30 gallon setup

[melany217]

I want to purchase a 30 gallon tank, but I want a lion fish (dwarf). I think he will grow to 5 inches. Would he be ok in a tank that size and if so how many other fish can I put with him (some suggestions on the other fish)?

 

[pstanley]

I personally think he would be ok in a 30 gallon tank but I wouldn't put too many more fish in there. He will try to eat anything small enough to fit into a 30 gallon anyways.

 

[turbo21]

i think he would be ok in a 30 but i dont think you should put any other fish in with him. smaller tanks are harder with water quality i fond than bigger tanks. if you did put other fish in with him it would be a long while before they would out grow the tank.

 

[melany217]

Thanks so much guys. How does this sound (I have read lots of stuff and have a couple of tanks, still I am new to this hobby, 4 months now) I want the dwarf Lion, he is the whole reason for this, can I put a niger trigger and yellow tang in too? How about some fire shrimp? Star fish? I get sooooo many different opinions on how many fish and what kind but from people at pet stores. I do understand that the lion will eat anything that fits in his mouth, do the fire shrimp fit I may even go up to a 40gal (space is a problem or I would go bigger).

 

[jake22]

If i were you i would go for a 55 gallon if possible and get a lion, zebra moray, and you might get away with having a yellow tang. You definently can not have a yellow tang or a trigger in a 30 gallon tank. If a 55 is not possible then with a 40 you could get a smaller type of eel and lion, and possibly a clown that wont fit in the lion or eels mouth.

 

[ryebread]

No way!! Your Bioload will become a major problem even with just a full sized dwarf lion. Tangs need lots of room to swim or they will get stressed/diseased very easily. Niger Triggers get big and there is no way to put one in a 30gal. or a 40gal. for that matter.
You can probably go with the dwarf lion in a 30gal. for a while. I would recommend the 40gal. at least. You may have to trade in your lion before it gets to be full grown. Oh yeah, Lions eat shrimps and things also.

 

[melany217]

Thank u everyone I was originally getting a 55 gal, then thought of the 30 for space reasons, but wanted the lion and wanted to make sure he would be ok and not alone. I think, if I can pull it off with the space, I will go for the 55gal (the eel just sounds too cool). With that I have another question lol; Is there anything they sell to lock the lid of a tank? I have a 3 year old and I figure if I can just go one step further trying to protect him, and the fish, it is better. Again thank u all, and any other suggestions on types of inhabitants in a tank with a lion is still appreciated

 

[shadow678]

A dwarf lion would be fine in a 30, and as long as you added fish with several weeks in between each addition, it would be fine to have a couple of other small tankmates, the biofiltration will adjust itself. If you want the eel, I would go with the 55 and have just the lion and the moray, that would be fine. Triggers do not go well with lions, they are very aggressive and will nip at any fish with flowing fins. Also, if you get the eel, you will not be able to keep shrimp, as the eel will likely eat them. Zebras are not a threat to fish, but they will eat crustaceans. Dwarf lions are not much of a threat to fish either, as their mouths are not as large as their larger cousins, although it it still capable of eating some pretty large things. Rather than trying to lock the lid, get your child involved in the tank, and teach them that playing with it can kill the inhabitants, so it is important for him/her not to play in it. If you let them help you do things with the tank when you work on it, they will be less likely to play with it out of curiosity. HTH