Likely not going to be successful. If he is not treated with general cure in a prepared cycled tank of at least a 20g long his chances are very slim. A long shot would be to treat with prazi pro where he is right now. It will be very unlikely that he is ok and just takes this long to eat. I can drop a molly in the bag with a healthy volitan while he is floating for acclimation, and he will eat. Every lion that I have that went on to live long term either ate immediately after acclimation, or was treated with general cure and ate within 2 days. ; I'm talking dozens.
Volitan Lionfish - Thos with experience
- Thread starter Dolphins18
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Crap. I don’t have a cycled tank that doesn’t have coral and inverts in it. There’s a black Molly swimming around in there right now. I guess my options now are use the bucket or do nothing..
What is the biggest concern using the bucket? I will change daily with water from established tank. If it’s a size issue I don’t have too much of choice.
If you were in my shoes what would you do? I do not have prazi and don’t really want to risk it with all the inverts in the tank.
What is the biggest concern using the bucket? I will change daily with water from established tank. If it’s a size issue I don’t have too much of choice.
If you were in my shoes what would you do? I do not have prazi and don’t really want to risk it with all the inverts in the tank.
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It has only been 5 days since I got him.
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Man that’s tough. Here’s to hoping that molly is gone in the morning. I’m planning a 240 and it will have a 40B qt.
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Woke up to the Molly no where in sight. I am hoping that means the lion ate but understand the eel may have had a late night snack as well, though I’ve never seen him interested in anything that is live. The Lion has made his way to the other side of the tank as well.
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Hello,
Still have not seen him eat. I’ve tried feeding different live foods 3 times per day daily for the last week. Anything I leave overnight disappears in the morning, I understand this could be my eel but I have never seen him eat anything that is live. The Lion perks up a lot when I feed the tank and begins to swim all over, however that has not translated to him eating. Here’s to continuing to hope for the best. Eyes remain crystal and no noticeable external health issues.
Still have not seen him eat. I’ve tried feeding different live foods 3 times per day daily for the last week. Anything I leave overnight disappears in the morning, I understand this could be my eel but I have never seen him eat anything that is live. The Lion perks up a lot when I feed the tank and begins to swim all over, however that has not translated to him eating. Here’s to continuing to hope for the best. Eyes remain crystal and no noticeable external health issues.
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They are damsels. At just a couple dollars more than mollies I figured they are a fairly healthy option and I don’t particularly mind if they go missing, If it gets him eating it will be well worth it in the end. There is no bulge in his stomach, he also doesn’t appear to be thinning at this time. Still pretty active today, he’s made a few laps around the tank and seems to be starting to adjust to the high flow, though none of this will matter if he doesn’t want to eat!
Thank you for all the input you’ve added. I’ve no doubt learned a lot about the species.
I remember one of my old ones used to occasionally shed a sort of slime coating, this guy has been “snapping” his head quite a bit which is what my old one used to do before shedding whatever it was.
Thank you for all the input you’ve added. I’ve no doubt learned a lot about the species.
I remember one of my old ones used to occasionally shed a sort of slime coating, this guy has been “snapping” his head quite a bit which is what my old one used to do before shedding whatever it was.
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Hello Everyone. It has been 12 days since I got the lion, I have tried feeding ghost shrimp and rosy reds every day for the last 10 days.
Today he chomped one down after holding it in front of him for a couple minutes. I am very happy as he has seemed to be doing excellent, other than the whole not eating thing which is hopefully solved!
About 50 dead fish went down the toilet in the process of getting him to eat... lol
Today he chomped one down after holding it in front of him for a couple minutes. I am very happy as he has seemed to be doing excellent, other than the whole not eating thing which is hopefully solved!
About 50 dead fish went down the toilet in the process of getting him to eat... lol
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Thank you SO much. I am very excited and happy, this has been one of the toughest fish for me to get to come around.
This hobby never fails to remind me the importance of patience.
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Sorry to keep updating this thread, But I find this fish incredibly beautiful. Much more so than a clear volitan. He’s on silversides now as well
Here’s a pic of the fat fella.
Here’s a pic of the fat fella.
Sorry to keep updating this thread, But I find this fish incredibly beautiful. Much more so than a clear volitan. He’s on silversides now as well
Here’s a pic of the fat fella.
I wish more people would update after posting with concerns, it helps all of us. I'm glad he is eating but because of his initial acclimation I was concerned, Honestly I would still keep an eye on him, if his appetite all of sudden gets insatiable, that's also a red sign. Also keep an eye out for stringy poo.
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Thank you! He isn’t able to eat whole silversides but happily eats a half or so. I was thinking about binding metro and treating him since he’s eating, thoughts? id love to know some more about internal parasites it’s not a topic I am very familiar with. I have to treat a coral beauty in another tank for it. I have seen fish be incredibly resilient with proper nutrition to many diseases, is this possible with the internal worms and parasites, or is it impossible to tell?
The lion does seem pretty healthy though, he associates me with food now and follows the weakest damsel around every time I feed the tank until he gets his fill, it can be a bit difficult with the eel as it turns into a maniac when it gets a scent of any food, lol.
Vid
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What happens is lionfish and other predatory fish that usually won't eat dead food so easily, are fed diseased and dying fish along the way. So they have an usually high chance of having internal parasites. Now that he is eating it would not be a bad idea to treat with the metro as you mentioned. I believe I mentioned in an earlier post about general cure, the reason is because it contains both prazi and metro, which will cover a broader spectrum of worms and parasites. Although I have been finding metro to be the kicker as of late so binding metro in his food is a good idea.
The cycle of internal parasites is as follows; sometimes they don't eat, this could be the beginning or the end. They then go into a stage of voracious appetite, this is when people think everything is a ok. What's happening is the parasites are eating all the food, so the fish is always hungry. Then they stop eating again and at this point it's now or never. Stringy poo is the telltale sign, sometimes hanging sometimes not; and it's hard to see in the tank but if you know what you are looking for, you can see it. Some people think if the stringy poo is brown, it's ok, it is not. Faded color is another indicator.
Feeding smaller food items is better for their digestion, so cutting the silversides in half is better. Maintaining reef levels of mg is also a good idea, just mentioning that for people keeping fowlrs and not monitoring reef chemistry. A large lion is good to eat a couple of times a weeks, feed him until you see a nice bulge in his belly. They gorge and then fast in the wild, so a couple days between feedings is better than smaller meals every day. They have no problem eater larger food, and in wild thats no problem, but in the wild they are cruising for miles and their metabolism is moving faster. In captivity their metabolism is slowed and that in turn effects digestion, so thats why I think smaller items is better. Ive seen lions cut open with what appeared to be rotted undigested food.
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Hey you want to quiet down that overflow, search "hofer gurgle buster", it's a simple diy project that will cost you just a few bucks and take 30 minutes to an hour. I don't know if it would fit your specific overflow, but most that sound like that are literally dead silent with one of these.
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Thank you so much for both posts! I bought this tank used as a holding tank for about a year until I move into my new home with a new build. It is a messy unorganized situation right now, that is also very loud with a durso and an archaic return lol.
The new build will have 3 overflows and I plan on doing herbie's or possibly that Hofer Gurgle buster after doing some more research.
I am unsure if you will have an answer for this, But can I expect any harm from feeding binded metro to inverts, eels, tang, damsels? I am sure its fine for the fish, more concerned with the inverts and the eel. Theres a large starfish that eats chunks of fish and shrimp, and its likely he will end up some of the food soaked in metro, the eel 100 percent will.
Thanks!
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@lion king Big guy is about 11" now and healthy as ever.
I am moving him and the eel to a 220 to properly suit them. Any tips, I know the first 6 months will suck, but anything in particular with these creatures?
They have both become completely familiar with my hands, the lions feel like shells! he will now lay down his spines for me to touch but its like a turtle shell lol.
Anyways any advice would be awesome for this move as I'd like to keep him alive and well, also the eel. He rocks.
I am moving him and the eel to a 220 to properly suit them. Any tips, I know the first 6 months will suck, but anything in particular with these creatures?
They have both become completely familiar with my hands, the lions feel like shells! he will now lay down his spines for me to touch but its like a turtle shell lol.
Anyways any advice would be awesome for this move as I'd like to keep him alive and well, also the eel. He rocks.
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