Lion fish help

[urodude]

I added a voltarin lionfish to my fish only tank- beautiful. Having trouble getting him to eat. The other fish-triggers, angels, tangs, etc do great with spectrum pellets, algae sheets and Formula variety pack frozen squares. He's not interested
I got some live shrimp(not brine, not sure of name, maybe mysis) He ate one, but the other fish are so much faster to the food.
He hasn't gone for frozen silversides-just watches them sink
I even got some small goldfish-boy do the triggers, harlequin tusk and cuban hog love them.
The gal at the fish store suggested a "feeding stick" where I attach food to a stick and wave it in front of the lionfish. Anyone with success with that-any other suggestions?
Thanks :notsure:

 

[lion_crazz]

Originally Posted by Urodude
I added a voltarin lionfish to my fish only tank- beautiful. Having trouble getting him to eat. The other fish-triggers, angels, tangs, etc do great with spectrum pellets, algae sheets and Formula variety pack frozen squares. He's not interested
I got some live shrimp(not brine, not sure of name, maybe mysis) He ate one, but the other fish are so much faster to the food.
He hasn't gone for frozen silversides-just watches them sink
I even got some small goldfish-boy do the triggers, harlequin tusk and cuban hog love them.
The gal at the fish store suggested a "feeding stick" where I attach food to a stick and wave it in front of the lionfish. Anyone with success with that-any other suggestions?
Thanks :notsure:
It is often a very bad idea to mix lions and triggers. Triggers will usually shred a lion's fins. Nonetheless, I wil try to help you.
First and foremost, STOP feeding ANY of your fish goldfish, or any other fish that originates in saltwater. This will eventually kill your saltwater fish by giving them fatty liver disease. This is one of the biggest causes of death of lionfish in the home aquarium.
I would begin to hand feed your lionfish. This is the only way he will get aggressive enough to compete for food with the others. You should try ghost shrimp, gut-loaded with something nutritious such as frozen or pellet/flake food. This will be the best way to wean your lionfish onto eating silversides, krill, prawn, squid, etc.

 

[urodude]

What are ghost shrimp? Are they live or frozen or what?
The clown and picasso trigger ignore the lion. The tank is 360 gal. so plenty of room for everyone.
thanks for the help. I'll stop the goldfish.

 

[lion_crazz]

Good to hear you will stop the goldfish, and I am glad to hear that at least you have plenty of room.
Ghost shrimp come live, and contain protein for your lions. When you gut load them, they also contain a lot of nutrition as well.

 

[v-lioness]

The gal at the fish store suggested a "feeding stick" where I attach food to a stick and wave it in front of the lionfish. Anyone with success with that-any other suggestions?
Get the feeding stick, I would not feed without one. When you feed the lion, drop food that you feed your other fish on one side of the tank, keep them busy when you feed your lion.
Volitans are pretty easy to wean over, let it go a few days with no food, place the silverside on a feeder stick and see if your volitan will take it. Once you get this lion on frozen it should become pretty easy to feed, just feed it on the same side of the tank every time and the other fish on the opposite side.
This is how I have to feed, my lions on the right side, Pinktail & wrasses in the middle, my puffer is fed on the far left side. I drop food in the middle, drop my puffers food than feed the lions. When feeding my Volitans all of their spines come out of the water at the top, so watch your hand with these as they grow. This is another reason to get a feeding stick.
Once your lion is on frozen foods you can add Raw Shrimp, Crab, Scallops, frozen sand eels and so into the diet. Feed a variety of foods and soak all your foods in vitamins.
Keep an eye on the Triggers and Angles, both are know for killing lions.......
Kaye

 

[my way]

Did you check to see if and what it was eating before you bought it?

 

[psusocr1]

heres a wierd little trick that i used on accident.. my lion didnt eat for about 2 months he would only eat live stuff,, never goldfish though as lion mentioned. i noticed one day when he didnt eat for about 6-7 days and he was starving, that when i put my feeding stick in the tank on the oppisite end its a bright orange color and all of a sudden he came flying over to try to attack the end of the feeding stick(which i was using to move a coral) so then what i did was put a silverside through the loop of the handle of the feeding stick where it was a bright orange color and BAM he ate the silverside and never stopped since! not to shorty after i began to hand feed him and he eats like a champ now!
but anyway i think he was attracted to the bright color "wiggling" around and went for it, he prbably associated the bright orange with a cleaner shrimp or some sort of shrimp, so if you can trick him he will start to eat

 

[fallnhorse]

The patented fallnhorse method..lol. It's like fishing. If just drop your hook in the water with a lure nothing happens. But it you bounce it around. Jig it. A fish will but and eat it. Use a piece of 30lbs fishing line(just the line, may have to put a not in the line to hold the kill in place). Stiff enough to stab a frozen piece of krill. Let it thaw of course so you can stab it. Then tension of the line will let you push the krill in. Then jig it infront of your lionfish. If that doesn't work use some scent like garlic guard with this method. With a little pattetion you can get him to eat. Starve him a little if you deme him healthly. Remember these fish are often killed with kindness too. They will over feed till they die. 1 once or 2 a week is enough to keep them happy. Keep them hungry and keep them happy!

 

[tnt]

I have a volitan and a picasso trigger. They have been fine for almost a year and a half with no problems. It really depends on the fish's personalities. I've also read stories of triggers keeping to themselves for years and then one day killing the lion. Just something to be aware of.
I fed my lion ghost shrimp to begin with. I would put them in front of the return so they would shoot across the aquarium. He would go nuts chasing them. Then I started alternating dropping a shrimp in and a piece of frozen silverside. It tricks them into thinking it's live, especially when alternating with live food. I just kept doing this until he got used to eating frozen. He now eats anything I put in there for him.
I used to use a feeding stick, but he wasn't too keen on it. I either drop it in front of him or let him eat out of my hand. Be careful if you feed by hand. It drives my husband crazy that I do this. I too have to occupy my other fish at the other end of the aquaium while I feed him.
Also, you should not feed your lion every day. They are slow digesters. I feed mine every other day just enough to make his stomach bulge. On the off days he doesn't beg for food. But on feeding days he's right at the top ready to eat.
Good luck! Hope this helps.

 

[urodude]

Thanks for all the great ideas. He seems healthy and is interested in the food, just hasn't gone for it yet. I'm hoping he will when he gets hungry enough.