Sea Goblin-Inimicus Didactylus

ashtree68 · 01/19/2011, 10:26 PM

Looking for some care information on these guys. Are they like most other scorpions? I've read a couple different things about tank sizes and tank mates.

Renee and Greg I know you have/had one, and checked out Frank's very good book, (got it and read it in less than an 30 min) but can't find much else on them.

Anything special you need with them other than about 2" of fine substrate?

FMarini · 01/20/2011, 08:17 AM

you really dont need much more.
Inimucus are hardy, and tolerant fish, they require live food to start off and a fine substrate to burrow in. Anothe rkey is slow feeding non bothersome tankmates.
AS mentioned in the book- they are one of my favorite scorpionfish

Thanks for buying the book- i dont get any $ for it-but its good to see the information get out.(30min read huh-like a kids book;^)

namxas · 01/20/2011, 09:32 AM

Like Frank sez...they're pretty easy, and score high on the "oddball" factor as well. He wrote a great article on stingfish in ReefLife magazine, but unfortunately, I don't think there's any EZ way to get ahold of it, and besides, most of it is covered in his book.

We currently keep two species: I. didactylus and I. japonicus.

IME, these fish take pretty readily to the "stealth stick", and require a couple of inches of substrate suitable for burrowing (we use #3 or #1 grade aragonite). You'll mostly see their eyes, snout, and the first couple of dorsal spines, altho our specimens are alos out and about, esp. when they're reminding us that it's feeding day (3x/week for us).

Definitely a must-have for scorp lovers. How can you resist this face:

jarrod13 · 01/20/2011, 11:27 AM

Anything Greg and Frank say you can bet it's the most accurate info you will get on scorpions. I'll add a few of my experiences though. First off I would 100% use a sturdy top on the tank, mine was a freak about the lights going off when I had him in a 28 bowfront, he would violently try to jump out of the water. He still does it in the 220 but it's tall enough that by the time he gets to the top there's barely any momentum. The second thing is the substrate, while I'm not at all disagreeing that what you have atm is good, I just have a different preference. I like at least 3" and I use the finest grain I can find, which for me is Bahamas oolite. I like it because he can bury himself extremely easily, and it is also a peace of mind for me because I would worry he might cut himself with the more coarse substrate (even though that probably wouldn't happen). The last thing I'll emphasize is to not put it with any fish that are grazers, they just look too much like a nice rock with tasty algae on it.
Here's my dude

Here you can see how the fine substrate makes him feel nice and cosey

Good luck

ashtree68 · 01/20/2011, 11:31 AM

Thanks everyone but I don't think I'm going to be getting one anytime soon, live aquaria had them under their misc fish, then they got moved to their scorpion fish, now they're gone all together. Maybe they'll show up again and its just some glitch with the website. The sand I have is a mix of fine and coarse with more fine than anything.

namxas · 01/20/2011, 11:39 AM

Sounds like your substrate is fine...just add stingfish!

It's really funny, back awhile, goblins and cockatoo wasps used to show up in one of my local LFS quite often, but now I hardly ever see them. I guess with the economy, the LFS's and wholesalers both are sticking with the "meat and potato, quick turnover" fish...clowns, tangs, etc.

Jarrod,

Your fish is looking great!

ashtree68 · 01/20/2011, 11:49 AM

I guess the economy does suck, but for those of us who would snatch the stingfish and such up in an instant it bites.

On another note...

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...84&pcatid=2984

ashtree68 · 01/20/2011, 11:51 AM

Reading the description it jumps between Mambasa and Miles wonder how accurate their ID's on them are, I've heard good things but still would be a big let down expecting a Mambasa and get a Miles.

namxas · 01/20/2011, 12:27 PM

The fish in the pic is indeed P. mombassae. I think there was a cut-and paste done of the text and all references to P. miles weren't removed (also, Mombasa is mis-spelled). It needs some cleaning up.

A 55 or 60 gal setup should hold an adult Mombasa fine, but a P. miles should indeed be in a larger setup like a 100 or 120 (for a P. miles, think P. volitans in terms of care).

Oddly enuff, our Mombasa was ID'd as P. miles at the wholesaler...I have NO idea why, as they look NOTHING like a miles. Now if the ID had been P. antennata, I could get the confusion...

They don't look anything like P. miles or P. volitans, but are indeed "flamboyant":

P. mombassae:

P. volitans:

01/20/2011, 08:17 AM	#2
FMarini 10 & Over Club Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Winston-Salem, NC Posts: 5,260	you really dont need much more. Inimucus are hardy, and tolerant fish, they require live food to start off and a fine substrate to burrow in. Anothe rkey is slow feeding non bothersome tankmates. AS mentioned in the book- they are one of my favorite scorpionfish Thanks for buying the book- i dont get any $ for it-but its good to see the information get out.(30min read huh-like a kids book;^) __________________ Fish die belly-up and float to the surface: its their way of falling- Andre Gide

01/20/2011, 11:31 AM	#5
ashtree68 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Lincoln Park-Chicago Posts: 1,922	Thanks everyone but I don't think I'm going to be getting one anytime soon, live aquaria had them under their misc fish, then they got moved to their scorpion fish, now they're gone all together. Maybe they'll show up again and its just some glitch with the website. The sand I have is a mix of fine and coarse with more fine than anything. __________________ -Ashton

01/20/2011, 11:39 AM	#6
namxas Things With Stings R Us! Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Carson, CA Posts: 5,087	Sounds like your substrate is fine...just add stingfish! It's really funny, back awhile, goblins and cockatoo wasps used to show up in one of my local LFS quite often, but now I hardly ever see them. I guess with the economy, the LFS's and wholesalers both are sticking with the "meat and potato, quick turnover" fish...clowns, tangs, etc. Jarrod, Your fish is looking great! __________________ Greg Current Tank Info: too many to describe, but i think the count is up to "lucky 13"!

01/20/2011, 11:49 AM	#7
ashtree68 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Lincoln Park-Chicago Posts: 1,922	I guess the economy does suck, but for those of us who would snatch the stingfish and such up in an instant it bites. On another note... http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...84&pcatid=2984 __________________ -Ashton

01/20/2011, 11:51 AM	#8
ashtree68 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Lincoln Park-Chicago Posts: 1,922	Reading the description it jumps between Mambasa and Miles wonder how accurate their ID's on them are, I've heard good things but still would be a big let down expecting a Mambasa and get a Miles. __________________ -Ashton

01/19/2011, 10:26 PM	#1
ashtree68 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Lincoln Park-Chicago Posts: 1,922	Sea Goblin-Inimicus Didactylus Looking for some care information on these guys. Are they like most other scorpions? I've read a couple different things about tank sizes and tank mates. Renee and Greg I know you have/had one, and checked out Frank's very good book, (got it and read it in less than an 30 min) but can't find much else on them. Anything special you need with them other than about 2" of fine substrate? __________________ -Ashton

01/20/2011, 09:32 AM	#3
namxas Things With Stings R Us! Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Carson, CA Posts: 5,087	Like Frank sez...they're pretty easy, and score high on the "oddball" factor as well. He wrote a great article on stingfish in ReefLife magazine, but unfortunately, I don't think there's any EZ way to get ahold of it, and besides, most of it is covered in his book. We currently keep two species: I. didactylus and I. japonicus. IME, these fish take pretty readily to the "stealth stick", and require a couple of inches of substrate suitable for burrowing (we use #3 or #1 grade aragonite). You'll mostly see their eyes, snout, and the first couple of dorsal spines, altho our specimens are alos out and about, esp. when they're reminding us that it's feeding day (3x/week for us). Definitely a must-have for scorp lovers. How can you resist this face: __________________ Greg Current Tank Info: too many to describe, but i think the count is up to "lucky 13"!

01/20/2011, 11:27 AM	#4
jarrod13 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: jacksonville florida Posts: 1,441	Anything Greg and Frank say you can bet it's the most accurate info you will get on scorpions. I'll add a few of my experiences though. First off I would 100% use a sturdy top on the tank, mine was a freak about the lights going off when I had him in a 28 bowfront, he would violently try to jump out of the water. He still does it in the 220 but it's tall enough that by the time he gets to the top there's barely any momentum. The second thing is the substrate, while I'm not at all disagreeing that what you have atm is good, I just have a different preference. I like at least 3" and I use the finest grain I can find, which for me is Bahamas oolite. I like it because he can bury himself extremely easily, and it is also a peace of mind for me because I would worry he might cut himself with the more coarse substrate (even though that probably wouldn't happen). The last thing I'll emphasize is to not put it with any fish that are grazers, they just look too much like a nice rock with tasty algae on it. Here's my dude Here you can see how the fine substrate makes him feel nice and cosey Good luck

01/20/2011, 12:27 PM	#9
namxas Things With Stings R Us! Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Carson, CA Posts: 5,087	The fish in the pic is indeed P. mombassae. I think there was a cut-and paste done of the text and all references to P. miles weren't removed (also, Mombasa is mis-spelled). It needs some cleaning up. A 55 or 60 gal setup should hold an adult Mombasa fine, but a P. miles should indeed be in a larger setup like a 100 or 120 (for a P. miles, think P. volitans in terms of care). Oddly enuff, our Mombasa was ID'd as P. miles at the wholesaler...I have NO idea why, as they look NOTHING like a miles. Now if the ID had been P. antennata, I could get the confusion... They don't look anything like P. miles or P. volitans, but are indeed "flamboyant": P. mombassae: P. volitans: __________________ Greg Current Tank Info: too many to describe, but i think the count is up to "lucky 13"! Last edited by namxas; 01/20/2011 at 12:33 PM.