Lionfish Feeding

[rabbitfishy]

I happened to come across this beautiful bright red fuzzy lionfish (i don't know its genus or species name). I don't usually buy on the whim especially fish considering deceases, cyanide...ect. I just could not resist his cute little face and eyes. So, I bought him. I put him bye himself in a 55 gallon tank (i would like to note i tried forever to remove the fish than my mom pointed out it would be easier if i removed the rocks first >.<) Anyways here is where my problem comes in from what the lfs told me. I have never heard of this before and I thought it was very odd. He told me I could buy silversiders from their store or I could buy a large packed of silversiders from sobeys and cut up the silversiders into edible pieces. Since, they are very large silversiders one should last him for several weeks (considering he will be getting a verity of different types of foods). Here is the weird part he told me that I have to de-bone the silversiders, because the spine might be to hard for the lionfish to digest. I am not sure if it is because the silversiders are twice the size of the lionfish and thus he would never eat a fish this large or might scratch the lionfish's throat. You would think a lionfish would have no problems digesting anything.

So, anyways SORRY for my long rant, but my question is should i buy smaller silversiders or de-bone or not to de-bone?

 

[FMarini]

smaller chunks-obviously make it easier for the fish to eat. Therefore if you cut up the larger silversides make sure the pieces are small enough for the fish to get into its mouth. As for de-boning- fish dont debone in the wild. If you cut the fish pieces small enough- then the bones shouldn't be an issue

 

[rabbitfishy]

thx. I checked him this morning and he has ich everywhere. He is still eating and being very active. I am going to start medication and give him a freshwater dip. I just hope he can pull through.

 

[PeterCollins]

Mine didnt have any problem with the chromis he managed to catch, or that clown come to think of it :eek2:

 

[rabbitfishy]

I feed my predictor fish my own tank raised black mollies that I keep in brockish water. I won't introduce live food into his diet until I deal with his ich outbreak. I just found it really odd that an lfs guy would say something like that. I have learned that no matter how many years you are in the saltwater hobby you will always learn something new everyday. I always like a second opinion to insure my fishes stay strong and healthy ^^

 

[namxas]

That sux about the ich...definitely get on that, and I do recommend treating it as opposed to using hypo. There have been some pretty tuff cases of "resistant" crypto out there, lots of peeps are using chloroquine now.

As for feeding, preds digest smaller pieces of food much better than larger pieces. We try not to feed our Scorpaeniformes food that is larger than their eye, esp. as juvies. A good, varied diet of SW fish flesh (never goldfish/rosy reds), shrimp, scallops, squid, lobster, etc is the best thing. Small amounts of these foods is really cheap from the grocer's seafood counter or local fish market.

 

[rabbitfishy]

What is the best med for lionfish?

 

[namxas]

I'm guessing you mean for crypto?

I wouldn't be afraid of using a chelated copper preparation, and there's abother one that Renee (seahosedreams) seems to like and I THINK it's Prazi-Pro, but I'll ask her when I get home before she leaves for her shift at the hospital. Renee is the nutrition/treatment geek of the house, and I typically defer to her as she reads the journals.

We haven't tried quinine yet, but folks are having good results with it.