volitan lion
- Thread starter antwon
- Start date
cranberry
Active Member
You need to convert him to frozen. It can take time.
He'll eat every live shrimp in your tank, eventually.
This is how I convert. Tips for Converting.
He'll eat every live shrimp in your tank, eventually.
This is how I convert. Tips for Converting.
antwon
Member
well personally i really dont care if he eats one or two peppermint shrimp cuz they tend to bother my anemone but he has seemed interested in thawed krill and i think he is going to eat it and then he doesn't so im a little worried that he might starve i think im going to go my fish store and get some ghosties just so he has something to eat until i can convert him to frozen he is very small so its hard to feed him krill because i have to break it up
srfisher17
Active Member
Cranberry's feeding tips are excellent.
Volitans can, and often do, go a long time without eating. They are also one of the fastest growing fish we keep and will gladly eat any other fish, shrimp, etc that they can---including fish at least half their size. If eating a peppermint shrimp surprised you, you'll be amazed at what he'll eat in a few months. I'd do some serious research on this fish & their needs; the little ones at the LFS and the adult version are two different critters.
Volitans can, and often do, go a long time without eating. They are also one of the fastest growing fish we keep and will gladly eat any other fish, shrimp, etc that they can---including fish at least half their size. If eating a peppermint shrimp surprised you, you'll be amazed at what he'll eat in a few months. I'd do some serious research on this fish & their needs; the little ones at the LFS and the adult version are two different critters.
antwon
Member
Yeah I knew they eat pretty big things I've seen the one that I hav a the store eat a big ghostie and seen an adult eat like three silversides in one minute the funny thing is that he actually stalks hermit crabs for a couple of minutes which is amusing I'm just worried that he won't eat dead food because the only live food thr I've seen any fish eat is goldfish and ghosties which I understand are pretty bad for them
srfisher17
Active Member
IMO, ghost shrimp; even mollies or guppies, are fine short term until they are weaned. Avoid goldfish, though. This lion will be big enough to eat damsels in a couple of months; by 9 months they can easily eat many 5" fish. A while back, I didn't believe Cranberry and had a Volitan eat the biggest Maroon Clown I've ever seen. (Over 6 1/2" and very deep & fat.) I knew it could handle the length, but didn't think it could deal with the girth---I was wrong. I've got a 2nd big female maroon that has to be moved soon; its in with some growing Volitans.
antwon
Member
that doesn't make me happy cuz i hav a maroon clown
i actually just went to the lfs and i bought silversides and one live goldfish he seems very hungry because he follows my hand almost all the way to the top of the tank which he has never done before the store was all out of ghosties
so thats why i got the goldfish, but it is my last resort im going to feed him later so i will tell you how he did i have my fingers crossed and by the way cranberrry i love the link you put on your thread it is very helpful
srfisher17
Active Member
Don't worry if this fish doesn't eat for a while, you just got him. They can easily go 10+ days without eating. Did you see him eat at the lfs? You always should.
antwon
Member
well actually he ate like an animal(he is one but you know what i mean
) the guy fed him a ghost shrimp which he gladly gulped down and he said he also has been eating mysis which i found rather odd but he didn't accept the silverside i gave him and i didn't give him the goldfish. when i turned my light on i saw him trying to eat a peppermint shrimp and i was pretty frustrated that the lfs didn't have live ghosties because i feel he definately would've eaten those
prime311
Active Member
Go to a grocery store with a nice large seafood market and get every type of raw seafood they have. If you have a feeding prong, stick some food on the end(so its in place and you can move, but not so in place the lion can't suck it in) and shake a bit so it looks alive-ish. Try a different kind each day, you'll get him started on something eventually.
J
jstdv8
Guest
I dont know if it was mentioned in cranberrys link, but i didnt see it in the thread. Make sure you keep the diet diverse. you don't want to feed krill any more than jsut a snack every once in a while. They can cause lock jaw in lions if feed as thier main diet.
antwon
Member
today i tried giving him a goldfish(i know this is bad but i am desperate) and he took attacks at it but it was too big for him. at this point i think the only thing he is going to eat is live ghost shrimp which i am going to buy tomorrow(if they have any) he keeps going after my peppermint shrimp, but they are too fast for him, but i'm glad that he is at least trying to eat. he isnt the least interested in silversides, krill, or porgy(type of fish i caught the other day).
cranberry
Active Member
It once took me 3-4 months to train a particular lionfish. I would actively train in 30 minutes a session, 3 sessions a week. It can be a lot of work in the actually training and keeping an additional tank going for ghosties. You can't just rely on the stores to have them when you need them or you'll keep running into your current situation.
prime311
Active Member
Originally Posted by Cranberry
http:///forum/post/3282955
I would wait to buy everything until he has taken frozen. If he doesn't take it, just you, you are left with a potential food you have to throw out. Everyone here loves table shrimp. I usually start there.
Well buying everything is like 5$ and you can just keep it in the freezer so its kinda like frozen food.
http:///forum/post/3282955
I would wait to buy everything until he has taken frozen. If he doesn't take it, just you, you are left with a potential food you have to throw out. Everyone here loves table shrimp. I usually start there.
Well buying everything is like 5$ and you can just keep it in the freezer so its kinda like frozen food.
S
saxman
Guest
antwon,
don't be so "desperate"...a healthy lion can go a few weeks without a meal. these fish are binge/fast feeders, which means they eat a meal then wait for it to digest, and then eat again.
if you can't find ghosties, get some guppies, mollies, or platies for the short term. just try to steer clear of carp (goldfish, rosy reds), esp. if they're too large for the fish.
don't be so "desperate"...a healthy lion can go a few weeks without a meal. these fish are binge/fast feeders, which means they eat a meal then wait for it to digest, and then eat again.
if you can't find ghosties, get some guppies, mollies, or platies for the short term. just try to steer clear of carp (goldfish, rosy reds), esp. if they're too large for the fish.