Lionfish will not eat!!!

drtash

drtash

Member
Suggestions. For about a week now my lionfish will not eat. He was on krill for awhile. Today I bought some minows. Refused to eat them too.
He is in a 220 gal tank. Parameters all in normal range. 0 ammonium, 0 nitrites 5 nitrates, ph 8.2 temp 79-80. spc 1.020
I even used a feeding stick and held it infront of him several times. He does not appear to be sick looking.
Suggestions?
 
kydizzle41

kydizzle41

Member
i have 2 lion fish right now i got mine to eat by starving him for a couple days and then i fed him with the feeding stick i made it look like it was swimming and then when he came up to examine it i jerked it away and he chased it and then ate it. now they both eat out of my hand. also live feeder fish are not good for lions if you want to do live try ghost shrimp or brine shrimp you can feed the shrimp all sorts of nutrients this is called gut loading and then feed it 2 ur lion this will give him the stuff he needs to thrive
 
geridoc

geridoc

Well-Known Member
How large is your lion fish. Small ones can subsist for a while on mysis or ghoswt shrimp, but don't forget, they are very young and growing rapidly - which means that they need plenty of nutrients. If the fish is large, feed it silversides. Under no circumstances should you feed it any freshwater species - the fatty acid balance is not appropriate for marine fish, and liver problems will develop over time.
 
drtash

drtash

Member
I tried silversides today.. I tried krill again...both on a feeding stick. No luck. I tried 3 live fish again. 2 swam past her and she did not even go after them.
Ugg!!!
 
drtash

drtash

Member
how long can they go without eating. she does swim around some...usually hangs around upside down.
 
drtash

drtash

Member
Went to ***** tonight....no ghost....tried minnows again....finally my Lola has eaten.....Its been almost 3 weeks...
Till tomorrow.
 
mie

mie

Active Member
The ONLY thing that worked for me was live feeder guppies, Do this for about a week or so then go back to the silversides. You should be fine.
 
mie

mie

Active Member
UMMMM SO,
Is the end not the same for these fish? they will live long enough for the lionfish to feed.
 
funkysean5

funkysean5

Member
Freshwaterfish usually don't have enough marine based HUFA's (highly unsaturated fatty acid) and can kill them. I've learned my lesson with my first lion.
 
mie

mie

Active Member
The idea is to keep the lion alive by having it eat, you obviously dont want the lion to live off the guppies.
 
funkysean5

funkysean5

Member
Originally Posted by mie
http:///forum/post/2790985
The idea is to keep the lion alive by having it eat, you obviously dont want the lion to live off the guppies.
Well, I do want the lion to eat, but not off the guppies, they can carry diseases and kill them, what I said.
 
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