An addendum to feeding and meds in regards to lions and other predatory fish like scorps and anglers. Disclaimer: I am not an "internet expert" and these are just my observations over decades and 100s of examples of these types of fish, my "opinion" in other words, and everybody has one.
Some of these points I mentioned before, but a couple have been on my mind lately, and some may have changed over time. Medicating lions is a very delicate operation, in all truth, it should be avoided unless absolutely necessary between life and death. I have even decided to not prophylactically treat for parasites, initially, and wait on 2 factors to determine if I would. At the contrary of many, a healthy lion will immediately eat, I mean they will even eat a live ghosty in the bag while floating. This is a big clue, those lions that didn't eat right away, i always had issues. i will also watch for the telltale signs of parasites; stringy poo, insatiable appetite, fading color, and lethargy. The reason I changed my tune on this, is because as of today, the only lions that I have that have live more than year and a half; the only med they have ever been exposed to has been prazi pro. I now have lost a lion after 6 months and one afer 14 months that was treated with general cure. The jury is still not out on general cure, as both those fish had other factors, I have one active now that was treated with gc a few months ago. Very IMPORTANT: never, ever, get a lion from a source that runs copper in their system. Treatment with copper and antibiotics seem almost guaranteed of some sort of organ failure. I have cut a number of lions open to see hemorrhaged organs and some even in a state of liquidation. I have never had a scorp tolerate any med whatever, the one that did seem to tolerate general cure, died a couple days after treatment, he was healthy and in the tank over a year, the treatment was for another fish in the tank. Anglers are bit more confusing, as they are hard to keep alive anyway, so you never know, but they follow suit as not to live very long after treatment of any kind, or tolerate it at all. My determination that it was an organ failure likely due to med or other chemical(cyanide) exposure is that these fish were otherwise healthy and thriving, in tanks with with other healthy and thriving fish, other lions and scorps; so there was no signs of disease or a tank issue.
Let's talk about food. Be in denial all you want, there is absolutely no guarantee that you will convert your lion(volitan excluded), scorp, or angler to dead food. Even if you do it is tricky to get them to consume enough or a variety of nutrionally balanced foods that does not contain thiaminase. Thiaminase will bind vit B1 and your fish will die sometimes within only a few months. Krill is the #1 killer. Don't get so happy or proud if you get your lion eating dead food, 2 or 3 months later, they may just stop eating all together. If you are dead set on feeding dead food, be careful of under feeding, as well as over feeding. They will never catch enough food from the water column to sustain long term, they will slowly starve. If you get them eating good, theyu will always act starve and keep coming back for more, so be careful not to over feed. Supplementation with a multi-vit including a good amount of vit B1 and an essential fatty acid supplement is highly recommended. Getting some whole fish including bones and guts is also very desirable, the Hikari brand of silversides doesn't contain thiaminase, some of the other do.
Some of these points I mentioned before, but a couple have been on my mind lately, and some may have changed over time. Medicating lions is a very delicate operation, in all truth, it should be avoided unless absolutely necessary between life and death. I have even decided to not prophylactically treat for parasites, initially, and wait on 2 factors to determine if I would. At the contrary of many, a healthy lion will immediately eat, I mean they will even eat a live ghosty in the bag while floating. This is a big clue, those lions that didn't eat right away, i always had issues. i will also watch for the telltale signs of parasites; stringy poo, insatiable appetite, fading color, and lethargy. The reason I changed my tune on this, is because as of today, the only lions that I have that have live more than year and a half; the only med they have ever been exposed to has been prazi pro. I now have lost a lion after 6 months and one afer 14 months that was treated with general cure. The jury is still not out on general cure, as both those fish had other factors, I have one active now that was treated with gc a few months ago. Very IMPORTANT: never, ever, get a lion from a source that runs copper in their system. Treatment with copper and antibiotics seem almost guaranteed of some sort of organ failure. I have cut a number of lions open to see hemorrhaged organs and some even in a state of liquidation. I have never had a scorp tolerate any med whatever, the one that did seem to tolerate general cure, died a couple days after treatment, he was healthy and in the tank over a year, the treatment was for another fish in the tank. Anglers are bit more confusing, as they are hard to keep alive anyway, so you never know, but they follow suit as not to live very long after treatment of any kind, or tolerate it at all. My determination that it was an organ failure likely due to med or other chemical(cyanide) exposure is that these fish were otherwise healthy and thriving, in tanks with with other healthy and thriving fish, other lions and scorps; so there was no signs of disease or a tank issue.
Let's talk about food. Be in denial all you want, there is absolutely no guarantee that you will convert your lion(volitan excluded), scorp, or angler to dead food. Even if you do it is tricky to get them to consume enough or a variety of nutrionally balanced foods that does not contain thiaminase. Thiaminase will bind vit B1 and your fish will die sometimes within only a few months. Krill is the #1 killer. Don't get so happy or proud if you get your lion eating dead food, 2 or 3 months later, they may just stop eating all together. If you are dead set on feeding dead food, be careful of under feeding, as well as over feeding. They will never catch enough food from the water column to sustain long term, they will slowly starve. If you get them eating good, theyu will always act starve and keep coming back for more, so be careful not to over feed. Supplementation with a multi-vit including a good amount of vit B1 and an essential fatty acid supplement is highly recommended. Getting some whole fish including bones and guts is also very desirable, the Hikari brand of silversides doesn't contain thiaminase, some of the other do.
