lionkeeper
Member
I have a 6" lionfish that is changing from a real light red, to really dark Black. Is this normal?
Lion fish changing color???
- Thread starter lionkeeper
- Start date
schreff
Member
I'm have the same problem, but mine is like 4 1/2 inches long. I keep a supply of black mollies in the tank, so I know he is eating. My nitaites are below 50 everything else is 0. PH 8.1-8.4, alk. is 2.8. I have also seen him go into my purple tip and green tips. I found that very strange. NO other Fish goes near him not even the HUMAHUMA. I'm really stressed out about this any help would be great.
fmarini
Member
Hi:
I'm not stumped just wonderin why you think your fish is changing colors. Like I mentioned the lions will go from dark to light coloration in response to many events. If its changing from brown to blue or green, then we can talk.
As far as shedding, lionfish have cuticles. its a thin membraneous layer of skin, its purpose is to prevent particles ,etc from settling on the lionfish and growing (since these fish are sedentary). So lionfish will frequently shed the cuticle in response to poor water quality, sickness, and just plain shedding.
frank
I'm not stumped just wonderin why you think your fish is changing colors. Like I mentioned the lions will go from dark to light coloration in response to many events. If its changing from brown to blue or green, then we can talk.
As far as shedding, lionfish have cuticles. its a thin membraneous layer of skin, its purpose is to prevent particles ,etc from settling on the lionfish and growing (since these fish are sedentary). So lionfish will frequently shed the cuticle in response to poor water quality, sickness, and just plain shedding.
frank
schreff
Member
Ok I just down to check on my lion and he is going in circle's. He is also bending to his left side. He is also breathing heavy. I have no clue on whats wrong I tested my water again and it's all the same as before except the nitrates are lower 35 mg/l. What the hell is going on???????
fmarini
Member
Hi:
No changing colors does not mean the water quality is bad, as i mentioned in the first post, it can be from a number of things, often times its mood related, other times tankmate related, and thrid water quality. There are prolly a million other reasons as well.
NOW the circling and heavy breathing is not usually a good things-but there maybe answers.
Did you feed him recently? Live FW feeders? is he eating SW flesh? Do you see anything going on w/ the pec fins, eye coloration, do you see him shedding?
Can you describe your setup? tankmates? feeding regamin, anything else we need to know
frank
No changing colors does not mean the water quality is bad, as i mentioned in the first post, it can be from a number of things, often times its mood related, other times tankmate related, and thrid water quality. There are prolly a million other reasons as well.
NOW the circling and heavy breathing is not usually a good things-but there maybe answers.
Did you feed him recently? Live FW feeders? is he eating SW flesh? Do you see anything going on w/ the pec fins, eye coloration, do you see him shedding?
Can you describe your setup? tankmates? feeding regamin, anything else we need to know
frank
schreff
Member
well my lion died thursday morning. I think he ate a fish with some knind of dis. I had bought two fire clowns and the bigger one was dead in two days and the smaller one was and is missing. I think the lion ate it. My tank setup is a 55 gallon with, a 12in. snowflake, 2in. huma, 4in yellow tang and I had the lion in there. Filtration is a Fluval 404, prizm skimmer, 16 watt U.V. and a 802 powerhead. 40 lbs of live rock and 3 inches of crushed coral. he mainly ate black mollies, thats it. The last time I seen him eat was 5 days before he died. He ate like 6 mollies. When he passed it looked like something was in his belly. I am going to get formaldihide and preserve him in a big jar. (he was my fav. fish and I loved him.) 
