lion fish....im scared..ha

mopar9012

mopar9012

Active Member
Ive talked about this topic before and rulled out the lion fish. I am now thinking of one again.
i have a 65 gal reef tank.
my two smallest fish are a chromis and a royal gramma....should I be nervous about their well being?
also i would like some comments on some people who have kept them before.
I am VERY nervous about my well being...
My dad lost his job last decemeber and my mom is having a hard time but is managing to do some subbing for the schools...I am a college student
but we have no health insurance....
so what are your opinions on them....is it worth the risk?
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
Do you mean a large species, like a volitan, or a dwarf?
with a large species I would say both fish are in danger, as is, potentially, your water quality. A dwarf, eh, I would bet the gramma is still something it would try. If you have any shrimp, those would go too. Basically...if you really like your gramma and chromis and would be annoyed to lose them, then it is not worth the risk. If you like lionfish more than the others, than it may be.
I would say it IS a real risk of them eating things.
I would say a 65, IMO, is a bit small for a large species of lionfish.
I think a dwarf would be cool, but with a trade off of them possibly eating something. A call you need to make I think :)
It does "change the ballgame" of working in your tank. I don't pay much mind to moving around rocks. You put a venemous animal in there, and you had better know where it is, all the time.
 
melypr1985

melypr1985

Member
if your talking about the lion being a danger to you, then yeah if your not aware of it when your hands are in the tank then your gunna get stung eventually. Use a feeding stick or tongs to feed him and always keep an eye out for where it is when doing maintenence. I have one and as long as you dont scare the crap out of him he usually stays away from my hand (unless he smells food).
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
Originally Posted by mopar9012
http:///forum/post/3144195
have you been stung?
do you have to go to the ER?
It would be uncommon to have an allergic reaction. That is the only reason you would go to the ER. Otherwise, you put the wound under the hottest water you can stand for several minutes.
 
sepulatian

sepulatian

Moderator
Personally, I have never been stung and am not afraid of it. Just watch where your lion is. I don't think that the gramma would be up for dinner if you got the lion small and he is not starved. He will be used to the fish as a tank mate. Now, if you were to get the gramma after the lion was established, that would be an issue.
 
rlablan

rlablan

Active Member
I have a dwarf lion...
in a 200 gal. I ALWAYS know where he is before moving rock... but they are not really free swimming and will not pursue your hand.
I keep may fish in my reef, among them are a royal gramma, a twin spot goby, 2 small clowns and i have 3 shrimp. (2 peppermints, 1 fire).
My lion is definitely big enough to eat them, he just doesn't. I do see him hunt though, and I am in the process of trying to get him over to frozen food...
He has yet to eat anyone though... just make sure you buy one that is eating frozen and watch him eat at the LFS before you put him in the tank!! That is important!
 
pete159

pete159

Member
no health insurance?
I'd get that before a fishy.
Just wait till you get sick hurt just and the bills start coming in, then your doomed.
Oh wait, are you one of those people that bad things don't happen to?, i wish i was one of those.
Anyways, a lionfish will eat your two smaller fish. A chromis is a waste of a fish so your better off without it.
if you do not pet the lionfish you will not get stung. Use a big long rubber glove whenever you stick your uninsured hand in the tank.
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
I will say that my further opinion is - do not spend money on a fish at this time. Save it to ensure you can keep the tank running (salt, food) and save buying the fish for a later day. JMO, but it would be worse, if things continue, to buy a fish and later realize you should have just waited. The alternative, if your LFS will "buy" them, is to start a fragging operation in your tank so that you can get enough credit to buy the fish. But I wouldn't spend money on the fish when times are tight. I only say this since you provided the background info. I'm sorry to hear it but suspect you are not alone right now :( Just hang in there, and just keep things going until times improve.
 
bonerac

bonerac

Member
i had a russel for about 4 years got him when he was about 3" and he got to about 10" when i would work on the tank he always would come over to see what i was doing iwould just shoooo him away and he would come back beautifull fish im looking for another one

 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
You will die. Your arm will turn green and then brown then you will die.
this is so not true... its brown THEN green
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
Otherwise, you put the wound under the hottest water you can stand for several minutes.
This is very good advise as many of the toxins that can be injected into the hobbyist are Thermolabile ( they destruct and decompose in response to high heat )
BTW a little tip for visitors to southwest Florida. When you go to the beach bring along a large plastic bottle of water. Leave it on your dashboard of your car. You now will have a method of treating those oh so painful stingray injections
 
rlablan

rlablan

Active Member
You aren't alone on the no insurance thing. I haven't had it since I was 17. Luckily, I have not been sick since then but I am very careful. I do wear contacts though, so that is a little bit expensive but I can't do like dr. visits and dentists visits...
Times are hard, but with all this "hope and change" going around... I'm sure things will get better.
Nah, but seriously... I feel for you... I lost my job too... It's hard.
Just make sure you always bring a sweater!
 
mopar9012

mopar9012

Active Member
i think im going to get a dwarf. I will get one that I see is eating frozen, Im also going to try to find a smaller dwarf and go from there.
as far as the insurance thing goes...its a lot easier said than done.
Im 18 and work part time at a grocery store while going to college. Ive bought about 25 bucks worth of live stock in the past 2 months or so. im not spending a lot of money of my tank these days.
Im 18 living with my mom in her apartment. both my parents lost their jobs, my mom subs but it doesnt come with benefits.
yes its smart to get it. but right now its not one of my priorities. thats just me and my 18 year old thinking though.
 
salt210

salt210

Active Member
Originally Posted by mopar9012
http:///forum/post/3143897
Ive talked about this topic before and rulled out the lion fish. I am now thinking of one again.
i have a 65 gal reef tank.
my two smallest fish are a chromis and a royal gramma....should I be nervous about their well being?
also i would like some comments on some people who have kept them before.
I am VERY nervous about my well being...
My dad lost his job last decemeber and my mom is having a hard time but is managing to do some subbing for the schools...I am a college student
but we have no health insurance....
so what are your opinions on them....is it worth the risk?
I would wait until things turn around. I went out and bought 3 new fish for my 210, which they all equalled around 300 and then a few weeks later things started going south at work. I ended up selling everything because of it.
as for the lionfish I have kept them since I started keeping tanks and have never been stung. they have always avoided me when I was working in the tank.
 
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