Lionfish Compatibility

[Humuhumu787]

Has anyone successfully kept 2 different species of small - med sized lionfish together?

Could I keep a Hawaiian Red Lionfish (Pterois sphex) and Hawaiian Green Lionfish (Dendrochirus barberi) together in a 55 with plenty of rock work for caves and ledges to perch?

Would a 55 be sufficient for both or just one?

Thank you!

 

[FinnCole]

You should be fine but you will need a good skimmer

Sent from my SM-A320FL using Tapatalk

 

[cougareyes]

Yes, they are actually very social and like hanging out together.

 

[Humuhumu787]

Thanks for the replies!

@cougareyes, thanks for the picture. It's very encouraging!

 

[Humuhumu787]

cougareyes, in your experience, are Pterois sphex more difficult to care for than other lions?

 

[cougareyes]

cougareyes, in your experience, are Pterois sphex more difficult to care for than other lions?

No more than the other medium and dwarf species, be prepared to feed them live foods when you first get them. If you plan to wean them to dead food just remember there's never 100% guarantee. I feed my lions mainly live foods and really advocate that versus dead or at least some live occasionally for their enrichment. It also keeps them so much more active and entertaining.

 

[Humuhumu787]

Thanks cougareyes! I now have a juvenile dendrochirus barber I in my 55.
I'm feeding it live brackish glass shrimp and live hawaiian silversides.
I love the barberi but it's a bit shy and hides in the rock all day.

In your experience, are Pteoris sphex an active species? Or are they also relatively stationary fish?

 

[cougareyes]

If you decide to train your lions to dead food they will become more stationary, just perching or hanging in a cave. It sounds as if you have good choices in live food, feed them every other day maybe even every 3rd day every once in while until you see a nice bulge in their belly. Feeding them live will keep their predatory nature and they will be so much more active. Good for you, enjoy, I'd love to see a pic

 

[Humuhumu787]

Dendrochirus barberi

Dendrochirus barberi

He's about as long and wide as a thumb, little juvenile that's still red.

 

[cougareyes]

Very, very cool. At that size he's going to be quite shy, timid about predators hunting him. Once he becomes more comfortable with the tank and you add the other one, providing you're feeding live food; you;ll be thrilled with the show.

You get alot of "train your lion" info online, and all you get from that is a stationary display that in the end isn't as hardy. My oldest occupant is a fu manchu that is now over 5 years old. I've had people in the industry see my lion tank and always comment how active they are, usually the main complaint you hear is how they are not active.

My lions are so friendly I have to swat them away when I clean the tank, pretty scary with 4 of them. I could hand feed them if I were brave enough, the spikes on the antennata are like 4".

 

[cougareyes]

It will be a safer bet if the sphex of of comparable size when you add him.