Fish Survey: Volitans Lionfish
- Thread starter Seafan
- Start date
They should live for a very long time!! I have had a beautiful black volitan for several weeks and he is taking silversides. I am going to try other types of frozen-squid, etc-soon.
I bought a 12 gal eclipse and am raising black mollies to feed him. I set this tank up when I got the volitan, as I was not sure if he would take frozen. I am rasing mollies in full salt and feeding marine flake and frozen. I do soak fd krill in ZOE also. They should not be fed fresh water fish, especially goldfish...they need the proper fats, etc from ocean critters.
I bought a 12 gal eclipse and am raising black mollies to feed him. I set this tank up when I got the volitan, as I was not sure if he would take frozen. I am rasing mollies in full salt and feeding marine flake and frozen. I do soak fd krill in ZOE also. They should not be fed fresh water fish, especially goldfish...they need the proper fats, etc from ocean critters.
DrBDC
Active member
I had previously entered into the poll 1-6 months current I believe. We had Simba in my one son's room (then 10, now 12 y/o) and all was well. He was feeding silversides with ease, and about 1X a month I'd go get a molly out of the freshwater tank. He had easily doubled in size over a year. He had eaten a silverside the night before and was looking at me that next morning. I was out running some errands and the Mrs. called and said he was expired. I have no idea what happened. He had a lot of personality, or I imagined he did when he really only wanted food. But either way, he was cool. I no longer have that tank in my son's room so until I have a f/o style tank, I won't be able to try again.
ok, it's been a while since I posted my responses and I needed to edit...
ok, it's been a while since I posted my responses and I needed to edit...
Survey
SELECTION
Did you mail order this fish and would you recommend mail order this fish? Are there captive-raised/bred specimen available and where? Yes and Yes! I lost my first lionfish because I could not ween him off of live foods. My second lion came from Liveaquaria and ate frozen foods immediately. I won't buy a lion from a pet store again. Still haven't heard or read about camptive raised or bread lions.
Any tips on how you picked a healthy specimen of this species from LFS? What do you think is the ideal size to get? I originally grabbed the first one I saw. Although it was very healthy and looked wonderful in my aquarium, I saw one a few weeks later that I LOVED more. A beautiful bright red. My suggestion: BE PATIENT!
Are there any noticeable differences in body shape, pattern or color among the same species or between juvenile and adult of this species? Juvies, from what I've seen have a very small body compared to their wingspan. They also have not developed all of their anal fins from what I've been able to see.
Is there a way to tell the sex of this fish? Not that I'm aware of at this time
ACCLIMATION AND INTRODUCTION
Any special tips about the acclimation and introduction of this fish? Both fish were easy for me to introduce. I drip-acclimated both for about 40 minutes before introducing them to my 75 gallon aquarium.
Any special needs for this fish or special considerations for young specimen? Try to get him to eat krill or other shrimp. He is a predator and he wants to eat other fish. He will if you let him so don't put anything in the tank that will fit in his mouth... ever. Seriously... no live foods.
Should this fish be the first or the last to introduce to a tank? I think it would work either way but I've only experienced introducing the lion first. Both are very territorial. I actually had to capture the first one so he would quit stalking the other fish as I introduced them. After that, he sulked for a couple of weeks, hiding behind rocks even at night time and completely avoiding the other fish, until I gave him a live meal. He then started acting normal like in the beginning. The second lion has been a bit better although there were several inhabitants in there before he was introduced. My final answer, I would suggest introducing them last when possible.
COMPATIBILITY
What tankmates do you have with this fish?Is it a reef or FO tank? It a reef tank. Fish wise, I have had a snowflake eel, coral beauty angel, foxface lo, Hawiian tang, blue tang, scopas tang, hawkfish, and tomato clownfish.
Have you had more than one of this species in the same tank? If so, is there a certain male/female ratio or group number worked for you (to have a harem or pecking order)? Do they school?
Have you had other species of the same genus/family in the same tank? No but I did see a tank with at least 15 lionfish. They did not school during the time I saw them, they were all very to themselves.
What’s the stocking order (considering the above factors) that worked for you? I actually had a dragon goby already established in the aquarium that was eaten three days after I added the lionfish. After that, I added the Coral Beauty. A few weeks later I added all of the other fish listed except the scopas tang which I added last. The scopas gets a long fine with the other tangs despite being added in much later. I did however change the live rock around somewhat when adding the scopas as well as feeding the lionfish a live feeder.
Did this fish hurt/eat any of other fish (or vice versa)? My first lion only ate a dragon goby and feeder fish
Did this fish hurt/eat Cnidaria (corals, mushrooms or anemones)? Never, and I have all of the above
Did this fish hurt/eat ornamental crustaceans (shrimps, hermits, crabs)? Neither of the lions I have had have eaten any hermits. The first lion did devor a peppermint shrimp and a ghost shrimp almost instantly. Anything without a shell is fair game.
FEEDING
How did you get this fish to eat at first? I tried many things with my first lion but I was only able to get him to eat live food. The second Lion will eat ANYTHING and I mean anything. I put in sponge cube occasionally for my angel and he even eats those now.
If this fish only accepted live food, how did you wean it over to prepared food? I wasn't able to wean the first lion away from live foods.
What’s the diet? Freeze dried and frozen Krill. The occasional sponge (not on purpose), mysis and about any other cube I stick in the tank for other fish.
How much and how often do you feed? 1 sm-med fish every 2 weeks (for the first lion). The second lion, I'm feeding once a day or every other day a large piece of krill or two.
How does this fish eat?(grazers, active or sedentary predators, sand sifters, etc) The first lion was a Predator. He would follow his prey and normally attack once the fish turns toward him. The second lion would hit the meal before it hit the water 9 times out of 10.
GROWTH RATE AND LIFE SPAN
What is the initial size of your fish and maximum size it reached? The first Lion grew very little over the several months I had him. I wasn't feeding him quite as frequently. The second lion has nearly tripled in size during the several months I've had him
How fast did it grow (how much growth over a given period of time)? The first one was being fed much less frequently and grew very little. The second is growing at a much faster rate but was also much smaller upon purchase.
What size tank did this fish live in? (or how soon did this fish outgrow what size tank)? I had both in my 75 gallon.
What do you think is the minimum tank size required for an adult specimen of this fish? I think a 75 gallon is plenty of space for a lion. They don't move around much, I think they would be happy with anything larger than 30 gallons as long as they are given a chance to hunt and hide.
If this fish went through body pattern change from juvenile to adult, was the change complete? How long did it take? I'm not sure that I received my current lion when he was a juvenile but the wing span has pretty much stayed the same and only his body has grown.
How long have you kept this fish? If you no longer have this fish, what was the cause? The first lion I got in Jan 07. He died around June 07. I obtained my second Lion around July 07
What is the longest lifespan and the maximum size of this fish in home aquarium and/or in the wild reported? From what I've seen from this survey 20 years!
DISEASE AND TREATMENT
What disease has this fish had? How did you treat it, for how long? What's the effect of the treatment? None other than sudden death due to poor feeding habits.
BEHAVIOR
Does this fish change body color under any circumstances? Yes, sometimes my lion has appeared to be a bright red tint, others a very dark black. Even the white span on his fins appear to change. It also has a lot to do with what corals he is close to.
How active is this fish? Is this fish shy? Neither of my lions were shy. 1 was Very active in the night but hid/remained stationary during the day. He was more than curious whether it be your face at the tank or your hand in the tank, he wants to see what's going on.... not always a good thing... the second lion was out a lot. Even during the day, he slept where he could be seen, typically along side my power head. If a move was made in the tank that was unusual, he was checking it out. He would take food right from your hand if you let him, always hungry!
How territorial or aggressive is this fish? How does this fish interact with tankmates? The first was very calm with his tank mates. He liked to show his aggressiveness off toward his live meals in front of the other fish but he rarely chased or lunged after another fish in the tank. The first lion and the Foxface Lo seem to get along the best but he doesn't chase the other fish off or the eel off when they get close... or, in the eels case, when the eel wraps himself around the lion during feeding time, the lion pays no attention to it. Things were similar with the second lion except he hated the Foxface. He would chase the foxface all over the tank.
Did this fish ever jump out of the tank? Not really. The second lion lunged one time when I was dipping frozen krill into the in-tank refugium to de-ice it before feeding. He apparently wanted right then coming up out of the water and getting stuck on the side of the refugium.
How does this fish sleep? the first was upsidedown or sideways at the top of the tank or under a piece of liverock. I built a nice bridge out of the rock so he normally hung out under the liverock. The second lion normally slept sideways beside the powerhead.
Does this fish allow cleaners to clean? If so which cleaner and how often? I have never seen this happen.
How does this fish interact with human? Lions are not afraid of humans by any means. With the first one I could reach in and do whatever I needed to and he would normally move to another spot in the aquarium. Normally he would come over to see what I'm doing if but then he would go right back to where he was. They second one wanted to be in the middle of all action. It wasn't a good combo for me with the tomato clowns. The female clown would always be biting me when I needed to do stuff in the aquarium, and the lion would just keep getting closer and closer. I could not shoo the second lion away.
Any other interesting observation of this fish? They were very curious when I added new items. They both had to be the first to know what's going on. They both would go up to a new bag that is tossed into the aquarium, whether it was fish or corals. In the case of the first one, if it's a feeder fish or a shrimp, he will sit and wait, sometimes lunging at the fish/shrimp while still in the bag. If it's a new addition that won't fit in his mouth, he'll go look at it and then go back to whatever he was doing.
REPRODUCTION
If you have a mated pair, how did you get them to pair up? N/A
Any information of spawning in captivity? None
SUMMARY
Your overall assessment of this species -
How sensitive is this fish to poor water quality on a scale of 1-5? 1-3, I know 2 and 3 are true. Not sure about 1, hope I never know for sure!
1 - very tolerant, may survive a cycle in a new tank
2 - quite tolerant, may survive accidental ammonia or nitrite spike
3 - not terribly sensitive to reasonable pH, salinity or temperature changes
4 - sensitive to any significant water chemistry changes, and may show stress during such changes
5 - very sensitive to water quality, may easily get stressed and get sick with any change in water chemistry
Would you recommend this fish to beginners? Yes! I was a beginner, still am I guess! This was one of my first fish though and although I lost my first one, I still feel they are very hardy. I don't think pet stores tell you the truth though when it comes to live feeding.
Any other recommendations/comments? I love my Lion!
If you have any picture(s) of this fish you took, please post it here and share with us!
Thanks, good luck with the survey! I look forward to seeing the results!
ok, it's been a while since I posted my responses and I needed to edit...
Survey
SELECTION
Did you mail order this fish and would you recommend mail order this fish? Are there captive-raised/bred specimen available and where? Yes and Yes! I lost my first lionfish because I could not ween him off of live foods. My second lion came from Liveaquaria and ate frozen foods immediately. I won't buy a lion from a pet store again. Still haven't heard or read about camptive raised or bread lions.
Any tips on how you picked a healthy specimen of this species from LFS? What do you think is the ideal size to get? I originally grabbed the first one I saw. Although it was very healthy and looked wonderful in my aquarium, I saw one a few weeks later that I LOVED more. A beautiful bright red. My suggestion: BE PATIENT!
Are there any noticeable differences in body shape, pattern or color among the same species or between juvenile and adult of this species? Juvies, from what I've seen have a very small body compared to their wingspan. They also have not developed all of their anal fins from what I've been able to see.
Is there a way to tell the sex of this fish? Not that I'm aware of at this time
ACCLIMATION AND INTRODUCTION
Any special tips about the acclimation and introduction of this fish? Both fish were easy for me to introduce. I drip-acclimated both for about 40 minutes before introducing them to my 75 gallon aquarium.
Any special needs for this fish or special considerations for young specimen? Try to get him to eat krill or other shrimp. He is a predator and he wants to eat other fish. He will if you let him so don't put anything in the tank that will fit in his mouth... ever. Seriously... no live foods.
Should this fish be the first or the last to introduce to a tank? I think it would work either way but I've only experienced introducing the lion first. Both are very territorial. I actually had to capture the first one so he would quit stalking the other fish as I introduced them. After that, he sulked for a couple of weeks, hiding behind rocks even at night time and completely avoiding the other fish, until I gave him a live meal. He then started acting normal like in the beginning. The second lion has been a bit better although there were several inhabitants in there before he was introduced. My final answer, I would suggest introducing them last when possible.
COMPATIBILITY
What tankmates do you have with this fish?Is it a reef or FO tank? It a reef tank. Fish wise, I have had a snowflake eel, coral beauty angel, foxface lo, Hawiian tang, blue tang, scopas tang, hawkfish, and tomato clownfish.
Have you had more than one of this species in the same tank? If so, is there a certain male/female ratio or group number worked for you (to have a harem or pecking order)? Do they school?
Have you had other species of the same genus/family in the same tank? No but I did see a tank with at least 15 lionfish. They did not school during the time I saw them, they were all very to themselves.
What’s the stocking order (considering the above factors) that worked for you? I actually had a dragon goby already established in the aquarium that was eaten three days after I added the lionfish. After that, I added the Coral Beauty. A few weeks later I added all of the other fish listed except the scopas tang which I added last. The scopas gets a long fine with the other tangs despite being added in much later. I did however change the live rock around somewhat when adding the scopas as well as feeding the lionfish a live feeder.
Did this fish hurt/eat any of other fish (or vice versa)? My first lion only ate a dragon goby and feeder fish
Did this fish hurt/eat Cnidaria (corals, mushrooms or anemones)? Never, and I have all of the above
Did this fish hurt/eat ornamental crustaceans (shrimps, hermits, crabs)? Neither of the lions I have had have eaten any hermits. The first lion did devor a peppermint shrimp and a ghost shrimp almost instantly. Anything without a shell is fair game.
FEEDING
How did you get this fish to eat at first? I tried many things with my first lion but I was only able to get him to eat live food. The second Lion will eat ANYTHING and I mean anything. I put in sponge cube occasionally for my angel and he even eats those now.
If this fish only accepted live food, how did you wean it over to prepared food? I wasn't able to wean the first lion away from live foods.
What’s the diet? Freeze dried and frozen Krill. The occasional sponge (not on purpose), mysis and about any other cube I stick in the tank for other fish.
How much and how often do you feed? 1 sm-med fish every 2 weeks (for the first lion). The second lion, I'm feeding once a day or every other day a large piece of krill or two.
How does this fish eat?(grazers, active or sedentary predators, sand sifters, etc) The first lion was a Predator. He would follow his prey and normally attack once the fish turns toward him. The second lion would hit the meal before it hit the water 9 times out of 10.
GROWTH RATE AND LIFE SPAN
What is the initial size of your fish and maximum size it reached? The first Lion grew very little over the several months I had him. I wasn't feeding him quite as frequently. The second lion has nearly tripled in size during the several months I've had him
How fast did it grow (how much growth over a given period of time)? The first one was being fed much less frequently and grew very little. The second is growing at a much faster rate but was also much smaller upon purchase.
What size tank did this fish live in? (or how soon did this fish outgrow what size tank)? I had both in my 75 gallon.
What do you think is the minimum tank size required for an adult specimen of this fish? I think a 75 gallon is plenty of space for a lion. They don't move around much, I think they would be happy with anything larger than 30 gallons as long as they are given a chance to hunt and hide.
If this fish went through body pattern change from juvenile to adult, was the change complete? How long did it take? I'm not sure that I received my current lion when he was a juvenile but the wing span has pretty much stayed the same and only his body has grown.
How long have you kept this fish? If you no longer have this fish, what was the cause? The first lion I got in Jan 07. He died around June 07. I obtained my second Lion around July 07
What is the longest lifespan and the maximum size of this fish in home aquarium and/or in the wild reported? From what I've seen from this survey 20 years!
DISEASE AND TREATMENT
What disease has this fish had? How did you treat it, for how long? What's the effect of the treatment? None other than sudden death due to poor feeding habits.
BEHAVIOR
Does this fish change body color under any circumstances? Yes, sometimes my lion has appeared to be a bright red tint, others a very dark black. Even the white span on his fins appear to change. It also has a lot to do with what corals he is close to.
How active is this fish? Is this fish shy? Neither of my lions were shy. 1 was Very active in the night but hid/remained stationary during the day. He was more than curious whether it be your face at the tank or your hand in the tank, he wants to see what's going on.... not always a good thing... the second lion was out a lot. Even during the day, he slept where he could be seen, typically along side my power head. If a move was made in the tank that was unusual, he was checking it out. He would take food right from your hand if you let him, always hungry!
How territorial or aggressive is this fish? How does this fish interact with tankmates? The first was very calm with his tank mates. He liked to show his aggressiveness off toward his live meals in front of the other fish but he rarely chased or lunged after another fish in the tank. The first lion and the Foxface Lo seem to get along the best but he doesn't chase the other fish off or the eel off when they get close... or, in the eels case, when the eel wraps himself around the lion during feeding time, the lion pays no attention to it. Things were similar with the second lion except he hated the Foxface. He would chase the foxface all over the tank.
Did this fish ever jump out of the tank? Not really. The second lion lunged one time when I was dipping frozen krill into the in-tank refugium to de-ice it before feeding. He apparently wanted right then coming up out of the water and getting stuck on the side of the refugium.
How does this fish sleep? the first was upsidedown or sideways at the top of the tank or under a piece of liverock. I built a nice bridge out of the rock so he normally hung out under the liverock. The second lion normally slept sideways beside the powerhead.
Does this fish allow cleaners to clean? If so which cleaner and how often? I have never seen this happen.
How does this fish interact with human? Lions are not afraid of humans by any means. With the first one I could reach in and do whatever I needed to and he would normally move to another spot in the aquarium. Normally he would come over to see what I'm doing if but then he would go right back to where he was. They second one wanted to be in the middle of all action. It wasn't a good combo for me with the tomato clowns. The female clown would always be biting me when I needed to do stuff in the aquarium, and the lion would just keep getting closer and closer. I could not shoo the second lion away.
Any other interesting observation of this fish? They were very curious when I added new items. They both had to be the first to know what's going on. They both would go up to a new bag that is tossed into the aquarium, whether it was fish or corals. In the case of the first one, if it's a feeder fish or a shrimp, he will sit and wait, sometimes lunging at the fish/shrimp while still in the bag. If it's a new addition that won't fit in his mouth, he'll go look at it and then go back to whatever he was doing.
REPRODUCTION
If you have a mated pair, how did you get them to pair up? N/A
Any information of spawning in captivity? None
SUMMARY
Your overall assessment of this species -
How sensitive is this fish to poor water quality on a scale of 1-5? 1-3, I know 2 and 3 are true. Not sure about 1, hope I never know for sure!
1 - very tolerant, may survive a cycle in a new tank
2 - quite tolerant, may survive accidental ammonia or nitrite spike
3 - not terribly sensitive to reasonable pH, salinity or temperature changes
4 - sensitive to any significant water chemistry changes, and may show stress during such changes
5 - very sensitive to water quality, may easily get stressed and get sick with any change in water chemistry
Would you recommend this fish to beginners? Yes! I was a beginner, still am I guess! This was one of my first fish though and although I lost my first one, I still feel they are very hardy. I don't think pet stores tell you the truth though when it comes to live feeding.
Any other recommendations/comments? I love my Lion!
If you have any picture(s) of this fish you took, please post it here and share with us!
Thanks, good luck with the survey! I look forward to seeing the results!
Last edited:
SELECTION
Did you mail order this fish and would you recommend mail order this fish? Are there captive-raised/bred specimen available and where?
I got one from petco and one from another hobbyist. Both wild.
Any tips on how you picked a healthy specimen of this species from LFS? What do you think is the ideal size to get?
I got both at around 3" for the body and they're both doing great. The larger ones at the pet stores are typically the ones that look worse off.
Are there any noticeable differences in body shape, pattern or color among the same species or between juvenile and adult of this species?
The juvenile is a lot darker has longer horns, the overall body shape is a little different too (older = fatter, like humans
)
ACCLIMATION AND INTRODUCTION
Any special tips about the acclimation and introduction of this fish?
Any special needs for this fish or special considerations for young specimen?
They're pretty hardy, I've moved one through three tanks and the other through two, and they acclimate pretty darn well.
Should this fish be the first or the last to introduce to a tank?
Last, because if you feed them with live feeders or a wiggle stick, they automatically attack anything moving.
COMPATIBILITY
What tankmates do you have with this fish?Is it a reef or FO tank?
Have you had more than one of this species in the same tank? If so, is there a certain male/female ratio or group number worked for you (to have a harem or pecking order)? Do they school?
Have you had other species of the same genus/family in the same tank?
I have two volitans living fine, they like to hang out on the same rock (whichever the rock of the hour happens to be). I don't know gender. I had the little one with a large clownfish too large for it to eat, but it still chased it. The smaller one loves to hang out with my porcupine puffer.
Did this fish hurt/eat any of other fish (or vice versa)?
Feeders, at first lunged at smaller lionfish but only initial reaction was hostile.
Did this fish hurt/eat Cnidaria (corals, mushrooms or anemones)?
It ignored my condylactis.
Did this fish hurt/eat ornamental crustaceans (shrimps, hermits, crabs)?
nope
FEEDING
How did you get this fish to eat at first?
Garlic and wiggled frozen shrimp.
If this fish only accepted live food, how did you wean it over to prepared food?
Garlic powder
What’s the diet?
Shrimp
How much and how often do you feed?
7/ a week, but not every day
How does this fish eat?(grazers, active or sedentary predators, sand sifters, etc)
GROWTH RATE AND LIFE SPAN
What is the initial size of your fish and maximum size it reached?
from 3" to 5.5"
How fast did it grow (how much growth over a given period of time)?
In three months
What size tank did this fish live in? (or how soon did this fish outgrow what size tank)? What do you think is the minimum tank size required for an adult specimen of this fish?
At first a 20 long, but it outgrew it, it's now in a 110
If this fish went through body pattern change from juvenile to adult, was the change complete? How long did it take?
How long have you kept this fish? If you no longer have this fish, what was the cause?
What is the longest lifespan and the maximum size of this fish in home aquarium and/or in the wild reported?
DISEASE AND TREATMENT
What disease has this fish had? How did you treat it, for how long? What's the effect of the treatment?
Seems ich resistant, my tang is the only one who ever got it.
BEHAVIOR
Does this fish change body color under any circumstances?
turns light when unhealthy (poor water quality, hungry)
How active is this fish? Is this fish shy?
Crazy active, moving all the time.
How territorial or aggressive is this fish? How does this fish interact with tankmates?
non-territorial, very aggresive
Did this fish ever jump out of the tank?
too much air resistance, I'm guessing
How does this fish sleep?
sideways on rocks
Does this fish allow cleaners to clean? If so which cleaner and how often?
How does this fish interact with human?
follows me around the room, will swim up to surface if he sees me thawing shrimp (next to the sink with water on)
Any other interesting observation of this fish?
REPRODUCTION
If you have a mated pair, how did you get them to pair up?
Any information of spawning in captivity?
SUMMARY
Your overall assessment of this species -
How sensitive is this fish to poor water quality on a scale of 1-5?
1 - very tolerant, may survive a cycle in a new tank
2 - quite tolerant, may survive accidental ammonia or nitrite spike
Would you recommend this fish to beginners?
Definitely maybe
Did you mail order this fish and would you recommend mail order this fish? Are there captive-raised/bred specimen available and where?
I got one from petco and one from another hobbyist. Both wild.
Any tips on how you picked a healthy specimen of this species from LFS? What do you think is the ideal size to get?
I got both at around 3" for the body and they're both doing great. The larger ones at the pet stores are typically the ones that look worse off.
Are there any noticeable differences in body shape, pattern or color among the same species or between juvenile and adult of this species?
The juvenile is a lot darker has longer horns, the overall body shape is a little different too (older = fatter, like humans
)ACCLIMATION AND INTRODUCTION
Any special tips about the acclimation and introduction of this fish?
Any special needs for this fish or special considerations for young specimen?
They're pretty hardy, I've moved one through three tanks and the other through two, and they acclimate pretty darn well.
Should this fish be the first or the last to introduce to a tank?
Last, because if you feed them with live feeders or a wiggle stick, they automatically attack anything moving.
COMPATIBILITY
What tankmates do you have with this fish?Is it a reef or FO tank?
Have you had more than one of this species in the same tank? If so, is there a certain male/female ratio or group number worked for you (to have a harem or pecking order)? Do they school?
Have you had other species of the same genus/family in the same tank?
I have two volitans living fine, they like to hang out on the same rock (whichever the rock of the hour happens to be). I don't know gender. I had the little one with a large clownfish too large for it to eat, but it still chased it. The smaller one loves to hang out with my porcupine puffer.
Did this fish hurt/eat any of other fish (or vice versa)?
Feeders, at first lunged at smaller lionfish but only initial reaction was hostile.
Did this fish hurt/eat Cnidaria (corals, mushrooms or anemones)?
It ignored my condylactis.
Did this fish hurt/eat ornamental crustaceans (shrimps, hermits, crabs)?
nope
FEEDING
How did you get this fish to eat at first?
Garlic and wiggled frozen shrimp.
If this fish only accepted live food, how did you wean it over to prepared food?
Garlic powder
What’s the diet?
Shrimp
How much and how often do you feed?
7/ a week, but not every day
How does this fish eat?(grazers, active or sedentary predators, sand sifters, etc)
GROWTH RATE AND LIFE SPAN
What is the initial size of your fish and maximum size it reached?
from 3" to 5.5"
How fast did it grow (how much growth over a given period of time)?
In three months
What size tank did this fish live in? (or how soon did this fish outgrow what size tank)? What do you think is the minimum tank size required for an adult specimen of this fish?
At first a 20 long, but it outgrew it, it's now in a 110
If this fish went through body pattern change from juvenile to adult, was the change complete? How long did it take?
How long have you kept this fish? If you no longer have this fish, what was the cause?
What is the longest lifespan and the maximum size of this fish in home aquarium and/or in the wild reported?
DISEASE AND TREATMENT
What disease has this fish had? How did you treat it, for how long? What's the effect of the treatment?
Seems ich resistant, my tang is the only one who ever got it.
BEHAVIOR
Does this fish change body color under any circumstances?
turns light when unhealthy (poor water quality, hungry)
How active is this fish? Is this fish shy?
Crazy active, moving all the time.
How territorial or aggressive is this fish? How does this fish interact with tankmates?
non-territorial, very aggresive
Did this fish ever jump out of the tank?
too much air resistance, I'm guessing
How does this fish sleep?
sideways on rocks
Does this fish allow cleaners to clean? If so which cleaner and how often?
How does this fish interact with human?
follows me around the room, will swim up to surface if he sees me thawing shrimp (next to the sink with water on)
Any other interesting observation of this fish?
REPRODUCTION
If you have a mated pair, how did you get them to pair up?
Any information of spawning in captivity?
SUMMARY
Your overall assessment of this species -
How sensitive is this fish to poor water quality on a scale of 1-5?
1 - very tolerant, may survive a cycle in a new tank
2 - quite tolerant, may survive accidental ammonia or nitrite spike
Would you recommend this fish to beginners?
Definitely maybe
Death Shrimp99
Member
Theres a small Volitans at my LFS and I saw it eating pellets and flakefood. It has been there for about a month now. Is it better to buy a fish right after the fish store gets it or one that they have had for a while?
Are Lionfish necessarily less agressive/(likely to eat tankmates) if fed non-live food and more agressive if they are always fed live food or does it not really make a difference? If a Lionfish is fed only pellets or flakefood for a long time will they refuse to eat live food?(I can get live saltwater/brackish fish and shrimp nearby)
Are Lionfish necessarily less agressive/(likely to eat tankmates) if fed non-live food and more agressive if they are always fed live food or does it not really make a difference? If a Lionfish is fed only pellets or flakefood for a long time will they refuse to eat live food?(I can get live saltwater/brackish fish and shrimp nearby)
Racin&Reefin
New member
I bought a small Volitans at my LFS and put it in a 29 gallon tank with a puffer. He had been at the store for 3 weeks and seemed healthy. We loved him. He would eat frozen shrimp giving it a little wiggle in front of him and would always come by and see us when we walked up to the tank. He ignored the smalll corals we had with him and he hung out with the puffer. everything seemed to be going great and I woke up yesterday and he was dead. I immediately checked the water and all parameters tested in spec. We're really disappointed. We .loved that fish...
jcorritore
New member
OK here goes, I was feeding my lion with frozen shrimp, and he/she violently gulped at it and missed. Now the upper jaw/lip is extended and will not retract. Anybody seen this before or am I the first. He has tried to extended it and get it to snap back but no luck so far. I am thinking to leave him alone for a day or two to see what happens then try to net him and pop it back. that is my last resort. He can not eat tha way he is. Any help would be appreciated. i would start a thread but can't. Thanks Joe
SELECTION
Did you mail order this fish and would you recommend mail order this fish? NO
Are there captive-raised/bred specimen available and where? idk
Any tips on how you picked a healthy specimen of this species from LFS? Most of the time they are sorta lying down or hiding. You need to pick one thats up and about . Not boring or you will be disapointed
What do you think is the ideal size to get? i would try to get the smallest they grow quick
Are there any noticeable differences in body shape, pattern or color among the same species or between juvenile and adult of this species? How they act a full grown one is very bold and is king of the jungle when i had mine when he was little he was scared of my maroon clown.
Is there a way to tell the sex of this fish? idk
ACCLIMATION AND INTRODUCTION
Any special tips about the acclimation and introduction of this fish? yes if you bag float him be careful because i don't recommend because they have sharp spines that may pop the bag
Any special needs for this fish or special considerations for young specimen? For young i would try to feed him ghost shrimp in a net wave it in front of him and then when he grows up put krill in it mine wouldn't eat krill when he was little.
Should this fish be the first or the last to introduce to a tank? I would probabely put him last unless the fish you put in after him are bigger or he'll think there food
COMPATIBILITY
What tankmates do you have with this fish?Is it a reef or FO tank? I had a cleaner shrimp in with him no problem.any trigger and puffer besides valentini or any tobys he'll eat him he ate my pink spot
Have you had more than one of this species in the same tank? If so, is there a certain male/female ratio or group number worked for you (to have a harem or pecking order)? Do they school? no and idk i had a volitan
Have you had other species of the same genus/family in the same tank? no
What’s the stocking order (considering the above factors) that worked for you?
Did this fish hurt/eat any of other fish (or vice versa)? ate my valentini he tried nipping the lionfish and he ate him
Did this fish hurt/eat Cnidaria (corals, mushrooms or anemones)? never had experience with them
Did this fish hurt/eat ornamental crustaceans (shrimps, hermits, crabs)? no had a cleaner shrimp it cleaned him
FEEDING
How did you get this fish to eat at first? Ghost feeder shrimp
If this fish only accepted live food, how did you wean it over to prepared food? I got a net put ghost shrimp in when he was a baby and ate it out of it and switched it with krill and mysis and he ate it
What’s the diet?
How much and how often do you feed? morning and night
How does this fish eat?(grazers, active or sedentary predators, sand sifters, etc) Comes up when food is in tank
GROWTH RATE AND LIFE SPAN
What is the initial size of your fish and maximum size it reached? He got big to big had to bring him back How fast did it grow (how much growth over a given period of time)? had him since he was little and grew in a 1 and a half had in a 125 gallon fowlr
What size tank did this fish live in? (or how soon did this fish outgrow what size tank)? fowlr What do you think is the minimum tank size required for an adult specimen of this fish? 100 gallon works mine just got huge around 1' 11'' huge and he just got to big and ate alot of my fish
If this fish went through body pattern change from juvenile to adult, was the change complete? How long did it take? 1-2 year
How long have you kept this fish? If you no longer have this fish, what was the cause? He got to big and ate alot
What is the longest lifespan and the maximum size of this fish in home aquarium and/or in the wild reported? idk
DISEASE AND TREATMENT
What disease has this fish had? How did you treat it, for how long? What's the effect of the treatment? healthy fat fish
BEHAVIOR
Does this fish change body color under any circumstances? no
How active is this fish? Is this fish shy? alot are lazy mine loved to kill stuff
How territorial or aggressive is this fish? How does this fish interact with tankmates? bad when they try to take food
Did this fish ever jump out of the tank? no
How does this fish sleep? in a cave
Does this fish allow cleaners to clean? If so which cleaner and how often? when ever my cleaner shrimp did all the time
How does this fish interact with human? hand feed him no problem
Any other interesting observation of this fish? fast grabbers of food
REPRODUCTION
If you have a mated pair, how did you get them to pair up?
Any information of spawning in captivity? no
SUMMARY
Your overall assessment of this species - 1
How sensitive is this fish to poor water quality on a scale of 1-5?
1 - very tolerant, may survive a cycle in a new tank
2 - quite tolerant, may survive accidental ammonia or nitrite spike
3 - not terribly sensitive to reasonable pH, salinity or temperature changes
4 - sensitive to any significant water chemistry changes, and may show stress during such changes
5 - very sensitive to water quality, may easily get stressed and get sick with any change in water chemistry
Would you recommend this fish to beginners? yes
Did you mail order this fish and would you recommend mail order this fish? NO
Are there captive-raised/bred specimen available and where? idk
Any tips on how you picked a healthy specimen of this species from LFS? Most of the time they are sorta lying down or hiding. You need to pick one thats up and about . Not boring or you will be disapointed
What do you think is the ideal size to get? i would try to get the smallest they grow quick
Are there any noticeable differences in body shape, pattern or color among the same species or between juvenile and adult of this species? How they act a full grown one is very bold and is king of the jungle when i had mine when he was little he was scared of my maroon clown.
Is there a way to tell the sex of this fish? idk
ACCLIMATION AND INTRODUCTION
Any special tips about the acclimation and introduction of this fish? yes if you bag float him be careful because i don't recommend because they have sharp spines that may pop the bag
Any special needs for this fish or special considerations for young specimen? For young i would try to feed him ghost shrimp in a net wave it in front of him and then when he grows up put krill in it mine wouldn't eat krill when he was little.
Should this fish be the first or the last to introduce to a tank? I would probabely put him last unless the fish you put in after him are bigger or he'll think there food
COMPATIBILITY
What tankmates do you have with this fish?Is it a reef or FO tank? I had a cleaner shrimp in with him no problem.any trigger and puffer besides valentini or any tobys he'll eat him he ate my pink spot
Have you had more than one of this species in the same tank? If so, is there a certain male/female ratio or group number worked for you (to have a harem or pecking order)? Do they school? no and idk i had a volitan
Have you had other species of the same genus/family in the same tank? no
What’s the stocking order (considering the above factors) that worked for you?
Did this fish hurt/eat any of other fish (or vice versa)? ate my valentini he tried nipping the lionfish and he ate him
Did this fish hurt/eat Cnidaria (corals, mushrooms or anemones)? never had experience with them
Did this fish hurt/eat ornamental crustaceans (shrimps, hermits, crabs)? no had a cleaner shrimp it cleaned him
FEEDING
How did you get this fish to eat at first? Ghost feeder shrimp
If this fish only accepted live food, how did you wean it over to prepared food? I got a net put ghost shrimp in when he was a baby and ate it out of it and switched it with krill and mysis and he ate it
What’s the diet?
How much and how often do you feed? morning and night
How does this fish eat?(grazers, active or sedentary predators, sand sifters, etc) Comes up when food is in tank
GROWTH RATE AND LIFE SPAN
What is the initial size of your fish and maximum size it reached? He got big to big had to bring him back How fast did it grow (how much growth over a given period of time)? had him since he was little and grew in a 1 and a half had in a 125 gallon fowlr
What size tank did this fish live in? (or how soon did this fish outgrow what size tank)? fowlr What do you think is the minimum tank size required for an adult specimen of this fish? 100 gallon works mine just got huge around 1' 11'' huge and he just got to big and ate alot of my fish
If this fish went through body pattern change from juvenile to adult, was the change complete? How long did it take? 1-2 year
How long have you kept this fish? If you no longer have this fish, what was the cause? He got to big and ate alot
What is the longest lifespan and the maximum size of this fish in home aquarium and/or in the wild reported? idk
DISEASE AND TREATMENT
What disease has this fish had? How did you treat it, for how long? What's the effect of the treatment? healthy fat fish
BEHAVIOR
Does this fish change body color under any circumstances? no
How active is this fish? Is this fish shy? alot are lazy mine loved to kill stuff
How territorial or aggressive is this fish? How does this fish interact with tankmates? bad when they try to take food
Did this fish ever jump out of the tank? no
How does this fish sleep? in a cave
Does this fish allow cleaners to clean? If so which cleaner and how often? when ever my cleaner shrimp did all the time
How does this fish interact with human? hand feed him no problem
Any other interesting observation of this fish? fast grabbers of food
REPRODUCTION
If you have a mated pair, how did you get them to pair up?
Any information of spawning in captivity? no
SUMMARY
Your overall assessment of this species - 1
How sensitive is this fish to poor water quality on a scale of 1-5?
1 - very tolerant, may survive a cycle in a new tank
2 - quite tolerant, may survive accidental ammonia or nitrite spike
3 - not terribly sensitive to reasonable pH, salinity or temperature changes
4 - sensitive to any significant water chemistry changes, and may show stress during such changes
5 - very sensitive to water quality, may easily get stressed and get sick with any change in water chemistry
Would you recommend this fish to beginners? yes
SELECTION
Did you mail order this fish and would you recommend mail order this fish? NO
Are there captive-raised/bred specimen available and where? idk
Any tips on how you picked a healthy specimen of this species from LFS? Most of the time they are sorta lying down or hiding. You need to pick one thats up and about . Not boring or you will be disapointed
What do you think is the ideal size to get? i would try to get the smallest they grow quick
Are there any noticeable differences in body shape, pattern or color among the same species or between juvenile and adult of this species? How they act a full grown one is very bold and is king of the jungle when i had mine when he was little he was scared of my maroon clown.
Is there a way to tell the sex of this fish? idk
ACCLIMATION AND INTRODUCTION
Any special tips about the acclimation and introduction of this fish? yes if you bag float him be careful because i don't recommend because they have sharp spines that may pop the bag
Any special needs for this fish or special considerations for young specimen? For young i would try to feed him ghost shrimp in a net wave it in front of him and then when he grows up put krill in it mine wouldn't eat krill when he was little.
Should this fish be the first or the last to introduce to a tank? I would probabely put him last unless the fish you put in after him are bigger or he'll think there food
COMPATIBILITY
What tankmates do you have with this fish?Is it a reef or FO tank? I had a cleaner shrimp in with him no problem.any trigger and puffer besides valentini or any tobys he'll eat him he ate my pink spot
Have you had more than one of this species in the same tank? If so, is there a certain male/female ratio or group number worked for you (to have a harem or pecking order)? Do they school? no and idk i had a volitan
Have you had other species of the same genus/family in the same tank? no
What’s the stocking order (considering the above factors) that worked for you?
Did this fish hurt/eat any of other fish (or vice versa)? ate my valentini he tried nipping the lionfish and he ate him
Did this fish hurt/eat Cnidaria (corals, mushrooms or anemones)? never had experience with them
Did this fish hurt/eat ornamental crustaceans (shrimps, hermits, crabs)? no had a cleaner shrimp it cleaned him
FEEDING
How did you get this fish to eat at first? Ghost feeder shrimp
If this fish only accepted live food, how did you wean it over to prepared food? I got a net put ghost shrimp in when he was a baby and ate it out of it and switched it with krill and mysis and he ate it
What’s the diet?
How much and how often do you feed? morning and night
How does this fish eat?(grazers, active or sedentary predators, sand sifters, etc) Comes up when food is in tank
GROWTH RATE AND LIFE SPAN
What is the initial size of your fish and maximum size it reached? He got big to big had to bring him back How fast did it grow (how much growth over a given period of time)? had him since he was little and grew in a 1 and a half had in a 125 gallon fowlr
What size tank did this fish live in? (or how soon did this fish outgrow what size tank)? fowlr What do you think is the minimum tank size required for an adult specimen of this fish? 100 gallon works mine just got huge around 1' 11'' huge and he just got to big and ate alot of my fish
If this fish went through body pattern change from juvenile to adult, was the change complete? How long did it take? 1-2 year
How long have you kept this fish? If you no longer have this fish, what was the cause? He got to big and ate alot
What is the longest lifespan and the maximum size of this fish in home aquarium and/or in the wild reported? idk
DISEASE AND TREATMENT
What disease has this fish had? How did you treat it, for how long? What's the effect of the treatment? healthy fat fish
BEHAVIOR
Does this fish change body color under any circumstances? no
How active is this fish? Is this fish shy? alot are lazy mine loved to kill stuff
How territorial or aggressive is this fish? How does this fish interact with tankmates? bad when they try to take food
Did this fish ever jump out of the tank? no
How does this fish sleep? in a cave
Does this fish allow cleaners to clean? If so which cleaner and how often? when ever my cleaner shrimp did all the time
How does this fish interact with human? hand feed him no problem
Any other interesting observation of this fish? fast grabbers of food
REPRODUCTION
If you have a mated pair, how did you get them to pair up?
Any information of spawning in captivity? no
SUMMARY
Your overall assessment of this species - 1
How sensitive is this fish to poor water quality on a scale of 1-5?
1 - very tolerant, may survive a cycle in a new tank
2 - quite tolerant, may survive accidental ammonia or nitrite spike
3 - not terribly sensitive to reasonable pH, salinity or temperature changes
4 - sensitive to any significant water chemistry changes, and may show stress during such changes
5 - very sensitive to water quality, may easily get stressed and get sick with any change in water chemistry
Would you recommend this fish to beginners? yes
Did you mail order this fish and would you recommend mail order this fish? NO
Are there captive-raised/bred specimen available and where? idk
Any tips on how you picked a healthy specimen of this species from LFS? Most of the time they are sorta lying down or hiding. You need to pick one thats up and about . Not boring or you will be disapointed
What do you think is the ideal size to get? i would try to get the smallest they grow quick
Are there any noticeable differences in body shape, pattern or color among the same species or between juvenile and adult of this species? How they act a full grown one is very bold and is king of the jungle when i had mine when he was little he was scared of my maroon clown.
Is there a way to tell the sex of this fish? idk
ACCLIMATION AND INTRODUCTION
Any special tips about the acclimation and introduction of this fish? yes if you bag float him be careful because i don't recommend because they have sharp spines that may pop the bag
Any special needs for this fish or special considerations for young specimen? For young i would try to feed him ghost shrimp in a net wave it in front of him and then when he grows up put krill in it mine wouldn't eat krill when he was little.
Should this fish be the first or the last to introduce to a tank? I would probabely put him last unless the fish you put in after him are bigger or he'll think there food
COMPATIBILITY
What tankmates do you have with this fish?Is it a reef or FO tank? I had a cleaner shrimp in with him no problem.any trigger and puffer besides valentini or any tobys he'll eat him he ate my pink spot
Have you had more than one of this species in the same tank? If so, is there a certain male/female ratio or group number worked for you (to have a harem or pecking order)? Do they school? no and idk i had a volitan
Have you had other species of the same genus/family in the same tank? no
What’s the stocking order (considering the above factors) that worked for you?
Did this fish hurt/eat any of other fish (or vice versa)? ate my valentini he tried nipping the lionfish and he ate him
Did this fish hurt/eat Cnidaria (corals, mushrooms or anemones)? never had experience with them
Did this fish hurt/eat ornamental crustaceans (shrimps, hermits, crabs)? no had a cleaner shrimp it cleaned him
FEEDING
How did you get this fish to eat at first? Ghost feeder shrimp
If this fish only accepted live food, how did you wean it over to prepared food? I got a net put ghost shrimp in when he was a baby and ate it out of it and switched it with krill and mysis and he ate it
What’s the diet?
How much and how often do you feed? morning and night
How does this fish eat?(grazers, active or sedentary predators, sand sifters, etc) Comes up when food is in tank
GROWTH RATE AND LIFE SPAN
What is the initial size of your fish and maximum size it reached? He got big to big had to bring him back How fast did it grow (how much growth over a given period of time)? had him since he was little and grew in a 1 and a half had in a 125 gallon fowlr
What size tank did this fish live in? (or how soon did this fish outgrow what size tank)? fowlr What do you think is the minimum tank size required for an adult specimen of this fish? 100 gallon works mine just got huge around 1' 11'' huge and he just got to big and ate alot of my fish
If this fish went through body pattern change from juvenile to adult, was the change complete? How long did it take? 1-2 year
How long have you kept this fish? If you no longer have this fish, what was the cause? He got to big and ate alot
What is the longest lifespan and the maximum size of this fish in home aquarium and/or in the wild reported? idk
DISEASE AND TREATMENT
What disease has this fish had? How did you treat it, for how long? What's the effect of the treatment? healthy fat fish
BEHAVIOR
Does this fish change body color under any circumstances? no
How active is this fish? Is this fish shy? alot are lazy mine loved to kill stuff
How territorial or aggressive is this fish? How does this fish interact with tankmates? bad when they try to take food
Did this fish ever jump out of the tank? no
How does this fish sleep? in a cave
Does this fish allow cleaners to clean? If so which cleaner and how often? when ever my cleaner shrimp did all the time
How does this fish interact with human? hand feed him no problem
Any other interesting observation of this fish? fast grabbers of food
REPRODUCTION
If you have a mated pair, how did you get them to pair up?
Any information of spawning in captivity? no
SUMMARY
Your overall assessment of this species - 1
How sensitive is this fish to poor water quality on a scale of 1-5?
1 - very tolerant, may survive a cycle in a new tank
2 - quite tolerant, may survive accidental ammonia or nitrite spike
3 - not terribly sensitive to reasonable pH, salinity or temperature changes
4 - sensitive to any significant water chemistry changes, and may show stress during such changes
5 - very sensitive to water quality, may easily get stressed and get sick with any change in water chemistry
Would you recommend this fish to beginners? yes
norgemorir
New member
@Death Shrimp99
I weaned mine off goldfish (from a previous owner) to silversides and I'd say there's no change in his appetite.. I watch him eye the silversides as they float around and I get the feeling he's trying to talk himself into believing they're alive He won't touch them once they hit the rock or substrate. I can feed saltwater guppies every once in a while for a treat and by the next feeding he still doesn't hesitate to go back to the silversides, including eating them off the chopsticks.
He won't touch pellets or flake though.
I weaned mine off goldfish (from a previous owner) to silversides and I'd say there's no change in his appetite.. I watch him eye the silversides as they float around and I get the feeling he's trying to talk himself into believing they're alive
He won't touch them once they hit the rock or substrate. I can feed saltwater guppies every once in a while for a treat and by the next feeding he still doesn't hesitate to go back to the silversides, including eating them off the chopsticks.He won't touch pellets or flake though.
evojoe67
New member
I've had my Volitans since May. Not really sure of the exact growth rate since getting him initially, but i'd day he almost doubled in size.
I've got him in a tank with a Fu Manchu and a Lunar wrasse, which is a fish i would not recomend.
The V. Lion is such a peaceful fish with an awesome almost dog like personality. When i sit next to the tank he hovers over next to where i'm sitting and stares at me with such expression in his eyes. It's incredible. He knows me when i walk into the room and comes to the front of the tank as if to say "hi"!
I just added a Picasso Trigger and a Miniatus Grouper to the tank. The Lion was very accepting of these new additions and really just keeps to himself.
If i were to approximate, i'd say it's "wingspan" is about a foot wide.
I've got him in a tank with a Fu Manchu and a Lunar wrasse, which is a fish i would not recomend.
The V. Lion is such a peaceful fish with an awesome almost dog like personality. When i sit next to the tank he hovers over next to where i'm sitting and stares at me with such expression in his eyes. It's incredible. He knows me when i walk into the room and comes to the front of the tank as if to say "hi"!
I just added a Picasso Trigger and a Miniatus Grouper to the tank. The Lion was very accepting of these new additions and really just keeps to himself.
If i were to approximate, i'd say it's "wingspan" is about a foot wide.
is it just me or does everyone think all the tank sizes recommended are far too small? a fish that gets 12"-18" in a 115g? a 75? 55!!!? what a horrid existence. i would have thought a 180 absolute min. as wide as the fins spread it shoul be in a tank min 30' wide (front to back) IMO. that or stick some reversing sensors to it, unless you like the restaurant look in which case i'll have the red one with chips!
sacremon
New member
I think 18" would be an extreme case, more likely 12"-14". They are slow swimmers and like caves, so having their fins brush up against something is not unusual for them. Mine likes to perch braced between the rocks of his cave and the wall of the aquarium. I wouldn't go with anything less than roughly 90 gallons for the sake of space and maintaining water quality.
whatcaneyedo
Member
SELECTION
Did you mail order this fish and would you recommend mail order this fish? I bought locally.
Are there captive-raised/bred specimen available and where? Doubt it.
Any tips on how you picked a healthy specimen of this species from LFS? Look for good color, non-broken fins, active, and eating frozen foods.
What do you think is the ideal size to get? Small, 3" or so.
Are there any noticeable differences in body shape, pattern or color among the same species or between juvenile and adult of this species? Adults are 'fatter' looking and lose the long 'eyebrow' projections.
Is there a way to tell the sex of this fish? NA
ACCLIMATION AND INTRODUCTION
Any special tips about the acclimation and introduction of this fish? Be careful when handling.
Any special needs for this fish or special considerations for young specimen? Can be tricky to get to eat frozen foods, need a varied diet.
Should this fish be the first or the last to introduce to a tank? Can be a glutton when feeding so add last if wanting to keep more timid feeders.
COMPATIBILITY
What tankmates do you have with this fish? Snowflake Moray Eel, Tomato Clownfish, Purple Tang, Copperbanded Butterfly.
Is it a reef or FO tank? Reef safe but will eat smaller fish and shrimp.
Have you had more than one of this species in the same tank? No.
If so, is there a certain male/female ratio or group number worked for you (to have a harem or pecking order)? NA
Do they school? NA
Have you had other species of the same genus/family in the same tank? No.
What's the stocking order (considering the above factors) that worked for you? NA
Did this fish hurt/eat any of other fish (or vice versa)? Tried to eat a Mandarin Dragonet and a Sailfin Blenny
Did this fish hurt/eat Cnidaria (corals, mushrooms or anemones)? No but it knocked some over.
Did this fish hurt/eat ornamental crustaceans (shrimps, hermits, crabs)? No, but none were present.
FEEDING
How did you get this fish to eat at first? I offered live guppies, then dead guppies on a stick, and finally frozen silversides on a stick.
If this fish only accepted live food, how did you wean it over to prepared food? See above.
What's the diet? Vitamin soaked silversides or krill.
How much and how often do you feed? Fed every second day, enough so that a bulge appeared in its stomach.
How does this fish eat?(grazers, active or sedentary predators, sand sifters, etc) Gulps down food whole.
GROWTH RATE AND LIFE SPAN
What is the initial size of your fish and maximum size it reached? Was 3" grew to 11"
How fast did it grow (how much growth over a given period of time)? Grew extremely fast, from 3" to nearly 10" in the first year then grew mostly in thickness after that.
What size tank did this fish live in? (or how soon did this fish outgrow what size tank)? 120gal
What do you think is the minimum tank size required for an adult specimen of this fish? 120gal although I wish I had a 225gal for it.
If this fish went through body pattern change from juvenile to adult, was the change complete? Yes
How long did it take? Two years I think.
How long have you kept this fish? 4 years
If you no longer have this fish, what was the cause? NA
What is the longest lifespan and the maximum size of this fish in home aquarium and/or in the wild reported? 15"
DISEASE AND TREATMENT
What disease has this fish had? How did you treat it, for how long? My last one died of fin-rot. Removed to QT and treated with Melafix.
What's the effect of the treatment? Died.
BEHAVIOR
Does this fish change body color under any circumstances? Becomes darker at night.
How active is this fish? Slow moving, active 1/4 of the time.
Is this fish shy? Was but not anymore.
How territorial or aggressive is this fish? Not very.
How does this fish interact with tankmates? Leaves others alone.
Did this fish ever jump out of the tank? No.
How does this fish sleep? By sitting on the bottom or on top of the coral/rock in the tank.
Does this fish allow cleaners to clean? NA
If so which cleaner and how often? NA
How does this fish interact with human? Eagerly looks for food when approached in the evenings. Doesnt seem to mind when my hand is in the tank.
Any other interesting observation of this fish? Sheds a slime coat occationally or right after I've been working in the tank for too long.
REPRODUCTION
If you have a mated pair, how did you get them to pair up? NA
Any information of spawning in captivity? NA
SUMMARY
Your overall assessment of this species - 2
How sensitive is this fish to poor water quality on a scale of 1-5?
1 - very tolerant, may survive a cycle in a new tank
2 - quite tolerant, may survive accidental ammonia or nitrite spike
3 - not terribly sensitive to reasonable pH, salinity or temperature changes
4 - sensitive to any significant water chemistry changes, and may show stress during such changes
5 - very sensitive to water quality, may easily get stressed and get sick with any change in water chemistry
Would you recommend this fish to beginners? Yes
Any other recommendations/comments? Buy the large tank first, then the fish because they grow extremely fast.
Did you mail order this fish and would you recommend mail order this fish? I bought locally.
Are there captive-raised/bred specimen available and where? Doubt it.
Any tips on how you picked a healthy specimen of this species from LFS? Look for good color, non-broken fins, active, and eating frozen foods.
What do you think is the ideal size to get? Small, 3" or so.
Are there any noticeable differences in body shape, pattern or color among the same species or between juvenile and adult of this species? Adults are 'fatter' looking and lose the long 'eyebrow' projections.
Is there a way to tell the sex of this fish? NA
ACCLIMATION AND INTRODUCTION
Any special tips about the acclimation and introduction of this fish? Be careful when handling.
Any special needs for this fish or special considerations for young specimen? Can be tricky to get to eat frozen foods, need a varied diet.
Should this fish be the first or the last to introduce to a tank? Can be a glutton when feeding so add last if wanting to keep more timid feeders.
COMPATIBILITY
What tankmates do you have with this fish? Snowflake Moray Eel, Tomato Clownfish, Purple Tang, Copperbanded Butterfly.
Is it a reef or FO tank? Reef safe but will eat smaller fish and shrimp.
Have you had more than one of this species in the same tank? No.
If so, is there a certain male/female ratio or group number worked for you (to have a harem or pecking order)? NA
Do they school? NA
Have you had other species of the same genus/family in the same tank? No.
What's the stocking order (considering the above factors) that worked for you? NA
Did this fish hurt/eat any of other fish (or vice versa)? Tried to eat a Mandarin Dragonet and a Sailfin Blenny
Did this fish hurt/eat Cnidaria (corals, mushrooms or anemones)? No but it knocked some over.
Did this fish hurt/eat ornamental crustaceans (shrimps, hermits, crabs)? No, but none were present.
FEEDING
How did you get this fish to eat at first? I offered live guppies, then dead guppies on a stick, and finally frozen silversides on a stick.
If this fish only accepted live food, how did you wean it over to prepared food? See above.
What's the diet? Vitamin soaked silversides or krill.
How much and how often do you feed? Fed every second day, enough so that a bulge appeared in its stomach.
How does this fish eat?(grazers, active or sedentary predators, sand sifters, etc) Gulps down food whole.
GROWTH RATE AND LIFE SPAN
What is the initial size of your fish and maximum size it reached? Was 3" grew to 11"
How fast did it grow (how much growth over a given period of time)? Grew extremely fast, from 3" to nearly 10" in the first year then grew mostly in thickness after that.
What size tank did this fish live in? (or how soon did this fish outgrow what size tank)? 120gal
What do you think is the minimum tank size required for an adult specimen of this fish? 120gal although I wish I had a 225gal for it.
If this fish went through body pattern change from juvenile to adult, was the change complete? Yes
How long did it take? Two years I think.
How long have you kept this fish? 4 years
If you no longer have this fish, what was the cause? NA
What is the longest lifespan and the maximum size of this fish in home aquarium and/or in the wild reported? 15"
DISEASE AND TREATMENT
What disease has this fish had? How did you treat it, for how long? My last one died of fin-rot. Removed to QT and treated with Melafix.
What's the effect of the treatment? Died.
BEHAVIOR
Does this fish change body color under any circumstances? Becomes darker at night.
How active is this fish? Slow moving, active 1/4 of the time.
Is this fish shy? Was but not anymore.
How territorial or aggressive is this fish? Not very.
How does this fish interact with tankmates? Leaves others alone.
Did this fish ever jump out of the tank? No.
How does this fish sleep? By sitting on the bottom or on top of the coral/rock in the tank.
Does this fish allow cleaners to clean? NA
If so which cleaner and how often? NA
How does this fish interact with human? Eagerly looks for food when approached in the evenings. Doesnt seem to mind when my hand is in the tank.
Any other interesting observation of this fish? Sheds a slime coat occationally or right after I've been working in the tank for too long.
REPRODUCTION
If you have a mated pair, how did you get them to pair up? NA
Any information of spawning in captivity? NA
SUMMARY
Your overall assessment of this species - 2
How sensitive is this fish to poor water quality on a scale of 1-5?
1 - very tolerant, may survive a cycle in a new tank
2 - quite tolerant, may survive accidental ammonia or nitrite spike
3 - not terribly sensitive to reasonable pH, salinity or temperature changes
4 - sensitive to any significant water chemistry changes, and may show stress during such changes
5 - very sensitive to water quality, may easily get stressed and get sick with any change in water chemistry
Would you recommend this fish to beginners? Yes
Any other recommendations/comments? Buy the large tank first, then the fish because they grow extremely fast.
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