Lionfish

[sundog]

Put this in the Fish Only area but thought it might get more response here...
OK...now I've gone and done something really stupid.
I was at my LFS and I saw a very beautiful lionfish...it was a Red Volitans...about 4 inches long and in incredibly beautiful shape. Perfect fins and coloration. Absolutely gorgeous specimen.
I currently have a Yellow Tang, a Cleaner Wrasse and a mean Sebae Clown. I've got alot of inverts...but I'm really thinking about redoing my tank somewhat and getting this lionfish. I've always thought about getting one someday...but obviously my tank is not setup for one.
I know that there are a few who have them, so I'd really like to hear your thoughts on keeping one...pros and cons and what would you think I'd need to get rid of in order to keep one in my tank?
I think the Yellow Tang is too big. I think the Cleaner Wrasse is too fast and the Sebae has got it's 2 anemone's for protection (just a thought...I'm not hard-set on that, just thought I'd throw that out there).
I've got a plenum system, Berlin skimmer, about 70 lbs. of LR in a 65 gallon tank and I do have a HOT Magnum but it is only used occasssionally for water polishing (which could be used for full time mechanical by changing the media).
I haven't gotten it and maybe I won't, but everytime I see one, I want one...and this one was one of the most beautiful I've seen.
I'd really like to hear your comments, no matter what they are about it...
[ May 01, 2001: Message edited by: Sundog ]

 

[lionfish]

LionFish says.....
Well, Volitans rarely exceed more than 12 inches in captivity and most stay around 10 inches their whole life. Ya know, its called spontaneous buying when you just go out and see a fish and don't think of the lives of the other ones. It is actually one of the most killing things to fish is a mistake by their owners. However, you will have to either take the Volitan back, or get a new tank because it is too small for him and the fact that the clown and wrasse are now dinner. Ya see lions aren't made to be with little clowns like Sebaes because they eat them in the wild when they can get them. And contrary to most peoples beliefs, even if a cleaner wrasse means well, to a lion it is just another meal. It eats inverts, too. I wouldn't recommend any lion for you except a Dwarf as Antennatas and Radiatas get to be 8 inches. Hope this helps.

 

[efrank]

How about a Fu-Man-Chu? I heard they are hard to eat but the rest of the fish would be ok right?

 

[sundog]

Well Lionfish...I haven't bought him...yet.
My stupid mistake was just falling in love with this particular one...thus the questions.
I figured if anyone would know it would be you...so I was waiting on a response before I went and did anything REALLY stupid like buy it on impulse. I do know better than that.
If I did buy it, I certainly would remove those creatures that would end up being a meal. I certainly have no intention of endangering my current inhabitants. I have another tank that all but my Yellow Tang can go in...then I could make my 65 gallon more of a diplay tank for the lionfish and the Tang.
I'm curious as to what you think would be required for filtration. I've had messy freshwater fish like Oscars (show me one fish salt or fresh that is as messy an eater as that one)!
Also, if my 65 gallon were mainly a tank solely for the lionfish (I really love the Volitans) would it be of sufficient size for that and my Tang only? A lionfish is not that active of a swimmer.
Any ideas on that would be greatly appreciated. And I really do appreciate your concern, thinking I had already purchased it.

 

[sundog]

Also...
I realize that a Red Volitans can get quite large...but I also know that they are also not one of the great "swimmers".
In fact I have yet to see one that does anything more than "hang-out" in one spot most of the time. This is one reason I am wondering if my 65 gallon would be of sufficient size for him and my Yellow Tang if the other inhabitants are removed.
I had a breeding pair of 12-13" Oscars in a 55 gallon freshwater tank...that were not only very healthy in that tank but spawned successfully for many years. I kept them in that tank for over 10 years.
I would think that my 65 gallon would be large enough for a single Volitans and my Yellow Tang. While it is not as long as a 55, it is much wider, front to back.
I'm really partial to the Red Volitans and although there are smaller lionfish, it is only the Red Volitans that interests me.

 

[lionfish]

LionFish says......
Well, I do know what you're talking about since I have had at least one freshwater tank for the last 27 years. Yes, I can beat a filter tough fish tank. Try having a 10 inch Red Devil, a 5 inch Jack Dempsy, a 5 inch Texas Blue and 4 four inch African Cichlids in a 55 gallon tank. Not pretty.
Well, for filtration I would use a Protien skimmer, a wet/dry and a UV sterilizer. That is what all my aggressive tanks have on them. True lionfish aren't the greatest active fish around but you must think of their general well-being. If you have a 10 inch lion in a 65 gallon tank it could work for a good deal of time with just him and the tang. Actually I would give you 2 years but then it would need a bigger tank. Not too bad but overall it is best to get them a large tank for when they get big.

 

[sundog]

Well, that may just work. My wife and i are planning on buying a house within the next two years and one of the things we want is a very large tank built into a wall.
So if I get a small one...he should be able to live "comfortably in my 65 until then.
Thanks for your help. And I do know what you mean about the big, nasty and messy fish. I've managed a few LFS's and we've had some larger tanks with some of the messiest, nastiest Cichlids you can think of. Geez, they all seem to spit out half of what they eat. Messier than kids I think. STRONG mechanical filtration is a must for those tanks.