Do you have a Lion in your reef?

[PupChow]

Sounds like lion fish is reef safe, minus any thing that can fit in their mouth! Do you have a lion in your reef? I would like to hear your experience! Especially if you have one of the big guys!

 

[White Tiger]

Yes, I do have a lion in my reef. I remember that you stated "Sounds like lion fish is reef safe, minus any thing that can fit in their mouth!" This is not entirely true. Lionfish will not eat hermit crabs or seastars that are small enough to fit in its mouth. It will only eat animals such as shrimp, smaller fish (excludes puffers) and crabs that aren't hermit crabs.

 

[Wolverine]

The biggest problem with lions in a reef is having to deal with the waste they produce. As long as your tank can process that, they're great.

Dave

 

[onereefnotenuf]

I agree with wolverine plus I had trouble feeding mine with all the LR and coral and water flow. it was hard to get the silversides/krill to it without the other fish getting it first. I also had a problem with excess food because I had to overfeed just to get some food to the lionfish.they love peppermint shrimp which I found out the hard way. I also think I lost a foxface that was stung by my lion.
if you have a lot of open swimming room and not a lot of other fish and shrimp and slow flow or the ability to shut the flow at feeding time, you should be ok. they do not bother sessile invertebrates.

 

[ChickenCannoneer]

I also have one. He is very interesting to watch riding the current with those big fins.

 

[PupChow]

Thank you guys! now... do you have any picture?

 

[RockStarFish]

i also have a lion in my 55gl reef it's a dwarf but he's cool I only feed him once a week (live feeders) so I don't have the waist problem

 

[VolitanLioness]

If you do get a lion just get a feeding stick from your LFs this way you can feed your lion. All of my lions go to one side of my tank for feeding, I use a feeder stick and place silversides, raw shrimp, krill, sand eels and so on...... this way I can avoid the other fish stealing food, I do not have to over feed and I can spot feed each of them.

Try to avoid live FW feeders, that may lead to health issues.........

Kaye

 

[Cutiewitbooty]

I have a dwarf lion in my reef. All that is in there with him at the moment is a blue damsel and a giant cleaner shrimp that is twice the size of my lion. I'm going to buy another tank for the lion though, once he gets bigger.

 

[PupChow]

How many people here has success with mixing cleaner shrimps with the lion? The shrimps are about the same size as the lion body at the moment, but I am hesitant to put them in...

 

[Cutiewitbooty]

as long as the shrimp can't fit in his mouth it should be ok. Thats why i bought a big cleaner shrimp. The cleaner was even cleaning the lion lol

 

[Wolverine]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6936670#post6936670 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by PupChow
How many people here has success with mixing cleaner shrimps with the lion? The shrimps are about the same size as the lion body at the moment, but I am hesitant to put them in...

There are two things that can improve your chances. One is if you have the cleaner shrimp already well established before the lion is in the tank. Also avoid feeding your lionfish ghost shrimp, or he's more likely to recognize the other shrimp as food.

Dave

 

[Cutiewitbooty]

Here is a pic of my lion with my cleaner shrimp, so far no problems lol My damsel was trying to show off in front of the camera

 

[PupChow]

Really nice!

 

[a.fool.for.fish.]

could you keep chromises with lionfish because i would like to get about 7 chromises and i would also like a lion but know that i tihnk about it he may be able to fit them in his mouth lol. i have a 135 gallon and only got a 2" hippo tang and a 2" royal gramma would he eat those guys

o and if i get one i think i wanna go with a small one because i would like to watch him grow

 

[Cutiewitbooty]

depends which lion, a dwarf like i have might not be able to eat the chromis as long as the chromis are bigger than what can fit in his mouth lol

 

[bosborn1]

I have a Russell's Lionfish in my reef. So far hes doing pretty well. Hasn't eaten any other fish or shrimp YET. My solution to the feeding problem has been to hand feed. I don't recommend trying it but I did in order to get the fish to eat frozen food. He was only eatting feeders and would not take anything from the feeder stick. Now the problem is that he will only take food from my hand. I am trying to break him of this because I am sure one of these days I am going to get stung. I did notice that since I added this fish that my skimmer is producing more. I feed a little to much so this probably has something to do with it. Most interesting I think is that he has no interest in going after my clownfish colony. When ever the Lion is hungry he comes to the corner that I always feed in and "begs". I am sure that this behavior won't last for ever and one of these days I am going to be missing clownfish

Scott

 

[a.fool.for.fish.]

man your lion is a beauty how large is he

 

[bosborn1]

Thanks! Little bit larger than six inches. The coloration and fatness probably has to do with my exxcessive feeding although I think that this is the reason that he doesn't stalk his tank mates.

Scott

 

[Psyire]

My Dwarf Lion can eat anything 3/4 the size of it's body. It's quite amazing how big of things they can eat. If you have one, just be careful.