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lionfish and triggerfish advice

post #1 of 29
5/23/11 at 4:49pm
Thread Starter 

My LFS has for sale a 5" Volitans Lionfish for $99. He's in great health and I still have to see if he's eating, but I trust my LFS and he really looks good.

I need advice on 2 notes:

First, what do you think of the price?

Second and more importantly, do you think he'll get along with my other inhabitants?

They are

-8" Cano toadfish

-5" Panther Grouper

-Adult Purple and Regal tangs

-yellow tail and 3 spot damselfish

The size of the tank is roughly 200 gallons.

 

I would really love to have him - he's gorgeous!

 

Also, they have a great looking triggerfish, I think its either a humu rectangle or a bursa. 4".

I have the same questions about him, he's about $60-70.

 

Thanks-This is my first forum post on this site!

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post #2 of 29
5/23/11 at 4:59pm

IMO i would pick one....Even though its 200gal u have some lgr fish and i wouldnt want to overstress them and shorten there lives!

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post #3 of 29
5/23/11 at 5:20pm
Thread Starter 

I think if I would have to pick one I would have to go with the $100 lionfish...

do you think he'll be fine with my tangs?

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post #4 of 29
5/23/11 at 6:26pm

that idk i hope cranberry or saxman come by they are the scorpionfish experts!!!! maybe change ur title to lionfish question or something

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post #5 of 29
5/24/11 at 5:28am
Thread Starter 

ok I did thanks

 

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post #6 of 29
5/24/11 at 5:30am
Thread Starter 

I really just want to make sure that the trigger and lion (I really want to get both) will get along with my tangs

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post #7 of 29
5/24/11 at 1:45pm

The real question is how hasn't the toadfish ate the damsels yet??

 

The price of the lion is a kinda high. Not unheard of at all, and depending upon your location, could even be reasonable. The higher price isn't necessarily unwelcomed either. Keeps window shoppers out who just might happened to see the lion, "must have it" and hack together some 40gal breeder for it...

 

Either the lion or trigger should get along with the tangs, however the trigger presents the problem of picking on the lion, if you purchased both, as well as the toadfish.

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post #8 of 29
5/24/11 at 3:36pm
Thread Starter 

oh no... he has!!!

In fact, today there is only 1 yellow tail damsel left!

before I got toad fish, I had 9  damsels. Today? 2.

 

Aquaknight, thanks so much for the advice. It was helpful.

 

It is my LFS so I bet I could barter a little for him, maybe trade in toadfish and get a credit for him or something like that.

 

Both the lion and trigger are in the same tank at the LFS and they both seem fine... I was just concerned for my tangs! Their beautiful!

 

Thanks so much again! I'll hopefully go in and get the lion one of these days...

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post #9 of 29
5/25/11 at 10:07am

I would go with the lion over the triggers. The tangs will leave him alone, and the lion will leave them alone.

The trigger poses a big threat to your lion, as mentioned above, and could possibly be nipping with your tangs depending on what types you have and how timid they are.

 

*Edit, I see that you have Regal tangs, a trigger would have a field day harassing them.

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post #10 of 29
5/25/11 at 12:42pm
Thread Starter 

Ok, thank you so much...

any species of trigger that wouldn't bother any one?

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post #11 of 29
5/25/11 at 4:47pm

Your best bet is the Blue Throat, but honestly, any trigger is a risk, especially with a lionfish.

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post #12 of 29
5/25/11 at 5:18pm
Thread Starter 

Yeah, I thought so. Thanks for your advice.

I'll get the lion fish tomorrow and tell you guys how it goes... hopefully he's not too shy so I can take a picture!

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post #13 of 29
5/25/11 at 5:21pm
Thread Starter 

my day was a little crazy with my tanks....

my little damsel that I thought disappeared 3 MONTHS ago I found happily swimming in my sump.

I tried catching him with a net but it was too big so I had to use my bare hands and I caught him!

 

now hopefully toadfish doesn't find a meal in him but with him I don't know...!

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post #14 of 29
5/26/11 at 1:17pm
Thread Starter 

I'll have to go get him Sunday morning instead of today... darn it.

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post #15 of 29
5/26/11 at 1:40pm

If the toady doesn't eat the damsel, the lionfish will (I'm assuming we're talking P. volitans or P. russelii)...it's just a matter of time.

 

As for triggers, any non-planktonic feeder will be a risk to the lionfish or vice-versa (I had an adult volitans kill an adult picasso about 20 years ago).  However, the planktonic feeding triggers are typically a good fit with lionfish.  A blue jaw would be your best bet here.

 

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post #16 of 29
5/26/11 at 4:50pm

I hope swallowing the damsel won't hurt your lion...

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post #17 of 29
5/27/11 at 8:17am
Thread Starter 

Saxman-

I don't mind some of my damselfish disappearing. I really cant believe that the lionfish killed the Picasso trigger!

And I'm going to wait until my LFS has a blue jaw, and if he looks healthy and is appropriately priced, I will buy him.

I think the trigger in the same tank as the lion might be a blue jaw, I'll be returning to the LFS tommorow and will see.

 

Siptang-

I hope so too!

 

 

 

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post #18 of 29
5/27/11 at 9:06am

We have actually fed damsels to lions that have either gone off their food or haven't been weaned yet.  About the only thing I can say is that if the damsels become established, they may learn to evade the lion, but it just takes "once".  Now I HAVE seen lions bump their snouts when chasing a live fish into the rockwork.

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post #19 of 29
5/27/11 at 10:30am
Thread Starter 

OK, so I am definitely going in Tomorrow to get the lionfish.

But I have questions about the blue jaw.

First, would he be OK with my other tank inhabitants?

Second, does he require to be fed any specialized plankton formula or just the reg brine, mysis, silver sides?

Thanks so much saxman!

 

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post #20 of 29
5/29/11 at 2:16pm
Thread Starter 

My LFS did not want my toadfish but gave me a referral to a great store who did take the toadfish and with pleasure! They also gave me a $10 discount towards my new Clarkii Clown!

 

I didn't get the lionfish because of the price and think I will be able to find a better deal elsewhere. Besides, the deal I got today on the clark's clown is unbeatable! ($30)

 

I'll keep you posted! If you have any advice for Clarkii Clowns, please share!

 


Edited by travelerjp98 - 5/29/11 at 8:51pm
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