Liofish
- Thread starter gobylover
- Start date
saltwater4me
Member
whas it white and red stripes? if so it's a red volitan. If it's not I bet it's hardy, because all lionfish are hardy besides fu man chus.
lionfish
Member
LionFish says......
Well, I am not completely disagreeing with saltwater but I don't think it is a red volitan, or else it had to be at least 5 or 6 inches to be that price. If it was a small species I would put money on it that it is an Antennata, because they have red stripes with lighter red stripes between. They are just as hardy as the rest of the lionfish and they only get to be about 8 inches. Cool little guys, they are certainly one of the most colorful species. The price is basicly because they need to be shipped from the Red Sea although I have seen some specimens sent from the indo-pacific. Cool fish is you have enough space and keep them with the right tankmates. They eat the same foods and require the same care as the rest.
Well, I am not completely disagreeing with saltwater but I don't think it is a red volitan, or else it had to be at least 5 or 6 inches to be that price. If it was a small species I would put money on it that it is an Antennata, because they have red stripes with lighter red stripes between. They are just as hardy as the rest of the lionfish and they only get to be about 8 inches. Cool little guys, they are certainly one of the most colorful species. The price is basicly because they need to be shipped from the Red Sea although I have seen some specimens sent from the indo-pacific. Cool fish is you have enough space and keep them with the right tankmates. They eat the same foods and require the same care as the rest.
blueberryboomer
Active Member
It sounds like a Fu Man Chu to me. They are not very harty, we had one once, it wouldn't eat and hid out under the rocks at the back of the tank. We tried everything to get him to eat with out any luck. He died I'm sorry to say. That is one fish I will stay away from, from now on....Later Lisa
gobylover
Member
Your right on the money Lionfish!I got ahold of the owner and she said it was an antennata lion and that it came from the Red Sea.I had a violtan and I loved him.He died by eating a neon goby,as did my arrowcrab. 
But this one is georgous!I think if hes there in another week,I'll get him.Thanks for the info!
But this one is georgous!I think if hes there in another week,I'll get him.Thanks for the info!
saltwater4me
Member
Ya, i'd get it. They look greta, easy to keep, and is realy hardy.
new2saltwater
Member
Hey Gobylover, make sure it eats frozen foods before you bring it home. My LFS had my Antennata weened off of live food before I brought it home his main diet is Mysis shrimp and some live ghostshrimp for a treat every month.....
Goodluck with the fish........
Goodluck with the fish........
lionfish
Member
LionFish says......
As far as I am concerned your LFS needs to learn how to ween their lions off live foods. It is quite easy to do. Just do the proper procedures of trying to make the dead food look alive. Usually this is done by tying a small piece of meaty food to a feeder stick and moving it around to make it look alive. It iisn't an easy task all the time but if they keep feeding those little guys live foods, they won't get enough nutrients and could die. Your LFS should be able to get their lions off live foods in a matter of weeks. ifd they just sell them eating only live foods, they will die.
As far as I am concerned your LFS needs to learn how to ween their lions off live foods. It is quite easy to do. Just do the proper procedures of trying to make the dead food look alive. Usually this is done by tying a small piece of meaty food to a feeder stick and moving it around to make it look alive. It iisn't an easy task all the time but if they keep feeding those little guys live foods, they won't get enough nutrients and could die. Your LFS should be able to get their lions off live foods in a matter of weeks. ifd they just sell them eating only live foods, they will die.
skirk
Member
I do disagree with an all live food diet for dwarf lions (or any lions) but know that they are harder to ween then volitans. Yes it can be done (as many of us have done it), but I also know a friend with a common dwarf lion that he has fed rosy reds and ghost shrimp forever (a couple years) and it has bloomed into a beautiful lion. He is too impatient to take the time needed, but it should be done. I can see where a lfs wouldn't do it cuz they are just concerned with selling fish and not training fish (usually). The long term affects of feeding live food are not known, however not suggested. I personally look at it like this: Frozen food is like a person taking there vitamins every day and live food is not. And since I take my vitamins everyday, so do my fish (only they do it every other day). Just as there are big people who don't take vitamins who are healthy, so can be the fish who eat live food everyday. It breaks down into a whole lot of other microbiology/chemistry but this simple analogy is much more pleasant to understand. It doesn't necessarily mean the fish will die. Okay, I'm done babbling. Just my 2cents.
If anyone has seen studies proving that live fish feedings kill saltwater fish then please bring it to my attention. But from what I've read and results I've seen, along with a science major I'm not necessarily sure that it has ill effects. But rather it's just not as safe as frozen due to the fact that it comes from who knows where.
If anyone has seen studies proving that live fish feedings kill saltwater fish then please bring it to my attention. But from what I've read and results I've seen, along with a science major I'm not necessarily sure that it has ill effects. But rather it's just not as safe as frozen due to the fact that it comes from who knows where.
playtime
Member
I have a dwarf lionfish and when I first got him, he was eating baby feeder guppies but that got old fast, having to run to the pet store every 3-4 days to buy them and, risking them being sold out. I started adding frozen brine shrimp with the guppies and noticed he was eating the brine. Now, I only feed frozen brine and guppies about 2 times per month. Seems to be working.
Before anyone gets upset because they read that I have a 25gal, I also have a 30gal and he is in there by himself until he gets bigger. I am planning a 55gal this winter. He is still only about 4 inches so he does have alot of swimming room. Enough said.
playtime
Before anyone gets upset because they read that I have a 25gal, I also have a 30gal and he is in there by himself until he gets bigger. I am planning a 55gal this winter. He is still only about 4 inches so he does have alot of swimming room. Enough said.
playtime