Lionfish eating issue - HELP

95harley

95harley

Active Member
I've poked around with searh and most I read say their Lions just stop eating due to bad water/PH. Well mine has started this behavior with a twist.
I've had my Volitan for almost 1.5 yrs now. He grew to 7-8" in a 75g and ate like a horse. I moved him to my 240g and he still ate well.
As I've been stocking my 240g, his agg. appetite has left him. He would still eat just not as aggressivley.
Lately, he seems interested in the raw shrimp but won't eat from the stick and has to take a LONG look at it during sinking to hit the shrimp chunk. But he acts like trying to swallow the shrimp hurts and he chokes it up and spits it out and swims away.
Would feeding Raw shrimp cause any kind of mouth issue ot throat closure issues?
Any ideas? I'm hping its just a phase.
None of the new fish mess with him and they all get along great with no stress. The ONLY issues that have ever happened:
Snowflake Eel during feeding snapped one of the Volitans back fins off in half. Lion is now somewhat scared of Eel but no issues since.
I've seen the Lion sluff the slime shed once the other day....but the water seems to be in great shape.
Again, any clues here?
Thanks.
 
trigger29

trigger29

Member
well what is your PH level ??
what did you stalk your new tank with besides the eel??
and have you tried switching the food you feed him with up a little bit??
like silversides or some crill?
he might also be maybe constapated my buddys was all you need to do is feed it pees..
fish love pees and squash just cut up the squash so its small enough for them the eat and just feed them normal pees right out of the frozen bag
but if you dont want to try that try the next couple times you feed him put the shrimp you feed him or whatever your going to feed him put it on a little bit of garlic juice just a little bit. set it in the juice for 5 to 10 seconds and then put it in the tank or feed it to him on the stick he should eat it right up
 
v-lioness

v-lioness

Member
But he acts like trying to swallow the shrimp hurts and he chokes it up and spits it out and swims away.
What have you been feeding your lion? Please list all foods....
Have you been using any vitamins?
How often do you feed your lion and How much do you feed?
are you feeding large meals or a few small meals at feeding time?
Look very close at your lion, do you see any type of lump in the throat area?
Kaye
 
95harley

95harley

Active Member
PH is 8.2.
Other Tankmates (in order)
Snowflake Eel
Yellow Tank
Maroon Clown
Harlequin Tusk
Queen Angel
Naso Tang
Tank is a 240g Long (8'x2'x2')
In the last year or so he has been fed Silversides, Ghost Shrimp, Raw Shrimp, squid, Krill, Forumla gel. But his favorite has always been chunks or Raw shrimp.
I tried garlic guard on a piece of shrimp and he didn't like it at all. And since the eel broke his fin I tried stick feeding him and he doesn't seem to like eating off the stick either.
I'm just curious if he could have hurt his mouth on the feeding stick and is now a little scared of the food?
Or if Lions slow down on their food intake as they mature?
As for feeding him I'd guess 2-4 times per week. It varies. Only once daily when fed and when he ate good he would eat till plump but I'd "TRY" not to overfed him.
 
v-lioness

v-lioness

Member
I'm just curious if he could have hurt his mouth on the feeding stick and is now a little scared of the food?
This is possible, try smaller chunks, you will have to feed 2 - 4 smaller chunks per feeding, one of my Volitans will only take very small chunks, it will not even look at large ones, I have to feed 4 - 5 chunks to this one on feeding day.
Is the jaw in alignment?
Has your lion been opening it's mouth at all, like yawning (which you often see a lion doing before feeding)?
Or if Lions slow down on their food intake as they mature?
A lion will do this with maturity, it all depends on the fish.
But he acts like trying to swallow the shrimp hurts and he chokes it up and spits it out and swims away.
This is where I would be concerned.
Are you using vitamins?
How often are you changing foods for your lion?
Kaye
 
95harley

95harley

Active Member
Tried again last night, he acted interested and finaly ate 1 small piece of shrimp off the bottom along with a scoop of Argonite that he spit out for what seemed like a minute.
Once I had his attention I tried the feeding stick and he bit it and then acted like it hurt and spit it out while poping his mouth. He didn't eat that piece.
I can tell he's hungry and interested but acts like something is hurting in his throat. I guess I'll keep an eye on him and see how he does.
 
v-lioness

v-lioness

Member
gut-loading ghost shrimp with a flake food high in iodine?
This may work, but the lion was already getting raw shrimp, possibly another vitamin deficiency. Maybe soak the flake in vitamins before feeding them to the Shrimp.
When you fed the shrimp, did you feed with shell on including tail?
Kaye
 
v-lioness

v-lioness

Member
Raw Shrimp has Iodine, When you fed the Raw shrimp to your lion did it have the shell on and did you leave the tail on?
I would try feeding your lion the ghost shrimp, feed the ghost shrimp flake food soaked in vitamins before feeding them to your lion. it sounds like a nutritional deficiency.
Do you currently soak all your food in vitamins before feeding them to your lion?
Kaye
 
95harley

95harley

Active Member
I've been taking the shell and tail off. I've soaked them in garlic a time or two but he didn't like it at all.
He is trying to eat but doesn't seem to be able to swallow.
 
S

sacremon

Guest
The shell and tail have nutrients in them that the fish needs, so you should leave them on.
The idea with the gut-loaded ghost shrimp is that they will have the nutrients from the flakes, but the lion might be more enthusiastic about eating as they are live. They will probably fit down his gullet easier as well, given their shape.
 
95harley

95harley

Active Member
Well after a month or more of him refusing food or acting like that 1 piece of shrimp was hurting his throat I broke down and bought some goldfish last night. I HATED TO, but needed to make sure he was ok.
He went right after them and ate about 5 of them. I think this might be the 1st or second time I have fed them to him in almost 2 years. But he seemed to have no problems at all. Maybe he just wanted to hunt. Anyway, hopefully that will sustain life till I can get him back on better food.
Thought I'd let you know.
 
v-lioness

v-lioness

Member
Hmmm, so it will eat live and not frozen, maybe take this lion back to step one, you just may have to wean this lion all over again, I have had to do this on a few occasions now. Try frozen sand eels or silversides, wiggle around on your feeding stick, make them look live. Silly Lion

Don't feel guilty about the goldfish, we lion keepers do what we have to do, personally I would have used mollies over goldfish, he ate, and that is what we want to see.

Kaye
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top