How do people get lion fish to work with smaller fish

[fishywishy]

My dream fish is a fuzzy or fu Manchu dwarf lion fish but I already have some clownfish because ive seen people successfully have them together and my lfs said it could work but now more and more people are telling me its not a good idea to get one so how are people getting it to work, do you have to just feed it a ton so its never hungry or are some just less aggressive than others?

 

[Sean Clark]

I do not have any lionfish experience, however the "If it will fit, I will eat" is a pretty good standard. I would keep clear of the lion. They do not move much anyway; unless they are eating...

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

its not possible to predict a fishes behavior. Every time we buy a fish we all take a chance that it will get along with the others or not

 

[MONTANTK]

It honestly comes down to luck. If the clowns have an anemone they’ll probably be pretty safe. If the lion is well fed that may also help

 

[BanjoBandito]

The lion has to go in last, other wise everything added from then on will be seen as "food". You have to get them good and fed by lights out, as they can be terrors in the dark. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

 

[Bucs20fan]

+1 if it fits it will be a meal is general rule of thumb for any predatory fish without teeth. From freshwater catfish to saltwater lionfish. Its not if it will be eaten, its when.

Your best bet is to get a fuzzy dwarf lion, they are one of the smallest species. But even then they are harder to care for and can still eat a fish larger than you thing. Especially if it is wrasse or damsel shaped.

 

[Tamberav]

My dream fish is a fuzzy or fu Manchu dwarf lion fish but I already have some clownfish because ive seen people successfully have them together and my lfs said it could work but now more and more people are telling me its not a good idea to get one so how are people getting it to work, do you have to just feed it a ton so its never hungry or are some just less aggressive than others?

pretty sure over feeding a lion fish can kill it?

But ya if it can get it in its mouth then it is fair game.

 

[fishywishy]

If i were to get one as a baby and raise it with all the fish in the tank will it view the as like friends like other animals are or are they too dumb to think like that and will eat them anyway?

 

[Gp!]

If i were to get one as a baby and raise it with all the fish in the tank will it view the as like friends like other animals are or are they too dumb to think like that and will eat them anyway?

I mean it's a fish. I've never heard one tell jokes to his friends at the water
cooler lol.

Remember... they are "invasive"

 

[Sean Clark]

If i were to get one as a baby and raise it with all the fish in the tank will it view the as like friends like other animals are or are they too dumb to think like that and will eat them anyway?

Too naive may be a better way to say it.

 

[lion king]

If i were to get one as a baby and raise it with all the fish in the tank will it view the as like friends like other animals are or are they too dumb to think like that and will eat them anyway?

Too naive may be a better way to say it.

It's nature!! 1st, click my name and "find all threads" to find info on the care and especially feeding of dwarf lions, to see if that's something you are willing to commit too. Dwarf lions do need special considerations and care and are not always a candidate for a community tank.

 

[fishywishy]

Ive done research on them for like 5 years now I’m willing to take care of there special needs

 

[fishywishy]

I mean it's a fish. I've never heard one tell jokes to his friends at the water
cooler lol.

Remember... they are "invasive"

I know, stupid question but might as well ask

 

[Gp!]

I know, stupid question but might as well ask

Perhaps my comment read less playful than intended

 

[fishywishy]

Perhaps my comment read less playful than intended

It was playful as intended, i just know it was a stupid question

 

[flashsmith]

Lionfish are incredibly invasive and should not be sold in the aquarium trade. Plenty of other options available if you just want to see live fish eat other live fish. My opinion is harsh I get it but I live in an area where they are destroying our "real" reefs with no known predators to stop them. We have serious issues with marine life and reptiles bought in the pet trade and released or escaped wreaking havoc on our wildlife here.

 

[Mark Goode]

Lionfish are incredibly invasive and should not be sold in the aquarium trade.

'Invasive' really depends where you are, surely? I could take a Lionfish to my nearest beach, chuck it in the North Sea and its life expectancy would be measured in minutes.

There's a case for restricting the sale of invasive species I totally agree, but surely only in areas where they actually are, or could possibly become, invasive.

Besides, I want one...

 

[lion king]

Lionfish are incredibly invasive and should not be sold in the aquarium trade. Plenty of other options available if you just want to see live fish eat other live fish. My opinion is harsh I get it but I live in an area where they are destroying our "real" reefs with no known predators to stop them. We have serious issues with marine life and reptiles bought in the pet trade and released or escaped wreaking havoc on our wildlife here.

It's laughable that you think hobbyist have released lionfish into the ocean that has caused the invasion. Hobbyist can barely keep lionfish alive, and the dwarf species have such a high mortality rate that that's the reason they should stop being collected. As usual it's human involvement in the ecosysyem of nature that causes this situation. Humans destoy the natural predator of one species that causes this, they do it over and over again, then blamed the species and wage war. As an example sharks have been hunted to death for fear of "Jaws", and eels have been colected to near extinction in that region; both predztors of lionfish, and there's more.

 

[fishywishy]

It's laughable that you think hobbyist have released lionfish into the ocean that has caused the invasion. Hobbyist can barely keep lionfish alive, and the dwarf species have such a high mortality rate that that's the reason they should stop being collected. As usual it's human involvement in the ecosysyem of nature that causes this situation. Humans destoy the natural predator of one species that causes this, they do it over and over again, then blamed the species and wage war. As an example sharks have been hunted to death for fear of "Jaws", and eels have been colected to near extinction in that region; both predztors of lionfish, and there's more.

Why do they have a high mortality rate, it seems like all you have to do is just feed them right

 

[Islandvib3s]

My dream fish is a fuzzy or fu Manchu dwarf lion fish but I already have some clownfish because ive seen people successfully have them together and my lfs said it could work but now more and more people are telling me its not a good idea to get one so how are people getting it to work, do you have to just feed it a ton so its never hungry or are some just less aggressive than others?

I have a lion, it'll eat anything it can trap with its fins. I keep mine in a predator tank. The behavior i noticed,is that if the smaller fish can't out smart it or escape into smaller rock caves or crevices, its likely to be a meal. I have a full sized lionfish, with a Picasso trigger,domino damsel,hawkfish,lemon drop damsel. These were all killers that I rescued from other reefers locally. The lemon drop is the smallest at about 2in but mean. I believe it's the reason my lionfish is now a pirate(one eye) my lion got popeye and I treated but I think its not curable from the lemons damage..the lions will spread its fins to trap its meal. Good luck. You'll never know until you try them out. Or just get them really small.