Lionfish Feeding/Identification Questions

[CuttleKid]

So I purchased a beautiful lion sold as a "volitans" but I have a sneaking suspicion it's a russells. It is about 7 inches and I can't decide whether it's a volitans or rusells. It has the facial markings of a volitans but not a lot of under chin markings. It has the large pectoral fin membrane of a russells. I have been looking at the fins and they are for the most part clear. However it does have a few black spots around the edge of it's fins. I will try and get a picture up later today after class. The other question is about feeding behavior. I bought it Friday night and is now eating frozen silverside chunks from a feeding stick with monofilament. I am going to feed him on a MWF schedule about a whole silverside, which is about 3-4 smallish medium chunks. But when I fed him today he took it eagerly, but when he was done he started doing a kind of headstand in the water column. I fed him a little yesterday and didn't see this behavior. Does anyone know if this is a bad sign or a normal behavior?

Thanks

 

[namxas]

The "headstand" in the water column is fairly common in some lionfish, probably due to the habitat they were collected in. Lionfish, especially young fish, often hide "standing on their heads" among the tentacles of Crinoids, where their pectoral rays blend in with the Crinoid's "arms".

Check out this vid of our P. sphex:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdMGgE0eVzE

As for ID, we'd really need a pic...it could be a Russel's, but it could also be a lunulata, or just a "sparse" volitans. Did you happen to notice a white "center" to the scales on its body bands (kind of resembles a net)? If so, it's likely a lunulata.

 

[CuttleKid]

Sorry for the late pictures.
Here they are

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/67407801@N08/6878026339/" title="IMG_5041 by JP Is UW, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7198/6878026339_786fc9c948_b.jpg" width="1024" height="683" alt="IMG_5041"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/67407801@N08/6878024919/" title="IMG_5043 by JP Is UW, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7038/6878024919_2655229a2a_b.jpg" width="1024" height="683" alt="IMG_5043"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/67407801@N08/6878023305/" title="IMG_5046 by JP Is UW, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7047/6878023305_25b1a0e225_b.jpg" width="1024" height="683" alt="IMG_5046"></a>

 

[CuttleKid]

So is it a russells or a volitans?

 

[CuttleKid]

No one knows?

 

[jarrod13]

looks like a russel's to me

pretty lion!

 

[namxas]

Agreed...P. russelii.

 

[CuttleKid]

Thank you so much!!!