Pterois volitans (African Lion Fish)

[killmerfl]

I have a 180 gallon salt water tank and for the last four years it has been home to my beautiful girl, Cassy. She is a Pterois volitans, African Lion Fish. My husband gave her to me and she was then 3 inches now she is around 10 inches. I would like to know a couple of things if you can help me. First she is looking a bit peaked, she looks like her face and gill areas are peeling, I am getting quite concered. She has slowed down in the last month or so I took this to the fact that she was getting rather big and that maybe she was needing some vitamins. I have held out on this cause I am worried about giving her anything till I figure out if this is natural. Alos does anyone out there know how long these fish are suppose to live and about there full growth length and width. she is rather large. Larger than most books say she should be. Thank You so much for your time and hopfully your help.. Please email me and feel free to post also. Killmerfl@aol.com

 

[dubba-r]

I've heard and read that volitans are one of the biggest out of the lion species. They get to about max 12-15" in length. The peeling is probably the lion shedding, which they typically do to replenish the slime coat, possibly from change in water or environment or simply to grow new skin.
Mine does it from time to time. You can tell when they dart rapidly and see a transparent mucus floating in the tank.
As for vitamins, I soak silversides with ZoeCon in a ziplock bag that I keep frozen until I feed my lion. That's about it.

 

[fishymissy]

I have read that lionfish can live for 40 yrs.
I have to agree that soaking all foods in vitamins won't hurt your fish at all....in fact it should help!
It doesn't sound like what your lion has is the normal shedding. Is there any redness with this? Is she still eating?