anyone ever had problems with lionfish eating?

[ryan]

Ive had my lionfish for 8 months now. He will eat about anything I put on the end of a feeding stick. Three days ago I fed him a silverside, now he isnt accepting any food not even a molly? I checked my water and all tests good. Anyone have this problem before, and did the lionfish start eating again?

 

[lion_crazz]

I had this except problem, although my lion sounds like it was eating even better than yours when he all of a sudden stopped eating one day. How long has it been since he has not eaten?
Next, what do you use to check your salinity? If it is a hydrometer, try to find an LFS who will check it with a refractometer for you (too low of a salinity was the problem with my lion -- even though my hydrometer was reading that the salinity was normal). Also, what is your nitrate level?

 

[ryan]

Nitrate is at 0. My salinity is at 1.024 (with a hydrometer) I usually keep it at 1.025 not to much of a difference. I try to feed him on the stick and he goes after it like usual, but it like he cant open his mouth. Usually he engulfs whatever is on the feeding stick pretty viciously, but now he looks like he is trying to nip it and his mouth barely moves. Any ideas?

 

[lion_crazz]

That's exactly how my lion was. I would try to get an lfs to test your salinity with a refractometer.

 

[ryan]

I couldnt find a refractometer, but cleaned my hydrometer out good and had it tested. My water was at 1.023. I raised it up to 1.025. I tried putting a molly in the tank. My lion lunged at it aggressively, but missed, then he went back to watching it and would never eat it. Any suggestions? Its been about 5-6 days without food now. All the other fish in the tank seem to be fine. The lion shows no signs on his body of anything being wrong with him.

 

[lion_crazz]

Well, I would not be horribly worried yet. Lions can go weeks without food. Mine went around 4 weeks without eating anything. Your case sounds exactly how mine was. My lion would come up to my hand with the silverside in it, lunge at my hand like he wanted to eat it, but would not open his mouth wide enought to get it in his mouth. Then he would just go on the bottom or back in a corner. I also tried mollies and he would chase them around during the night, but would never eat them. He would sit an inch from them, wag his tail like he was really interested, but would not touch them at all.
What type of test kit are you using to test your nitrates? As I said, this problem occured when my SG dropped to 1.010 and also when my nitrates rose to 80 (although the nitrate incident I caught quickly and fixed within a week, the SG problem took me 4 weeks to catch).

 

[ryan]

Im using a red sea test kit. From what you explained that the exact thing mine is doing. Maybe I can just wait it out and he will start eating again.

 

[swman]

Make sure your ph is at 8.3-8.4

 

[ryan]

I think I may have found my problem I took my water into a lfs and had them measure it. I was reading 1.025 on mine the lfs read 1.028 on theirs. I went out and bought a new hydrometer and measured a little under 1.030. I have now adjusted my water to 1.025 on the new hydrometer. How long did it take your lion to eat after you raised your salinity up Lion_Crazz?

 

[lion_crazz]

He started eating again in about a week. I knew it had to be a salinity problem. If it were me, I would take back the hydrometer you just bought and purchase a refractometer. I love my refractometer and can't imagine running a saltwater tank without one. They are only $50 but are 100% more accurate than a hyrdometer is. When you are spending so much on the fish and tank itself, why not spend the $50 extra to insure that the salt content is at least correct? Just my opinion..

 

[ryan]

I plan on getting one here in awhile. Just have a ton of other stuff I need to spend money on right now. Hopefully he will start eating again too. Thanks for all the help.

 

[ryan]

Thank you for all your help Lion_Crazz. I would have never thought my hydrometer would go bad like that. My lionfish took a silverside today and a small piece of shrimp. Its been almost two weeks thats hes been without food. Looks like hes going to be okay though. Thanks.

 

[lion_crazz]

I am glad to help you and I am glad he is on the road back to health.
One quick question, how long did it take him to fully ingest the silverside?

 

[ryan]

probably about 10 seconds. He took it by the head and hung onto it for a couple seconds before he swallowed the rest. Then when I was trying to feed my eel a piece of shrimp he came and engulfed the shrimp like he used to do with his food.

 

[lion_crazz]

That's awesome! My lion was a little frustrating because it would take him about an hour to ingest one piece when he finally started eating again. He would come to the top, grab the food out of my hands, and then sink to the bottom and sit on a rock for close to an hour with the food halfway out of his mouth. He's doing great now though, and I hope yours makes a full recovery like mine as well.

 

[f1shman]

he ate out of your hands?!

 

[jonny bolt]

Glad you found the prob
My Dwarf Lion eats right out of my fingers. I had ordered a clear feeding stick like 2 months ago, and the LFS never called me back. After a few weeks, I didnt even need it anyway LOL

 

[ophiura]

IME with lions, they can literally stuff themselves. Eat so much that they can barely close their mouths. And they can go a looong time without food - usually longer than their owners can stand not feeding them While your salinity was high, I don't think it was really the ultimate cause of the issue. Good to keep it in check for sure.