Big lionfish help

[S2G]

I've done a search, but is a lionfish care guide out there? Lionfish lair is gone.

I'm only looking a volitan, Russell, miles, & possibly antenna if it's hardy. Will these be ok on dead or do I need to start ghost shrimp? Also would worms be ok?

@lion king

 

[Dolphins18]

Mine was happy for a very long time (volitan) I picked up cheap freshwater minnows from petsmart. He ate them before they even realized they were in saltwater lol. But definitely need to feed these animals live foods. I bet he would have eaten fishing minnows as well. When he was an old fart he decided to eat a two line monocle bream. They are poisonous, so learn from my mistakes, don't put anything small enough for him to eat in there, especially if it is venomous.

 

[lion king]

Volitan's and Russell's are usually easy to take to dead foods. Sometimes but mostly not even needing to be started out on live foods. Every once in a while a really small one may need ghosties a couple of feeding at most, or a really stubborn one. Maybe just some persistent teasing with chunky foods like shrimp or Hikari silversides to start. They will usually be open to a variety of foods that are good for their long term health; including fatty fish like tuna and salmon, squid, octopus. They'll even eat chunks of Ocean Nutrition cubed foods like Formula One and Trigger formula. You'll target feed with a feeding stick or get him trained to come up while you drop chunks for him to catch. The food needs movement, they will rarely if ever eat from the substrate unless something is live crawling or wiggling. Fresh is best when possibly, shell on shrimp cut into bite sized chunks with any sharp pieces of shell trimmed off, skin on salmon. Try a variety and see what they like, give it a few chances, sometimes they turn their noses up at it at first, then it becomes their favorite. You can even get small ones to take PE mysis from the end of a turkey baster or pipette

Antennata's are a different story, they can be one of the most difficult to take dead food. And it's not just about taking dead food, it's about taking enough of the right dead foods. Krill and silversides alone will not cut it for the long term. Both of these contain thiaminese which binds vitamin B1 and causes lockjaw(as many describe it as). Hikari silversides does not contain thiaminese. The term silversides is a term used to describe a variety of fish species.

The medium and dwarf species of lions for some reason are just pickier and more stubborn; and possibly may process nutrients a bit differently.

 

[S2G]

Volitan's and Russell's are usually easy to take to dead foods. Sometimes but mostly not even needing to be started out on live foods. Every once in a while a really small one may need ghosties a couple of feeding at most, or a really stubborn one. Maybe just some persistent teasing with chunky foods like shrimp or Hikari silversides to start. They will usually be open to a variety of foods that are good for their long term health; including fatty fish like tuna and salmon, squid, octopus. They'll even eat chunks of Ocean Nutrition cubed foods like Formula One and Trigger formula. You'll target feed with a feeding stick or get him trained to come up while you drop chunks for him to catch. The food needs movement, they will rarely if ever eat from the substrate unless something is live crawling or wiggling. Fresh is best when possibly, shell on shrimp cut into bite sized chunks with any sharp pieces of shell trimmed off, skin on salmon. Try a variety and see what they like, give it a few chances, sometimes they turn their noses up at it at first, then it becomes their favorite. You can even get small ones to take PE mysis from the end of a turkey baster or pipette

Antennata's are a different story, they can be one of the most difficult to take dead food. And it's not just about taking dead food, it's about taking enough of the right dead foods. Krill and silversides alone will not cut it for the long term. Both of these contain thiaminese which binds vitamin B1 and causes lockjaw(as many describe it as). Hikari silversides does not contain thiaminese. The term silversides is a term used to describe a variety of fish species.

The medium and dwarf species of lions for some reason are just pickier and more stubborn; and possibly may process nutrients a bit differently.

Exactly what I was hoping for. Volitan or Russell it is.

Will a full grown one need a 24" wide tank? Any places you recommend for healthy ones?

 

[lion king]

So are you looking to order online, you could get a lfs to order you one in. Volitans do seem to be available right now, but expect to pay too much. Just don't get from a source that runs copper in their system. Volitans are usually a dime a dozen and frequently recommended for tanks way too small. Yes I would recommend at least a 24" wide 120g at the very smallest, a 180g or larger would really be a better fit. Here's my last volitan in a 210g, you can see how he fills it in.

 

[S2G]

So are you looking to order online, you could get a lfs to order you one in. Volitans do seem to be available right now, but expect to pay too much. Just don't get from a source that runs copper in their system. Volitans are usually a dime a dozen and frequently recommended for tanks way too small. Yes I would recommend at least a 24" wide 120g at the very smallest, a 180g or larger would really be a better fit. Here's my last volitan in a 210g, you can see how he fills it in.

Well I'm not sure. The lfs is still having shipping troubles. I saw them on liveaquaria & ibluewater which I have no clue about.

That's a nice tank & gives me the perspective I needed on one.

 

[lion king]

Here you go, this is actually a pretty good looking fish.

LiveAquaria® - Pterois volitans