Lionfish experts....

[Mr31415]

I have a Volitans Lionfish for about 1 year now - he has always been a very good eater and very active. Recently I see him perching on the substrate/rocks much much more often than he used to, and for the first time since I had him he refused to eat anything after 6 days of not feeding him.

Is there anything wrong or is this normal behaviour? I cannot see any cloudy eyes, marks on his body etc.

 

[Roy G. Biv]

My lionfish used to react to the water quality. When my nitrates got too high, he would mope around like that and have no energy. I would change 20 gallons and he would be back to normal.

 

[Mr31415]

my tank is 480g - nitrates = 0.

 

[JBrown]

My lion did the same thing. He was eating normally then all of the sudden started refusing food. One month later he passed which sucked because I had him for 3.5 years. Good luck with yours I hope he makes it

 

[LukFox]

What have you been feeding him all this time? I've read that if you just feed them krill or just don't mix up the kind of foods for a long period of time, lions will display the behavior you are seeing.

 

[Mr31415]

Mussel, Prawns (large and small ones), Squid, Lancefish, Clam

 

[FMarini]

Hunger strikes are pretty common in these fish, and 6 days is nothing to worry about.

HOWEVER what your describing is frequently a problem in lionfish fed poor diets. Many hobbyists report fasting after 6-8months of feeding frozen/freeze dried krill, as well as feeding the lion the same stuff day-after-day. WE are clearly missing things in the lionfish's natural diet and w/o them, fasting is a common problem.

If the lion refuses live foods (thats my suggestion to see if it will eat, live ghost shrimp or a few goldfish), then you might have to wait it out. In th emean time I highly recommend you read this article on lionfish husbandry, and also get some food/feeding tips

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-11/fm/feature/

frank

 

[Mr31415]

Today he is swimming in spirals - upside down, out of the water down to the substrate, bumping in to everything. He has no sense of direction.

Could this be a brain disease? Is there *anything* I can do to fix this? I turned off the MH and left only the T5's on... I turned down the internal flow so that he does not get blown away by the currents...

Please help!

 

[Mr31415]

I moved him a couple of hours ago to my QT tank where he is alone. I stopped the internal MaxiJet's flow, so the tank is only fed by the return pump.

After 3 hours he seems to be swimming upright again - still a bit wobbly but definitely not like a spiraling torpedo.

I offered him two halves of a frozen mussel and he actually ate both.

Please tell me what this all means? I am so confused and stressed - if I was a fish I would have had white spot by now.

 

[dp reefer]

Something internal? You could try melafix and pimafix to be safe, they treat for bacteria and fungi, internal and external

 

[Mr31415]

It expelled the mussels - so much for eating. But at least it seems "conscience" again.

I will see whether I can find the products you mentioned.

 

[Mr31415]

Anyone else have a comment on this?

 

[Mr31415]

Please - is there anyone who can help? My LionFish is in QT and for the past 48 hours he has been swimming in drunken spirals - still very much alive, but cannot swim upright.

Please help.