Lions

[booya]

What are the best fish to keep with lions.
My wife was looking in one of my books and said we have got to get one of those.
I know that they are aggersive, but how aggersive?
Can they live with percs?
how about corals?
My books say that they will eat small fish and inverts, but what if i get him last?

 

[moopiespoo]

They are generally not aggressive like mean to other fish, they just have a very hearty appetite and WILL eat any fish smaller than their mouth no matter when it it added. Your percs would probably become dinner. Certain puffers make good tankmates, groupers, some eels, and anything same size or larger. Triggers tend to nip at a lions fins, although I never had this problem.

 

[booya]

can they be keep with coral,cleanershimp things like that?

 

[moopiespoo]

Not sure about the coral but they do eat shrimp.

 

[booya]

That is what I thought. I'll just have to tell her to get her own tank

 

[bdhough]

Hehehe. If you are set on getting shrimp then no do not get a lion. In a 55 you can't get a traditional lion, you need a dwarf lion. A dwarf lion would be much better suited to your tank. Just always remember thier mouths are frikin huge and they will eat fish their size... I've seen it before.
Oh and lions do not mess with corals whatsoever. Just the inverts.

 

[booya]

If i was to get a lion what could i get with it?

 

[ozadars]

Hi booya,
You can keep your lion w/ corals
Best tank mates are probably fish-safe eels and tangs but what size of tank are you going to keep the lion.
Volitan lions (common ones) needs min. 125gal but bigger is better. Also they get giant.
Radiata and Antennata (they are beautiful) need 55 gal but again bigger is better
Fuzzy and Zebra Dwarf lions are ok in 30
Fu Man Chu lions are the smallest and can be kept in a smaller tank then 30 gal like a 20...
I would recommend Antennata in a 55 w/ a snowflake eel. You can put corals, starfish or urchins in but no shrimps or crabs. Maybe a pair of very big coral banded shrimps are ok because i heard in the nature antennata lions live in the caves w/ these shrimps. But you should put the shrimps first.
Good luck
Selim

 

[sebae0]

here's a pic of mine in a 135 he's about 12 to 13 inches long hope this helps

 

[krowleey]

Triggers tend to nip at a lions fins, although I never had this problem
dumb trigger

 

[bdhough]

Certain more rowdy triggers will tend to pull the poison spines off of the lionfish until the lion has no more left. Leaving him defenseless and open to attack by anyone, like the trigger....

 

[moopiespoo]

Originally posted by krowleey
dumb trigger
Juvenile Trigger

 

[dattong]

I know that lion has poisonous fins, but I didn't get hurt when I touched them. I use my fingers to play with the lion and rectangluous trigger very often and they really enjoy playing. BTW, my lion and trigger get along very well. the trigger is only 3 inches (I've had it for a year), and the lion is about 10 inches. It grows fast when fed daily.

 

[harlequin]

I never had a problem with my lion/trigger combo either. I took the trigger back though because I always had to search to find it. When I buy a fish I expect to be able to see it now and then.
My spotfin is always in the open, and yes they grow very very fast when fed everyday. In the four months I have had mine it has grown 2 inches at least. One thing about lions is they are slow, except when biting. I have a small six line in with my lion, at first I didnt think the six line was going to make it but the lion couldnt keep up with it. Ambush tactics dont work when your opponent comes out of the LR somewhere completely different. Lion doesnt pay any attention to the six line anymore. The six line is also waaay faster and can fit into teeny tiny places the lion cant even think about.

 

[ozadars]

Harlequin i think you have a fu man chu lionfish, if you had/have another kind of lion, your 6line would/will be meal

 

[k9-fish]

I have my lion and dog face puffer in a 55 gallon. You think they should be in a bigger? Dumb question, I'm sure I'll har all about it. I have a 125 but not the filtration yet.

 

[harlequin]

Depending on the type of lion, it and the dogface need to be in a bigger tank. Dog faces are fin nippers I am suprised they arent at each others throats.
And yes it is a Spotfin lion 100% certain, no room for questions. For the first couple days the lion wanted it for dinner but the sixline is way faster and moves in and out of the rockwork where the lion has no chance at going. Now there is zero aggression and the sixline has swam right in front of the lion many times with no problem. I also hand feed the lion shrimp and formula one so that might help too.

 

[ozadars]

K9 Fish,
You need at least 125 for a volitan lion... Dont know about dog face puffer

 

[k9-fish]

I sold the 125 to get a 240

 

[bklynz00]

Hey guys...
Hope that you dont mind me adding my 2 Cents. Here is a pic of my Lion. Its not up to date.. he is huge now.. but it seemed like a interesting conversation to hear what people say what can be put in the tank with a Lion fish. I wanted to get some "Tangs" but I have no luck. They seem to get ICH, at some time or another. This is just my opinion.