Can I get a lionfish?

[titancrusher1]

Ok so I was just curious if my tank I habitants are compatible with a smaller lionfish.

I have a 135g with about 80lbs of LR.

Stock:

4 1.5" blue/green chromis

1 coral beauty 3"

1 sailfin tang 3"

1 naso tang 4"

1 clown 1.5"

2 scooter blemnies

10 hermit crabs small

1 Sally lightfoot

No coral but coral in the near future

 

[RacerX308e]

When the Lion grows, or perhaps even now, the blennies may well be a tasty treat! The Chromis as well.

 

[mscarpena]

When the Lion grows, or perhaps even now, the blennies may well be a tasty treat! The Chromis as well.

Add the clowns to that list as well. Lions will not harm corals

 

[titancrusher1]

Not even a dwarf lion? Really want one but I'll pass if there isn't a compatible species

 

[Lina5910]

Plus lionfish will chomp on the hermit crabs

 

[tozzi]

Youll be ok, u just might lose some of the smaller livestock down the line

 

[89Foxbody]

Look at it this way...If it fits in his mouth, he's going to eat it. And dwarves can get up to 7 - 8"...which is a big *** fish in comparison to some of what you have listed.

 

[snorvich]

Lionfish will try to eat anything smaller than they are. Virtually anything currently in your tank will eventually be a candidate for dinner.

 

[agreeive?fish]

lions drawf or otherwise will eat ay thing they can fit in their mouths and their mouths are SHOCKINGLY HUGE GAPPING HOLES for ingesting food

 

[scubasteve06]

Mouth size or smaller will be food in due time, if you question this, try and it you will be awed what can go in that mouth. Also known as a hoover.

 

[Roblox84]

Well that's just kind of dissapointing. I love the looks of lionfish and it would make a great addition to any saltwater tank, but why do they have to be so mean. I love my little schools of fish an def. wouldn't want them to be eaten.

 

[darb85]

Lionfish will try to eat anything smaller than they are. Virtually anything currently in your tank will eventually be a candidate for dinner.

not necessarily, I had one that I had since it was about 3 inches and he grew up with a damsel and clownfish and never touched them. Might have had something to do with me feeding him all the time to show people....

 

[Drexgly]

friend had one very aggressive

 

[cornraker]

If I were you, I would go for a dwarf lion. The worst thing that can happen is he will eat the clown. I doubt he will bother anything else.

 

[travis32]

He'll the clown because he hates clowns. Sorry, had to say it.
Yeah, the lion will devour the crabs. I have a marine betta. When I got the betta, I got a signal goby with it. In less than 24 hours the signal goby was gone. The betta swallowed it whole. The most expensive meal that betta has ever had!

Bettas are different from lion fish in that they are passive eaters. They only eat something if they think it will fit in their mouth and if they don't have to do a lot of work to eat it. I have had a small clown in with the betta for over 6 weeks, and the betta has never chased it. I had a lawnmower blenny that the betta would nip at once in a while if the blenny got too close to it's territory, but, he never tried hard to catch him.

The lion fish on the other hand is more of an active predator in my limited understanding. They will seem peaceful until suddenly a fish is gone before you know it.

I don't know that I've ever seen a lion in a reef. Most online sites indicate them not being reef compatable. Probably because they'd eat the CUC.