33long setup

[liverock27]

I was at the LFS today trading in some of my Hermit crabs and snails, I lost my whole tank(29g) this weekend during the ice storm here in Georgia

. They had acouple used pre drilled 33gallon long tanks at a really cheap price ($15). I have already built a 20 gallon long refug/sump. My question is if I set the 33g up with the 20g refug/sump what would yall recommend for an aggresive setup? would a fumanchu(sp?) lion, if kept alone, be ok for this or is this tank setup to small? I want a lion, but if I can only keep a dwarf lion, I read from all the posts on here that they are harder to keep, I will think of something else to put in it. Thanks for any help.

 

[moraym]

You can keep an antennata, radiata, fu manchu, dwarf zebra, or fuzzy dwarf in a 33.
They are slightly harder to iniatiate eating and switch to frozen than a volitan lion, but I've had all the fish mentioned above and never had a single one not eat frozen. Some were easier than others, but they all converted fine, with just a bit of patience.

 

[liverock27]

About how much live rock should I put in the tank? I don't know if you use the same formula of 1 to 1.5lbs per gallon like you use with reef tanks and others. Thanks

 

[fishy411]

I would start with 1 pound per gallon and add more if youwant

 

[moraym]

With a long aquarium, such as your 33L, you should be able to create a nice LR structure, however the depth of you tank may limit your ability to use 1.5-2 lbs per gallon and still maintain adequate swimming room. I'd shoot for 1.5 lbs per gallon, but stop if it looks like youre impairing the lion's ability to swim freely throughout the tank.

 

[liverock27]

Thanks yall have been more than helpful.

 

[liverock27]

I have been researching a little on the Fuzzy Dwarf and the Antennata(sp?) and from what I have read there is not much difference in max size. Is this true or have I been reading crap? If it is true and I could have either, which one do yall think is more active and easier for a person new to Lion fish. Thanks again

 

[moraym]

For what it's worth, several people will say the antennata and radiata species take longer to acclimate to frozen food and eating in general than more common dwarf lions.
From my personal experience (kept a couple of each type of lion over several years), the antennata was not that hard to convert. It did take some patience with one of the specimens, but it was successful.
Max size may differ slightly, but nothing significant, and nothing that would prevent you from putting one or the other into your 33L. That being said, I do not think ease of maintenance or size is an issue in choosing between the two. Choose the one you'd most like to have and go for it. The antennatas are harder to find, near impossible sometimes it seems like, and more colorful. They are fairly active, well, as active as a dwarf lion can be.

 

[liverock27]

Thanks for the additional help. I am just going to keep researching while the tank goes through its cycle. Any good articles or books that yall would recommend to read on them?