Zebra Lionfish

[Lionfish92]

I have a 90gallon reef tank with a 5 inch sailfin Tang, a 5 inch Koran Angel (I will be getting rid of one when they grow larger), A 3 inch pearlscale butterfly fish, and an adult tomato and percula clownfish. I really want a Zebra Lionfish and I've done a lot of research. I know that they fed primarily on motile invertibrates but small fish like clowns are also in danger. I was thinking of getting a bubble tip anemone to protect the clowns. Would this work ? and if so, I would really appreciate some care tips for anemones.

 

[haulme]

Hi mate

I'm was in a similar situation with yourself. I wanted clows with a Lionfish.

I have a devil lionfish that certainly does not live up to its name. It is a very tame fish.

It was the first marine fish I got and I raised it on live feeder shrimp. It was around 3 inches when I got it.

Now it's around 4 -5 inches and I house it with 3 cleaner shrimps, 2 tomato clowns, six line wrasse and a foxface rabbit fish.

I introduced all very slowly around 1 fish every month. Lionfish got used to it and now gets no urges to munch anything apart from the shrimp I feed it.

I do feed it regularly around 3-4 small shrimp a day. It's very healthy and has excellent colour.

The clowns get on fine with the lionfish, sometimes the lion swims at pace towards them thinking they are food but then stops.

So you maybe fine. Rule of thumb with Lions: If it does not fit 2-3X its mouth size it will not eat it.

However a tomato clown can be very agressive and I doubt it will allow a perc to host within the same anemone.

Be really carefull about picking an anemone and read the faqs. Most of my time now is spent keeping the well being of my anemone so it is not a decision you should take lightly!

 

[Lionfish92]

I didn't think of this until now, but I also have an adult brittle star and 4 inch unknown species of blenny. The Blenny spends most of his time hiding in the rock and the Brittle Star does too but its legs are often exposed. Do you think that these would be in danger as well ?

 

[phoenix]

I have seen several tanks with clowns and lions. It is always chancy - lions if hungry will eat anything they can get in their mouths. The starfish is fine but the blenny and clowns are potential significant meals. A friend had clowns and a lion in his tank for 2 yrs and no problem and then one day the clown ate both of the clowns.

 

[OrionN]

Lion fish can eat fish that are more than 1/2 their lenght. I would not keep them with clowns, especially smaller Clowns like A. percula or A. ocellaris

 

[Lionfish92]

I was planing on getting the zebra as a baby. If he showed the slightest sign of predatory behavior such as stalking or attempting to corner the smaller fish, I would temporarily move him to my Eclipse 25 gallon tank until I could get him a 30-40 gallon permanent home.

 

[OrionN]

The first sign that you see most likely will be a missing fish and a Lion with a full belly. He may kill himself and the clown by choking on it.
This is an impossible undertaking. Best not get start.
Now if you and an additional tank and want to get your spouse to agree to it, this is an excellent idea, especially when she got hook on Nemo.

 

[Lionfish92]

Eventualy I would of course seperate them, I know that eventualy the Clowns will be sucked in but if I got the zebra as a 1 inch baby, would the clowns still be in danger ? Maybe instead of moving the Lion when he shows signs of being aggressive, I could move him when a reaches a certain length such a 2-3 inches. The only tanks I have at my disposal are a 25g unoccupied, a 55g with an Oscar and my 90g. I would eventualy get a 30g just for the zebra but I'd like to keep him in my 90g first. Getting new tanks never goes over well with the others and I'm running out of room

 

[OrionN]

As long as you know what you are getting into and plan for it. Good luck

 

[COreefer]

I have found in the past keeping ocellaris with a dwarf that the fact the fish stay together keeps the attention off them from the lion. Also if they take to an anemone, I don't believe there are any worries. Keep the lion well fed, and if you leave and cannot feed, find a way to isolate the lion.

 

[haulme]

Second the above, as per my original post keep the Lion well fed.

If you have a risky stock for the lion like small shrimp/fish Isolate him if possible for a month or so and build up a scheduled feeding time for him. Took me around 1 month - 2 to do this.

Soon he will start begging for food. My one swims to the front and top of the tank and looks at me flashing his fins and making a nice dance.

As soon as he is built on a schedule introduce him to the main tank. Keep him well fed and you shouldn't have a problem.

 

[Lionfish92]

Actualy, though keeping the Lion well fed would keep him from eating the other fish, they are supposed to be kept hungry or health problems arise.

 

[COreefer]

welll fed and overfed are not mutually exclusive here. feeding the lion every other day or so will keep it well fed.

 

[Lionfish92]

But well fed still means the lion is hungry

 

[COreefer]

I think dwarf lions get a bad rep...if they are introduced small and after the smaller fish they tend not to go after them...this is my exprerience anyway. As long as the lion is being fed every other day, they don't go out of their way to stalk prey...if you feed silversides, they will become acustomed to there regimented food. Also like I said, with an anemone and the fact that clowns tend to stay together, this usually keeps the lions attention off the clowns. This doesn't mean there isn't a risk...I just don't think it is a high risk with most clowns and mnost dwarf lions. If a small enough clowns swims right in front of the mouth of a lion it may eat him...but if there is an anemone present the chances are the clowns stay very close to it...

 

[Lionfish92]

Alright, I'm preparing the 25g acclimation tank. He'd only be in there for a month at most so would I need live rovk in the tank ?