squirting lionfish

kuja

kuja

Member
I just got a fully grown drawflion fish. He is absolutely beautiful and loves to grab onto my arm with his fins for some odd reason. The only problem I have with him is that he will squirt my face with water if I don't feed him. He is pretty much hungry 24/7. I am not sure if this is a natural response or a trained behavior. I have read that this behavior can be bad for the lionfish’s health. So, I am just wondering if I should be concerned and if so I am not sure how to prevent this. I am not about to give him food every time I stick my hand in the tank. Thx ^^
 
cranberry

cranberry

Active Member
No need to be concerned. One of our fuzzies would spit at us. Sometimes I fear their eyeballs will dry out they beg so hard. They look like little alligators with their eyes out of the water.
 
kuja

kuja

Member
Aawwww, your lionfish is soooo cute!! At least I am not the only one who has a weird lionfish ^^
 
srfisher17

srfisher17

Active Member
I've got an 8" Harlequin Tusk that spits water through his blue teeth Its great, really scares little kids. I have a mesh covering, but he can still spit several inches through the mesh. Nothing can beg like a lion, though.
 
S

saxman

Guest
Actually, most of our lions have their own way of begging. Some simply greet you, others follow you, some spit water, and the adult volitans simply faces you and does her best "butterfly" impression by spreading her pectorals as wide as they will go.
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
I knew they begged, just had no idea they'd spit water at you, LOL
It honestly makes me want one even more.
 
kuja

kuja

Member
My lionfish Kuja also does a sort of dance and follows you around. Whenever I put my arm into the water to feed the other fish he will also grab onto my arm as if he is begging for food. He is very cute ^^. I have yet to be stung by him...so i am still a little scared, because i don't know how painful it will be.
 
S

saxman

Guest
Just out of curiosity, how does the fish "grab" your arm? If it's not by its mouth, you ought to be aware that besides their dorsal spines, lions have pelvic and anal spines that are venomous.
I had a volitans (my first), that INSISTED on being hand fed a few treats before it would let me work on its tank. It actually used to suck my fingers into its mouth every so often when it was very excited. It was rather disconcerting the first time that happened, but after that, I was used to it. I had that particular fish for 10 years.
 
srfisher17

srfisher17

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by saxman http:///forum/thread/383784/squirting-lionfish#post_3359629
Actually, most of our lions have their own way of begging. Some simply greet you, others follow you, some spit water, and the adult volitans simply faces you and does her best "butterfly" impression by spreading her pectorals as wide as they will go.
My Volitans do the same thing; I've had a couple that developed a callous-like bump on their chins from (I assume) pacing up and down and rubbing the front glass waiting for a handout. One was about 10 yrs old when Katrina hit, the one I have now (with the chin bump) is about 5 yrs. When these fish assume the "butterfly" position on live prey, its almost like a net. No escape.I can really appreciate the attachment you two have for Lions, they are incredible fish. Funny, that a big, venomous predator would need so much protection when chosing tankmates. I've found Harlequin Tusks to be ideal.
 
kuja

kuja

Member
Kuja grabs my arms with his front fines and he will look right up at me. If I don't feed him right away he will squirt water right into my face. Kuja did get my moms fingure a couple of times when she was feeding them. He is not the slightest bit shy. I have not any problems so far on choicing tank mates for Kuja. He does however enjoy stalking my magnificent foxface, which is about the same size as him. They don't attack each other the lionfish just seems to follow around Foxy (I know not a very original name :p). It is odd not having tangs, because both fish are very slow moving and just seem to take life carefree. My zebra eel just kind of sits there looking pretty. I have a very lazy lazy tank ^^ The only thing I can't figure out is why Kuja likes to hang upside down like a bat...the first time I say him do it i thought he was dead, because he was upside down at the surface of the tank. He is a very strange strange fish.
 
srfisher17

srfisher17

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by kuja http:///forum/thread/383784/squirting-lionfish#post_3359634
My lionfish Kuja also does a sort of dance and follows you around. Whenever I put my arm into the water to feed the other fish he will also grab onto my arm as if he is begging for food. He is very cute ^^. I have yet to be stung by him...so i am still a little scared, because i don't know how painful it will be.
Is your lion a dwarf? Its common for them to spend a lot of time, in caves or under ledges, hanging upside down. Regarding your post above: I was stung by one of my adult Volitans. My fault, I just wasn't watching where he was when my hand was in the tank. It hurts like hell; but the hottest water you can stand makes it bearable. Because of possible allergic reaction, I think an E.R. trip is worth it. Of course, if you're careful, it will never happen. They don't attack you, like several of my fish will.
Quote:
Originally Posted by kuja http:///forum/thread/383784/squirting-lionfish#post_3359968
Kuja grabs my arms with his front fines and he will look right up at me. If I don't feed him right away he will squirt water right into my face. Kuja did get my moms fingure a couple of times when she was feeding them. He is not the slightest bit shy. I have not any problems so far on choicing tank mates for Kuja. He does however enjoy stalking my magnificent foxface, which is about the same size as him. They don't attack each other the lionfish just seems to follow around Foxy (I know not a very original name :p). It is odd not having tangs, because both fish are very slow moving and just seem to take life carefree. My zebra eel just kind of sits there looking pretty. I have a very lazy lazy tank ^^ The only thing I can't figure out is why Kuja likes to hang upside down like a bat...the first time I say him do it i thought he was dead, because he was upside down at the surface of the tank. He is a very strange strange fish.
 
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