New LionFish for my birthday!

[mpderksen]

I did my homework, and picked him up today. He's been on time out at the LFS as a QT since I don't have one of my own. Today he got drip acclimated for an hour and in he went. Right before I brought him home, I watched him eat a guppy like it was the ultimate buffet, and he was active and well colored in my tank pretty much right away. My Maroon is keeping her distance, even though they are about the same size, and she can be a bit of an in-welcome wagon, if you know what I mean.
My question for the experts here involves feeding. My plan is M W F, as I saw posted by someone here with experience, and will select various seafood, including the recommendation of salmon, which we eat a lot of.
However, the rest of my tank gets a rotation of Mysis, brine and Rod's food (Rod's is DA bomb!!!). All frozen. Once in a while I add some Spirilina flake. I'll watch carefully, but do I just assume the LionFish won't even nibble on that stuff?
Second, the only fish that is remotely small enough to be eaten is a cleaner wrasse. Are cleaners safe from him? Or does he not care, and it's on the menu as soon as he gets big enough? Everyone else is safe, size-wise, for now.

 

[CoralReeferGal]

We had one for several years, GORGEOUS fish!! What type of lionfish is it? Ours did not bother any of our other fish... but I think we just got lucky. Typically, anything small enough (and sometimes not small enough!) is on the menu. Ours wouldn't even touch frozen (or fresh) food he would eat strictly live no matter what we tried. It was a struggle but was such a gorgeous addition to the tank!! Good luck with him! Hope someone else has some better advice or experience than me.

 

[campos]

The best of luck to you but I think that shrimp will become lunch some day

 

[gveng]

The best of luck to you but I think that shrimp will become lunch some day

Lol... OP did his research but introduced a lion fish in a tank with cleaner shrimp.

 

[bif24701]

Lol... OP did his research but introduced a lion fish in a tank with cleaner shrimp.

I don't get it either.

 

[mpderksen]

What?!?? They eat other tank mates? Oh no! I didn't think of that! And all this time I was hoping I could pet it too.....
I'm okay with losing the shrimp when the time comes. Give me just a LITTLE credit here... Lol

reeferGal, it's a common Volitan.

 

[Barbelist]

I have a Volitans in my system....never bothered the other fish in there and loves prawn/silverside every other day. I once saw him take a moth that had fluttered onto the surface too!!!

I guess that once he is settled he will feed on what is provided....I am thinking of getting some live river shrimp for mine as a bit if a treat every now and then?


Paul

 

[gveng]

What?!?? They eat other tank mates? Oh no! I didn't think of that! And all this time I was hoping I could pet it too.....
I'm okay with losing the shrimp when the time comes. Give me just a LITTLE credit here... Lol

reeferGal, it's a common Volitan.

Give you a little credit? let's see here, you say you did your research before buying a lionfish and yet this is your current set up...

I have a 75g, with sump, etc. it has been up since last summer. I have mixed corals with various SPS and softies. I have a small rose nem. Stocking currently is:
Maroon clown
2 PJ/ spotted Cardinalfish
Blue-green chromis
Dwarf Flame angel
Starry Bleenie
Cleaner shrimp
Banded coral shrimp
Tux urchin
A few micro hermits and a full snail population

I guess you missed the minimum tank requirements for volitan lionfish... or the fact that they can potently eat half of your livestock when they are hungry.

I don't know seems pretty irresponsible to me.

But good luck with your new fish!

 

[mpderksen]

Yeah, I may have put myself into something I regret. I'm certainly not an expert. Part of the problem is having more money than brains. Most of my current stock is going to a friend in the next few months, and the new, bigger tank build could certainly be delayed. If he grows too fast, or we don't get the new house next summer I'll swap him back.
I do appreciate the reality check though. I'm guilty of thinking the rules don't apply to me sometimes. Now if only Angels were reef-safe....

 

[billdogg]

IMHO, the shrimp will probably be fine. Your chromis will become a snack eventually, as will the cardinals and blennie.

 

[tkeracer619]

And you guys put the op down for not doing research...

Silly noobies . That shrimp will probably outlast most.

 

[imkelz]

I used to have a lionfish and cleaner together. My lion always forced the cleaner shrimp to clean him. He eventually ripped him apart though.

I loved my little lionfish but I had a baby and didnt want him to sting her. It probably wouldnt have happened but kids are lightning fast

 

[tkeracer619]

If you have a predator you must keep them full.

I've seen a voltan eat a $600 butteflyfish during the feeding frenzy. I ran about 65 yards at top speed through the corporate office to the back fish room, grabbed a 5 foot long kent scraper, ran back another 65yards (I took the shortest route, they were having meetings too :lol. Jumped back up on the counter and started to tap the lion on the side until he spit the butterfly out. The buttefly then swam up into the corner.

The owner comes out after the meeting and asked what the commotion was about, I explained it and his response was "I MISSED IT! DAMN". Good times and good people.

I trained that fish to eat separately from the rest and at the surface pointing up. Fed by hand daily from then on. Don't recall losing anything else to him.

It's going to get very large and very quickly but enjoy it while you have it!

 

[spoon671]

^^^ Funny story!!

My only experience with a Volitans was in my first tank about a decade ago. I cycled the tank with damsels, and I added the Volitans as my show fish. He ate the damsels eventually, which made me happy.

Funny thing though, he tried eating the last damsel at least twice. It was too big to swallow. He'd hold it in his mouth for upwards of a minute, and then spit him out. Poor damsels dorsal was stuck straight up permanently until it's demise.