Show Us Your Lionfish

[namxas]

Hero,

A lion can go quite awhile without eating, but the way we wean fish we feed them live ghosties or guppies to establish the fact that they're eating (1-4 weeks, depending on the fish's condition and "willingness" to eat), then try weaning for a week or so. If the fish is stubborn, it gets a few live meals, to keep its weight up, then the process starts again. This is pretty much the routine until the fish is weaned...we never stop trying.

 

[sacremon]

Why guppies instead of black mollies? Ease/cost of the fish? I recall that guppies can be acclimated to salt, but don't fare as well as black mollies do.

 

[drainbamage101]

Gorgeous Rhino up there-one of my dream fish someday

here's a couple of my fuzzy dwarf who chills in my reef tank. Got him when he was too small to eat whole PE mysis shrimp, and have had him since. always been on frozen foods.

 

[namxas]

She's (definitely a female) a sweetie, 'bamage.

Yeah, Rhinos have always been a "holy grail" fish for me...

 

[drainbamage101]

how can you tell gender? If it's a girl I can't get as grumpy when my girlfriend calls her Fluffy...

 

[Fibinotchi]

I think less than six strips on the pectoral fins mean female but Greg knows his lions.

 

[FMarini]

bamage---
w/ dwarf fuzzys and D. barberi its straightforward.
Read here
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-11/fm/feature/

"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."

 

[drainbamage101]

thanks for the info, good to know!

 

[namxas]

Just to clarify, it's the dark bands that you count. I've had several folks ask me "which" bands everyone refers to. With the "6-banders", which is the "cross-over" number, you usually need to wait until the fish gets a bit older to check it's pectoral length and head size.

Frank,

I was going to quote your article, but you saved me the trouble!

 

[FMarini]

Only if they read it.....

Thanks Greg-
BTW- are you guys finally set up

 

[Jhockey]

Since this is the thread of the lionfish experts, hopefully no one will mind a little question. Can someone explain the differences in red and black volitan lionfish? I've heard black volitans can turn into red ones? The lionfish in question is at my LFS, here is a pic:
http://i1041.photobucket.com/albums/b417/johnnybigshot/IMG_9960.jpg
I LOVE the black body/fins (but I think that means he's stressed?) But his head is lighter. So that has me worried, will it change to a red or keep its dark black lines? Thanks for the help.

 

[FMarini]

the difference between black and "red" morph P volitans is color. They are found in slightly different locales, but its the same fish-either red or black.
Just to make it more confusing..... many folks get P russells confused w/ P volitans and Russells lions are a reddish brown(never black), and another Volitans family member- P miles tend to be "darker" color than a standard red volitans.

in regards to color changes, more like the fish can lighten or darken their colors. I've seen black p volitan turn lighter- but never red, and red P volitans turn darker, but never black.

Lastly, in regards to your picts-- its a stunning volitans-looks like the red form to me

 

[Jhockey]

Thanks for the informative response Frank! Bummer that one is a red, its labeled as a black. I can see hues of red on the face tho, even tho the body is dark as night. Oh well, the search continues.

I looked P niles, devil firefish, on Wikipedia, and they described that as the common black lionfish while P volitans is the common red. Often the two get intertwined. Seems like niles has more fan like fins while volitans aren't as thick? These are just my observings. I guess they don't know that volitans can be in either red or black. I like the dark colors of the niles, but not so much the frilly fans. I like the sharp needle looking fins like the one I posted.

 

[me_reef_geek]

black volitan I had a few years back notice how the fins are thin and come strait to a point (I was told a true black) and in the second pic it has white spots on its fins I have never seen this on a red volitan

and red volitan
the fins kind of curl at the tips

 

[Jhockey]

I definitely have noticed red volitans have moire fluffy curled fins while blacks are more straight and pointy. I gotta find a black volitan! Hopefully soon I can join the club.

 

[namxas]

Another thing I can mention is that when our P. volitans was a juvie/sub-adult, its pectoral rays were straight, but developed that "curl" at the end as the fish matured. IME, lions (esp. P. volitans) "grow into" their fins, and the fish definitely do change a bit as they mature.

These pix are the same fish as a super small juvie and as an adult:

 

[BPro32]

Unfortunately, the only pictures I have of my dwarf lions are from a camera phone. I have since sold them and broke down my 65g.

 

[Jhockey]

Is it me greg or does the juvi look red and the adult black?

 

[seahorsedreams]

It's just the picture.

 

[reeftanker3295]

My fuzzy dwarf...