Fu Manchu Lionfish

[danimallaminad]

I bought a Fu Manchu Lionfish from my lfs recently. He eats frozen silversides but I started reading the sticky on feeding predators and was wondering if maybe i should get guppies and feed them about once a week or so just to keep his hunting instinct going or is that not worth it? All help and info is appreciated!

 

[shse666]

Count yourself VERY lucky that you have a Fu eating frozen. I would vary his diet if you can. Shrimp, squid, octo, fish, etc.

I wouldn't feed him live unless he goes off frozen and refuses to eat for quite a long time. You wouldn't want the food bill if he reverts. No point in tempting fate.

 

[hkarmy25]

I second the above, it was a PITA to get mine to eat frozen. It's the best way to provide them with a good balance and honestly you might do more harm than good going back to live foods.

Again: Count yourself lucky

 

[namxas]

There's not any reason to offer live once the fish is weaned, assuming it gets a good, varied diet. IME, once weaned, fu's become "just another hungry lionfish", and will be right up front "praying to the food god" whenever it sees you.

FWIW, we feed our fishes SW fish flesh (salmon, tuna, cod, snapper, etc), shrimp, mollusks, squid, etc. All of these foods can be had fairly cheaply in small amounts from your local fish market or your grocer's seafood counter. Look for those small 6 oz pieces of fish that are about $4. We're about to bust into some bluefin tuna and yellowtail scraps from by brother's last fishing trip. If you fish, that's a great way to get food.

Feed your fish food items that are about the size of its eye, as they digest better, and the fish prefer smaller bites. There's a correlation between eye size and stomach size on most fishes, so this practice fits right in with that fact. 4-6 eye-sized food items 3x a week is plenty for your fish.

 

[danimallaminad]

Okay thank you all and i know im very lucky. him eating frozen is one of the main reasons why i bought him. I always wanted a lionfish and finding one already eating silversides was just perfect. Thanks again for all the help

 

[namxas]

I dunno if you've noticed the fu's hunting behavior before, but it's VERY cool. They undulate their dorsal spines rhythmically, shake their heads from side to side, and vibrate the lower part of their pectorals when stalking prey. Ours lost some of this behavior since it has been on the stick, but if you haven't seen it, toss a live ghost shrimp or two into the tank and watch.

 

[danimallaminad]

Okay that would be awesome to check out. I tried feeding him pieces the size of his eye like you said but he didnt seem interested and even backed away. Ive fed him pieces of silverside that was bigger and he eats it rite up. should i just stick with bigger pieces. Thanks for all the help.

 

[danimallaminad]

also would putting in live ghost shrimp have a bad effect on him eating frozen foods?

 

[namxas]

Not once the fish is solidly on the stick, altho many of our fishes will pass up live in favor of the stick if both are offered at the same time...odd but true.

It sounds like you fish is still getting the hang of it, so I'd keep doing what you're doing. Out of cuiosity, when your fish goes for the larger pieces of silverside, do they have the head or tail still attached? If so, these are likely what the fish is keying on.

 

[danimallaminad]

No the larger peices are just a chunk of the body, no head or tail. And by large peices they r probably a 1/4 inch. maybe a little smaller sometimes. Thanks for all your help.

 

[namxas]

One food that all of our fishes love is salmon. Some of them do have their preferences tho, and don't take some foods quite as readily as others, but "EVERYone" love salmon.

We buy those little 6 oz pieces at the grocer's seafood counter...they run about $4 or so. Cut them into large chunks, lay them flat (a smallcutting board works well), cover them with plastic wrap, and freeze them. Once frozen, transfer them to a ziploc bag and pull it out a chunk at a time for feeding.

 

[danimallaminad]

Ill try that. Thanks for all the help

 

[Anarchy18]

I agree with everyone that says to keep him on frozen food. Lionfish are my fav fish and I had a large volitan lionfish (who reciently died). When i first got him from the lfs he was eating live guppys. After hand feeding him live guppys he got used to me hand in the tank and knew it meant food. I started feeding him dead guppys, then slowley swithced to frozen shrimp. So yes you are lucky he was already used to frozed. much easier.

 

[danimallaminad]

hey namxas would already frozen salmon work or should i buy fresh and freeze it myself? Also i would love to see a few pics of your tanks.