Mixing lionfish?

[StephLionfish]

I want to put two lionfish together in the same tank...( 210 gallons). I'm wanting a radiata to go with either a Dwarf Fuzzy or a Dwarf Zebra lionfish...Can I put two lionfish together? Or will they fight? ( I've tried to put two fuzzy dwarfs together before and they fought. I had to separate them)

 

[bamato]

Chances are both your Brachypterus were males. Dwarf lions can go together quite well. Most can mingle just fine (aside from zebra's and fuzzy's for some reason). A Fuzzy and a Radiata would be a nice addition. 210 gallons is plenty big btw... I'm assuming you have more stocking plans than that? Or there are current inhabitants in said tank?

 

[ashtree68]

I have a trio of fuzzies that get along well, just have to make sure you get a M-F-F set up.

I also have a Volitan/Antennatta/Mombasa that have been getting along for several months now.

 

[namxas]

D. brachypterus & D. barberi, both females...

 

[StephLionfish]

But, how do I tell the difference between make and female? I know that their head size is one hint...but..
I'm moving ALL of my fish tanks around. Turning 6 tanks into 3...(giving up a couple of fish, if anyone wants a 5 inch Hippo tang or a 1 inch clarkii clownfish).
So, I was wanting either a scopas or a sailfin tang to go in the 210, then the two lionfish, then a Heniochus butterflyfish. That's not overstocked is it?

 

[sacremon]

Not overstocking.

You can only really sex a few species of lion while the fish is alive. I believe it is limited to the two species that Greg pictures above, though others can speak to that better than I. With the exception of some conspecific aggression that can be seen with some lions (my impression it is generally in the Dendrochirus genus), lions get along just fine as long as one isn't small enough to be a meal for another. I have a volitans and a radiata that hang out together. They really don't care about the presence of the other, they just like being in the same shade when the lights are on.

 

[sacremon]

Weird double post.

 

[bamato]

Four fish in a 210 should be fine... unless I missed something?

Only barberi and brachyptus are sexually dimorphic. Femals have only 4-6 vertical stripes on their pectoral fins.

 

[namxas]

To add to the sexual dimorphism/dichromism description, here is a quote from Frank Marini's excellent LIONFISH CARE article:

"Adult male Dwarf fuzzy lions are readily identified by having a larger head, longer pectoral fins (the fin tips reach past the caudal peduncle), and have between 6 to 10 bands (or stripes) on their pectoral fins. Female Dwarf fuzzy lionfish have only 4 to 6 stripes."

To clarify, it's the dark pectoral bands that one counts, not all of them.

 

[bamato]

I always find the peduncle measurements hard to eyeball. Since the fins have to lay flat, and if they are, the fish is usually swimming/turning thus shortening it's body. I'm sure others have an easier time than me... but I'm sure I look silly talking to the lions at my LFS telling them to "sit still!"... lol

 

[namxas]

Here are a couple of pix of females...I'm looking for a "proper" pic of a male for comparison:

Here's a "fair" comparison pic of our male...if you look closely, it's pecs reach as far back as its caudal fin:

 

[DoubleM 10]

Here are a couple of pix of females...I'm looking for a "proper" pic of a male for comparison:

Here's a "fair" comparison pic of our male...if you look closely, it's pecs reach as far back as its caudal fin:

this is the single most helpfull post i have seen on here in a while for what part of the hobby i enjoy!!

thanks

 

[bamato]

Very useful Greg

 

[namxas]

Just trying to help out. Unfortunately, the fish in the center photo is a sub adult that had not quite "grown into" her fins, so they do look a tad long, but her pectoral banding nails her as a female.

 

[StephLionfish]

Am I the only one having trouble with this? The caudal peduncle...is that a..fin? Pectoral fin is the big ones that look like "elephant ears" right? Sorry..
But, once I get all of this..figured out, could I keep a volitan and a radiata in the 210? How do I buy them..the whole "add at the same time" deal? What size should they be when I get them? I have a dwarf fuzzy and a dwarf zebra. The Zebra's fins look smaller compared to when I look at my dwarf Fuzzy. And yeah...I didn't want the tank to be too full. So I was going to stick with four " Volitan" size fish..

 

[FMarini]

caudal= tail
peduncle-=narrow part of fishs body where tail fin join (the actual word peduncle means a stalk that supports)-
pectoral=chest- yes-the elephant ears-like fins- these are fins which are attached to and move via the chest muscles of a fish.

I would recommend you spend a little time w/ a fish anatomy image- just so you can understand how your fish swims, moves and lives

 

[StephLionfish]

Is this the same with all of the lions? With the Zebra..Is it the "web" in the Pectoral fins that I use to determine..or the "stringy" rays that extend past the web? Because on mine, the web ends well before the caudal peduncle, but the..."strings" go past the caudal peduncle... I checked my Dwarf Fuzzy...and wow it's hard to tell...I think he's a he. (male) He's about 2 inches long..

 

[FMarini]

a 2" dwarf is too immate to determine sex

 

[namxas]

Is this the same with all of the lions? With the Zebra..Is it the "web" in the Pectoral fins that I use to determine..or the "stringy" rays that extend past the web? Because on mine, the web ends well before the caudal peduncle, but the..."strings" go past the caudal peduncle... I checked my Dwarf Fuzzy...and wow it's hard to tell...I think he's a he. (male) He's about 2 inches long..

As Frank mentioned, juvenile specimens can sometimes fool you in terms of sex. The pectoral banding isn't completely developed, nor have they "grown into" their finnage yet.

If your fish has pectoral rays that extend well past the webbing, I'm thinking that you may not have a fuzzy. Can you post a photo of the fish in question?

While this is an iffy photo, it does show that a fuzzy does not have pectoral rays that extend past the webbing...the edges look "continuous".

Altho I don't have a photo of a zebra, which doesn't really have exaggerated dorsal rays (the edges of their pectorals are slightly more "serrated" than a fuzzy), this photo of one of our P. mombassae illustrates long dorsal rays nicely.

 

[rubensito]

I know this might sound ignorant, does this mean something like venting the fish won't help?