Thoughts on dwarf lion for sumpless 55g

[Claus84]

Hi all,

I have a 55g FOWLR tank cycling at the moment, primarily as a home for my Biota coral beauty and was hoping to get some thoughts on whether it would be suitable for a dwarf lion (or potentially a pair), probably D.brachypterus/fuzzy dwarf. I know these guys can produce a lot of waste and am conscious I don't have the luxury of a sump to add extra volume. I would plan to feed every 2-3 days. I'm happy to do up to a 25% water change weekly if required.

Tank info 55G
- Dimensions 48x15x18
- 40lb life rock by Caribsea
- 1-2" sandbed
- Reef Octopus classic 1000 HOB
- Circ pumps etc
- I may add an algae reactor or HOB chaeto fuge at some point

Stock - I would not add all of the below but likely a combination of:
- Biota coral beauty - definate, already own
- Biota aiptasia eating filefish - possibly a pair
- Fang blenny sp
- pair of clowns, poss clarki's

I would get a small lion but any danger or it eating any of my other inhabitants, the coral beauty is around 2.5-3" at present.

Thanks

Nick

 

[Yuki Rihwa]

If you getting a small lion then you'll fine.
You don't need a sump, the key for FOWLR is frequent large water change, 20% 2x times a week should be good and any tank mates that not fit in the lion mouth will be good. Clownfish, Blenny would become food/prey down the line when the lion got some size on it. I'm not fan of filefish so I don't have any opinion about them. I would recommend Fu Manchu Lionfish (Dendrochirus biocellatus), it's cool and stay relatively small. Oh, you would need more than 40 lbs of rock to handle the bio load.
*If you can swap out the skimmer to 2000 version would be better, the 1000 is really weak.

 

[lion king]

No problem with that set up, algae reactor would be an excellent addition.

 

[Maritimer]

Clarkiis get to be a fairly substantial fish, which I think _should_ be OK - but lionfish will attempt some shockingly large meals.

I once witnessed the aftermath of an eight-inch volitans consuming a 12-15 inch blackedge moray eel. One very fat lionfish ... that passed away a week later, probably due to indigestion.

~Bruce

 

[Daniel@R2R]

The setup is fine. The lion fish will eat anything that fits in its mouth.

 

[Claus84]

I once witnessed the aftermath of an eight-inch volitans consuming a 12-15 inch blackedge moray eel. One very fat lionfish ... that passed away a week later, probably due to indigestion.

~Bruce

Wow that's fairly impressive, guess its eyes were bigger than its belly!

Sounds like it would be safer to skip any potentially bite-sized tankmates such as clowns and blennys. As the coral beauty and filefish are pretty deep-bodied would these be okay? Really don't want to risk my coral beauty becoming a snack!

Cheers

Nick

 

[Maritimer]

Captive-bred coral beauties often come in smaller sizes - I'm not sure that an adult will be a target for the lion, but a little one would be. I know you've already got your beauty, so perhaps choose a lionfish who's also young, and too small to take out the angel as they both grow. (I have a coral beauty as well - she's grown very slowly if at all, but she's also somewhat inhibited by the presence of a larger and more aggressive flame angelfish.)

~Bruce

 

[Claus84]

Captive-bred coral beauties often come in smaller sizes - I'm not sure that an adult will be a target for the lion, but a little one would be. I know you've already got your beauty, so perhaps choose a lionfish who's also young, and too small to take out the angel as they both grow. (I have a coral beauty as well - she's grown very slowly if at all, but she's also somewhat inhibited by the presence of a larger and more aggressive flame angelfish.)

~Bruce

The coral beauty was around 1" when I got it last December, its now pushing 3" but its growth has slowed considerably now, I have seen some tiny fuzzies for sale before so I'll maybe try and get one around 1" long, I'm in no particular rush either so could always give it another 6 months or so and let the coral beauty grow some more.

Thanks

Nick

 

[Yuki Rihwa]

The coral beauty was around 1" when I got it last December, its now pushing 3" but its growth has slowed considerably now, I have seen some tiny fuzzies for sale before so I'll maybe try and get one around 1" long, I'm in no particular rush either so could always give it another 6 months or so and let the coral beauty grow some more.

Thanks

Nick

Lionfish grow very fast, and fuzzy can reach to 7 inches in less than 2 years, so you can safely say goodbye to your Coral Beauty on later date. The safest Lion you can have is the one I posted earlier but it's your choice and your decision, most folks setup a Lion species only tank because everything are FOOD in their eyes and will "die trying" to get a taste of anything that move in your tank.

 

[Claus84]

Lionfish grow very fast, and fuzzy can reach to 7 inches in less than 2 years, so you can safely say goodbye to your Coral Beauty on later date. The safest Lion you can have is the one I posted earlier but it's your choice and your decision, most folks setup a Lion species only tank because everything are FOOD in their eyes and will "die trying" to get a taste of anything that move in your tank.

Hmm that's good to know. I do like fu manchu's but from what I have read they are more difficult to adjust to captivity, have you found this to be the case?

Also would you say they are as personable as fuzzy dwarfs?

Thanks

 

[lion king]

I have the fuzzy, zebra, and fu; they will grow pretty quickly to about 4" then slow quite a bit. Ive had mine for years and they eat like pigs are are at around 5". I feed mine live as especially if raised in captivity they are in no way going to try and eat a coral beauty or the filefish you speak of, I doubt they would even attempt a clown. All appropriately sized of course, and the thick full body of the clowns would be challenging. I even have some small mollies I feed and the dwarfs won't take them, the antenata has to take them.

 

[Yuki Rihwa]

Hmm that's good to know. I do like fu manchu's but from what I have read they are more difficult to adjust to captivity, have you found this to be the case?

Also would you say they are as personable as fuzzy dwarfs?

Thanks

All Lionfish will learn and recognize their owner and will come to front glass greeting you or begging you for food.
All Lionfish are easy to keep at least for me, they also easy to weave them off live foods if you refer to use market prawns, just starve them 2 or 3 days and they will learn to eat everything that hit the water. However, they won't pick up food that dropped to the tank bottom so you will have to drop food in front of power head and let the flow do it job then the Lion will gulp it down.

 

[Yuki Rihwa]

I have the fuzzy, zebra, and fu; they will grow pretty quickly to about 4" then slow quite a bit. Ive had mine for years and they eat like pigs are are at around 5". I feed mine live as especially if raised in captivity they are in no way going to try and eat a coral beauty or the filefish you speak of, I doubt they would even attempt a clown. All appropriately sized of course, and the thick full body of the clowns would be challenging. I even have some small mollies I feed and the dwarfs won't take them, the antenata has to take them.

Nice that your Lions didn't interest in their tank mates.
I used to keep 4x fuzzy and 4x Fu Manchu and 1x Antenna in 72x24x24 with a bunch of Blue Devil Damsels and pretty much all devil are at max size (3 inches and fat), plus a few false percular clownfishes, and a flame angelfish, everything fine for a year until lions got some size on them, then tank mates start disappeared one by one and then only Lionfish left in my tank few months later Predator is a Predator there is no guarantee they will leave tank mates alone, it's just time!