinities (SG 1.002) or so along with FW species like Scleropages jardini and they did fine. As Wes mentioned, they can get larger in SW though.
BTW, I've kept and raised a school of decent sized (5 to 6 inch) Monodactylus argenteus in very low salinities (SG 1.002) or so along with FW species like Scleropages jardini and they did fine. As Wes mentioned, they can get larger in SW though.
Hey Jesse,
Thanks for the anecdote. Didn't know that it was documented with green chromides. To add to your account, monodactylus sebae have actually bred in pure freshwater on several occasions, documented.
Thanks for the anecdote. Didn't know that it was documented with green chromides. To add to your account, monodactylus sebae have actually bred in pure freshwater on several occasions, documented.
icthyophile;1343205; said:
