New Lionfish

bosborn1

bosborn1

In Memoriam
Volitan Lionfish
I bought a Lionfish last night at my wife's request. He was healthy and eating live food. I brought the fish home and drip acclimated him for over 30 minutes. I added him to the tank and he went for the bottom...This morning he was in the top corner of the tank with his head facing upwards. After the Actinics came on this morning he has been swimming around the top water very erratically. Seems like the flow is giving him a hard time. Even finds himself upside down from time to time. His respiration seems normal..a little fast but not stressed fast his fins are open and not clinched. I am just concerned because if this was any other fish I would swear that it is dying. I have heard these fish are know for there odd behavior and I am just checking to make sure that this is within reason

Thanks
Scott
 
my lion seems to be swimming on the top only when he's hungry. did you try to check your parameters to see if its alright? Try feeding the lion.
 
Water is perfect...He could be hungry. he's still not eating frozen food and I am trying to train him. Maybe I will go grab some feeders to see if the fish is still eating

Scott
 
It might take some time for him to go for frozen. I've had my dwarf lion for a little over a month now and he still won't eat frozen. Very stubborn. I feed him several ghost shrimp a few times a week. The behavior you mentioned is normal for a lion. They will hide for awhile til they get used to your lighting cycle, then you'll see him out in the open more often.

So when are we gonna see a pic? :D
 
"He was healthy and eating live food."

No more live food for this volitan, get some silversides & a feeder stick. Place the silverside on the feeder stick, place it in the water & wiggle it. Volitans are much easier to wean on to frozen then fuzzies.

My lions swim at the top of the tank, they sleep upside down at the top & hang around on the side walls. Do not be alarmed over this behavior it is pretty normal for the Volitans. Just get it off the live foods & onto frozen.

Try to offer a variety of frozen foods, Squid, Octo, Silversides, Krill, & Raw Shrimp. Soak the foods in a Vitamin like Selcon or Zoe a few times per week.

I feed my Volitans when they were young a small chunk daily now that they are adults I feed them every 2-3 days. I feed small chunks at a time through out the day to them.



Kaye
 
Lion seems to be doing better. I feed him a couple more live fish today. Bought a pack of silversides too. I will start to try to feed him frozen tommorrow. Man the behavior is strange. Something about seeing a fish upside down is troubling. I think some of that has to do with my strong current. I have 3 Maxi-jet 1200s and a couple of seios too. I tried to create a low flow zone for the lion seems to have worked. The fish is spending a lot of time in this small area.

Thanks
Scott
 
You may have to let it go a few days with no food before it takes a silverside. I would not feed any Freshwater live to your lion, that will lead to nothing but trouble for your fish.

My lions always hang upside down in the tank, it is strange but you will get used to their behavior. I had a phone call one time saying that my lion is dieing it is floating upside down in the tank.....lol No it was just sleeping, I told them it will be OK...lol

One of my Volitans will spit at me through tank cleaning, oh it is bad & can spit far....lol The front of my tank always has water marks on it from this lion spitting, they are fun to have.
 
I am curious. I posted this question on my local club board and I am taking som heat about putting a lion in my reef. I have a good size tank with a light bio-load. People have commented that with the amount of flow the lion will never be happy. And with there eating habits there sure to cause nitrate problems in my tank. Is this just lack of experiance with this fish in a reef or is there some truth to this.

Thanks
Scott
 
If you have a lot of flow in your reef it may be to much, mine like to swim at their leisure. They just take their time around the tank. I had my lions in my reef until they were large enough for my 300g that is a FOWLR tank.

Lions do create a heavy Bio Load in a tank, these fish are very fast growers. This is from the Info Sheet:

"The main problem with Volitans lionfish is their size; the cute 2" juvenile fish at the store will reach 8-10" in one year's time (with proper feedings) and within 6 more months it will obtain a maximum size of 15". These fish easily outgrow their tankmates and will frequently eat them. Any fish that is equal to half the body size of the Volitans lion, is considered food, and will be eaten in time."

That's one thing you will have to consider is their size & how fast this fish will grow. A lion may not be for you, especially when you keep a light bio load in your reef.

Kaye
 
i would definately try to encourage the lion to eat the silversides, but if he is stubborn, dont starve the poor little buggar! if after 3 to 4 days he hasnt gone for the silversides give him a few ghost shrimp (better for him than the freshwater feederfish) you dont want to starve you rfish trying to get him to conform to your feeding habits
 
I think I am going to. On another note I think the store incorrectly identified it. I believe that it's a Russel's Lion Fish and not a Volitan's. Which would be great as they don't get as big. The fish has made my Reef a little more fun to look. I am just worried about my SPS coral's being affected by the increase in waste. I guess I will up the waterchanges a little to compensate. I will post a pic for proper idendifaction a little later.

Also I would like to hear from others housing a Lion in there mixed reef. I am interested in knowing what the sucess rate it. Also I need a good story to tell my 4 year old daughter were (Nemo) her percula clown wen't. Hasn't happened yet but its probably coming.

Thanks
Scott
 
To compensate, water changes will do, but probably upgrade your skimmer to take a bigger hit.

your 180gallon is fine for either russles or volitan.
 
I have a pretty serious skimmer that also runs ozone. I have a Little Giant 5dsc driving it to. Over 1400 gph




Here's about the best pick I could get. The Actinics are on and I had to adjust the white balance to get good color. Also I sucessfully fed a silverside too!

Scott
 
It looks exactly like figure13a in the issue of reefkeeping. Down to the purple spots on the pectoral fin array. I would be cool if it is a Russell's I will try to get some pics when the Halides are on tommorrow. I am a little better with Macro with good lighting. Its hard to dial in the shutter speed with that low light. it always looks blury because of the movement of the fish. I guess I could bump up the iso.....Wait this is stuff for another forum. Sorry I get carried away.:rollface:
 
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