Lion and Cleaner??

[wanabebell]

I know it wrong to take cleaners from the reef... But im loosin the battle of ICK

ive lost my
Pink Tail
Snowflake
would my volitan (8-9 inches) accept a cleaner wrasse
and plus after I got my agressive situated id re-accumate the cleaner to my reef

 

[drewsta]

the ick is usually stress/water quality related... How big is your tank? How old is it? Also what are your water parameters? Typically a volitan will eat a shrimp without even thinking twice, kinda like a t-bone steak to us, expensive meal

 

[wanabebell]

First off my water is lookin good
My tank is 180 gallons
and its been up for over 2 years without any water issues

 

[goodwin9]

I would think you lion will make a meal of the cleaner wrasse. Mine did!

 

[wanabebell]

Thanks for your opinions everybody who posted
Im going to try a cleaner wrasse
but il keep my lion so full he wont want to think about eating anything

 

[debbie]

That will be a very nice snack for your lion. I have a fuzzy dwarf that is spoile rotten with food but......made a nice meal of my bicolor blenny. So your lion being the bigger one will definaltely make a nice meal of the wrasse.
What I would do if I were you is to get your ick under control first then add new fish.

 

[lion_crazz]

If you are losing fish to ich, there is something not right in your tank (water quality, usually). Poor water quality causes a fish's immune system to be weakened. If the fish were in ideal and stable water and were being fed a nutritious and varied diet, there is no reason that they shouldn't be able to fight off the ich themselves.

 

[nereef]

Originally Posted by Debbie
I have a fuzzy dwarf that is spoile rotten with food but......made a nice meal of my bicolor blenny.

is there anyting else the lion has eaten that he shouldn't have? i'm considering a fuzzy dwarf but don't it to make a meal of my yellow watchman.

 

[debbie]

Well, in my opinion any of the gobies and blennies while small are a chance you take. I was watching my lion last night and I can not believe how big that mouth is when fully opened. For a dwarf fish man they have a huge mouth.
She has not eaten anything else, I worry about my male ocellaris clown and he is small. I have had the pair for 2 1/2 years but the female is a nice size and the male is the little squirt. I also have a small yellow tail blue damsel for the same length of time and so far so good. She is a well fed lion but that did not stop her from eating my beautiful bi-color blenny.
How big is your watchman?
What other fish do you have in there right now?

 

[nereef]

my watchman is probably 1 1/2", tiger pistol shrimp
flame angel
pair of clarkii clowns
cleanup crew (hermits, snails, emerald crabs)

 

[debbie]

Originally Posted by NEreef
my watchman is probably 1 1/2", tiger pistol shrimp
flame angel
pair of clarkii clowns
cleanup crew (hermits, snails, emerald crabs)

Okay, your watchman is quite small, my blenny was 2". Lions love shrimp so that would be another snack there. Your angel is just fine and your clowns if they are not tiny will also be fine. The crabs and snail I have never had any problems with at all.
So you main thing isyour watchman and shrimp....

 

[nereef]

it really must depend on the lion. someone just told me that he has kept his dwarf lion and neon gobies together for a year with no problems. could this be because these fish are known to be cleaners?

 

[lion_crazz]

I would think that too NEReef, but my neon gobies have never even attempted to clean my lionfish. The neons clean my bat, tang, angel, and clown, but never even try to get on the lion, even if they are sitting right next to each other. The lion also was in my tank when my engineer goby was a couple of inches long as well. Now that engineer goby is over a foot. I really do think it depends on the fuzzy dwarf.
Murph also has a beautiful fuzzy dwarf in his reef with other small fish and he has not had any problems for about a year as well.
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/vb/showthread.php?t=214386

 

[nereef]

thanks for the response lion. murph's dwarf is gorgeous! it seem like it will be hit or miss, and i guess i'll just have to decide if i want to take the risk or not.
can you think of something else that would go well in my 90? i need a fish that wouldn't get much larger than 4 or 5 inches and that will be something interesting to watch.

 

[nereef]

hey debbie, i was looking through some other threads and i saw you speak of your 24 gal. nano. is the lion you spoke of in this thread in a 24? if so, i think my cercumstances are different in my 90. what do you think, debbie and lion?

 

[debbie]

Originally Posted by lion_crazz
I would think that too NEReef, but my neon gobies have never even attempted to clean my lionfish. The neons clean my bat, tang, angel, and clown, but never even try to get on the lion, even if they are sitting right next to each other. The lion also was in my tank when my engineer goby was a couple of inches long as well. Now that engineer goby is over a foot. I really do think it depends on the fuzzy dwarf.
Murph also has a beautiful fuzzy dwarf in his reef with other small fish and he has not had any problems for about a year as well.
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/vb/showthread.php?t=214386

That is one very beautiful tank Murph has there. I also think that the bigger the tank the more hiding room for the smaller fish.....

 

[debbie]

Originally Posted by NEreef
hey debbie, i was looking through some other threads and i saw you speak of your 24 gal. nano. is the lion you spoke of in this thread in a 24? if so, i think my cercumstances are different in my 90. what do you think, debbie and lion?

Yes my tank is a 25 gal, as I just mentioned above the bigger the tank the more hiding space for the smaller fishes. Do you know what a 90 gal tank would cost here in Canada to just put rock into??? If we go by a pound per gal, 90 lbs of rock at 10.00 per pound = $900 then the sand, fish, filters, skimmers, powerheads etc oh my lord I would be out on the streets with my 90 gal in tow..... :hilarious
Count yourselves very lucky to have a huge access to this wonderful hobby and since you have a 90 gal give it a try. Place lots of rock in the tank and go for it....

 

[nereef]

10 dollars a pound! i should smuggle some across the border and sell it for 8. lol. i do feel your pain though.
i think since your lion was no farther than 1 foot away from your blenny at any given time, that made it too easy for him. i think i will give it a try in my 90 and hope for the best. thanks for all the help!
nereef

 

[lion_crazz]

Originally Posted by Debbie
Yes my tank is a 25 gal, as I just mentioned above the bigger the tank the more hiding space for the smaller fishes. Do you know what a 90 gal tank would cost here in Canada to just put rock into??? If we go by a pound per gal, 90 lbs of rock at 10.00 per pound = $900 then the sand, fish, filters, skimmers, powerheads etc oh my lord I would be out on the streets with my 90 gal in tow..... :hilarious
Count yourselves very lucky to have a huge access to this wonderful hobby and since you have a 90 gal give it a try. Place lots of rock in the tank and go for it....

Wow, why don't you order rock and products online?! It would be a WHOLE lot cheaper. Take for instance rock. SWF.com sells 45 lbs. of rock for $200. For 90, you are looking at $400. That is $500 cheaper. You can get most of your products cheaper as well online.

 

[ophiura]

Originally Posted by lion_crazz
If you are losing fish to ich, there is something not right in your tank (water quality, usually). Poor water quality causes a fish's immune system to be weakened. If the fish were in ideal and stable water and were being fed a nutritious and varied diet, there is no reason that they shouldn't be able to fight off the ich themselves.

I have to agree

Something is not going right with the tank, IMO, in which case it will always be a battle.