New Here..but not new to SW (need Dwarf Lionfish Help)

MatthewLaw

New member
Greetings All- I hang out at a few fish websites and many people have recommended this site.

For my first post I need some help with my dwarf lionfish. I am not sure if he is sick or going through something I have never seen before.

I purchased him a week ago and despite seeing him eat at the LFS, he is not eating in my 50g aquarium (not uncommon) ---tank is well cycled and has a happy false perc in there.

A few days ago I noticed this white bulge below his dorsal fins and now it is starting to spread to the other dorsal spikes/fins. Some people thought fin rot. Some have suggested he is shedding unused venom. I have no idea and put him in a separate hospital tank and have been treating with pimafix and melafix. he is still not eating but this might be stress related. when i put food near him he swims away.

pictures are attached.
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thanks for your help!! glad to be here. -Matt
 
Hi Matt, welcome!

I doubt it is shedding unused venom. It's hard to see, could it be lymphocystis?

What are you feeding? If you haven't tried live ghost shrimp or guppies, try them now.
 
Hi LisaD- Thank for your response!! I watched the lionfish eat frozen prawn at the LFS before purchasing the fish, yet it does not yet the frozen prawn that I purchased from the same LFS. I tried dropping the food in frozen and defrosted form, no luck. I tried guppies the other day, no luck.

I did some reading on lymphocystis and it does not look what my lionfish current has. Granted I did not see any pictures of a lionfish with this virus.

I am really puzzled and concerned!

Thank for your help (congrats on the dogface puffer!!!!)
 
I can't help you with the illness, but I bought a dwarf fuzzy lionfish 3-4 months ago that I had difficulty getting to eat. Eventually what I did (that worked) was thaw mysis in a cup of tank water and I used a turkey baster to push the mysis around in the tank and make it look alive. Once it gets used to eating the food that is moving around it should start eating the food when you drop it into the water.
 
i tried the turkey baster (carefully!!) yesterday and the lionfish swam away. i will keep trying. thanks for your help!

on a side note. have you ever seen your lionfish shed its unused venom? any issues with the venomous dorsal fins sheeding its skin?
 
No, that is a new one for me, although this is my first dwarf lionfish.

I'm not sure how you used the baster, but I would put a little bit of shrimp in it, drop them into the water, and then use the baster from a distance to push the water (and the shrimp) to the area of the fish. That way hopefully the baster doesn't scare it.
 
i defrosted and cut up prawn into a very fine, almost mushlike consistency. i mixed it with water from the tank and had the baster suck it up. i then brought it near the lionfish's mouth and slowly sqeezed the top. maybe too close?

i am really worried about the growth on the back and exposed dorsal fins. so hopefully things will get better!
 
I had a fuzzy dwarf for a couple of years. Try what LisaD suggested. Put something live in live ghost shrimp or guppies. The pictures are real fuzzy so I cannot tell what you are talking about. Fuzzy Dwarf lionfish can be very finicky eaters. Keep trying and see if you can put a better picture of the white spot on here.
 
It might be too close. If you get the fish used to eating from the baster it will eventually take the frozen prawns, but try feeding it something small with eyes on it still (mysis or brine). That helps them identify the item as food. It is possible the fish is stressed out from the move or the illness (whatever it is) and is not reacting the way it did in the store as a result.
 
yea i dont really know what's wrong. i saw the fish eat frozen prawn and thought everything was okay but i dont know if the stress of moving and/or the illness are causing the lack of eating.

i will try the new basting method tonight
 
I saw your post about the lionfish dying. Is the clown still alive? Have you tested your water?
 
Greeetings All- The lionfish was treated in a hospital tank. THe clown is doing well and swimming around like normal in the 50g.

temp was 79-81.
pH = 8.2. 0, 0, 20.

There was a small amonia spike (0.25) last week. This was due to me leaving prawn/shrimp dangling on a string overnight for the lionfish to eat. i thought maybe the fish would become more active and feed during the night. with all the food removed and no more being added, amonia is back to 0.
 
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