8" Volitan price range?

[madwabbit23]

So I have the 8"inch and change Volitan that most of you have seen pics of in my other posts, and my issue with stocking the tank is finding fish to buy that he wont swallow whole.
Friend that works at my LFS said theres a customer interested in a large volitan, and that he was willing to pay well for a healthy one over 7 or 8 inches.
With the money Id get Id consider picking up a few small triggers, or angels, i dont know ...but itd be nice to have more fish than one big gorgeous one that rules the tank by himself.
I really love the guy and my biggest issue is that my girlfriend read a bunch of horror stories about them being dangerous and if Im out of town for a length of time she wont take care of the thing because shes terrified of it. I've been pondering his removal for some time.
Assuming we decide to remove the fella and start anew with some small triggers or angels ...whats a fair price?
I've seen them at 80-120 for 5" on various sites but I really have no idea where to even ballpark his value.

 

[hammerhed7]

depends on where you are, you would probably need to find someone local. trying to bag an 8" lion would be interesting.

 

[madwabbit23]

ooh dont remind me. I thought about that myself ...I guess id try and bucket him in, wearing some serious gloves and using a net. Found one site selling a volitan at 8.5inches for 289.99 - I think they are insane. Do these fish really get that expensive?

 

[chopzini]

Mines only about 5" just got him a few weeks ago in Michigan (I live in Wisconsin lol) He made the trip great, but I paid 85 for him

 

[jag2232]

If lions are going for 200-300 bucks at that size then come over to NY and punch me in the face. I gave mine away when it outgrew my 75 gallon.

 

[jp30338]

My lfs sells them for around $59.99-69.99 in the 5-6 inch range.
Heck, they are trying to get rid of them in the caribbean.

 

[1990jpyj]

i would probly say $200.00 maybe $250.00 and then you can see what he says from there.

 

[madwabbit23]

Yeah I think I may ask him for 200 for it. He specificly wants a volitan, over 7-8 inches, and my LFS wont do any more special ordering pre-holidays...I think he wants it as a gift, so Ive got a little bargaining power.
I will probably sell the guy and get a handful of 3-4inch fish to make my tank populated with pretty fish instead of a huge volitan in isolation. (although you know hes happy as hell in a 150 by himself)
Thanks for the feedback guys!

 

[prime311]

Maybe its just me, but I'd give them a discount if I knew it was going to a good home.

 

[madwabbit23]

I agree with a good home discount, but its going to a 90g, where he will be with a puffer of some type ...

anyway, I still need help with my water parameters:
3 water changes this week, and a few filtration changes, and im now at
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm (very very close to 0 anyway)
PH: 8.0
Nitrate: 150ppm <---- 3 water changes, how the hell do i fix this? Or is this a normal number for an 8inch lion and a 2ft eel? ..only feeding twice a week.

 

[babyb]

how big is the tank and how much are you feeding twice a week

 

[prime311]

Get the Nitrates doublechecked at an LFS or with a different test kit. A 90 Gallon with a Puffer I wouldn't even sell a fish of mine to someone that was gonna do that. Thats just a 4 foot tank, and while Lions are fairly sedentary the bioload will probably be an issue, aggression very well could be an issue, and getting him food with a voracious eating puffer is definitely gonna be an issue.

 

[madwabbit23]

Yah, had the LFS double check the parameters - they came up with identical results.
its a 150gal and im feeding them each 4-7 silversides twice a week.
did two 25gal water changes this week. Nitrites got knocked back down to zero, but nitrates are still outrageous. Whats a normal number for an aggressive tank? 75ppm?

 

[prime311]

Should be under 50. You aren't providing sufficient filtration for the system.
How much live rock do you have?
Do you have protein skimmer and if so, what kind?
What other types of filtration is in the tank?
Crushed Coral or Sand substrate? If sand, how deep?
Do you have a refugium?

 

[madwabbit23]

Rena filstar 375 canister filter, 45g wet/dry with a protein skimmer in furthest chamber...forget the brand but its rated for 250gal tanks.
Substrate: 2.5" sandbed, and 130lbs of live fuji rock.
I'll stay on the water changes, and post any info good or bad throughout the week. Ty for the help guys.
PS I was just told that the water was only changed once while I was out of town on business---- from june to september.
Probably the issue

 

[jag2232]

Do you clean out/replace your canister filter's inserts? if you don't those will shoot your nitrates up.

 

[madwabbit23]

hehe yah, every few weeks. Its got brand new filters and pads (cept biorings) as of last week.
I think im supplying more than enough filtration, I think the issue may be consistent water changes ...i dunno what else it could be.

 

[prime311]

Thats enough filtration for your tank, assuming the skimmer is working properly, especially with only 1 fish in it. Change out like 20% water twice a week for a couple weeks if you can and check it then.

 

[txfishman]

i would check to see if a silver side or two fell in the rock work and started to decompose.

 

[michelle9491]

I have a lion & personally I would not sell one to a person that only has a 90 gallon. They grow way too fast & that would be mean, imho to take him from a 150 with just an eel to a 90 with a puffer. Plus I have been lucky that my puffer doesnt nip at the lions fins because they grew up together I guess, but not always the right tankmate especially when older & put together. Btw, I have a volitan lion, puffer & lime green wrasse (all around 10-12") in a 125 & I'm already know I have to do something, they are just getting too big.