Lion fish
Printed From: Utah Reefs
Category: Specialized Discussion
Forum Name: Fish
Forum Description: This is the place to ask questions about fish.
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=8792
Printed Date: February 25 2026 at 12:17pm
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Topic: Lion fish
Posted By: Tyler Stewart
Subject: Lion fish
Date Posted: October 27 2005 at 11:34am
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I want to put a Lion Fish in my reef tank and wanted to know what the pros and cons are of putting one in my tank. Tyler |
Replies:
Posted By: ssilcox
Date Posted: October 27 2005 at 11:35am
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Lots of pros - I love lionfish in reefs. Just make sure there is NOTHING else in the tank that could possibly fit in his mouth. And just keep your fingers away from those spines... |
Posted By: LostCauseZ06
Date Posted: October 27 2005 at 11:55am
id suggest getting a dwarf lion.. otherwise he will outgrow everything and eat everything inthe tank... if you get a dwarf it will not keep growing.. thus keeping your other fishies safe 
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Posted By: Adam Blundell
Date Posted: October 27 2005 at 12:12pm
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Talk to Suzy about lionfish in reefs. This isn't very indepth but may help http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2005/9/lines - http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2005/9/lines Adam ------------- Come to a meeting, they�re fun! |
Posted By: Tyler Stewart
Date Posted: October 27 2005 at 12:20pm
| Hey, how about a Dwarf Zebra Lionfish? |
Posted By: LostCauseZ06
Date Posted: October 27 2005 at 2:09pm
| DO IT!! very sweet fish!! only problem with lion fish is they hide ALOT... |
Posted By: Will Spencer
Date Posted: October 27 2005 at 3:10pm
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They do??? My Volitans never leaves the front of the tank. He just keeps staring at me hoping I'll feed him some more. I've had this fish for just over a month now and love it. Yes this species will get big. Right now he's about 7 inches long and he is a total pig so will probably be a fast grower. I put him in a FOWLR tank with about 6 small Damsels. After 6 weeks I'm down to 1 damsel. I certainly wouldn't put him in my reef as he could eat more than half the fish in there, but if you don't want to keep small fish a Lionfish would be just fine on a reef. Even big Lionfish couldn't eat a medium sized tang so if that is the type of fish you wish to keep with it, it shouldn't be a problem. That doesn't mean they won't try to eat larger fish, but they won't be able to. My Volitans tried to eat the 4" Kliens Butterfly I put in the tank Monday, but for some reason it just woudn't fit in it mouth. |
LostCauseZ06 wrote:Posted By: Tyler Stewart
Date Posted: October 27 2005 at 4:09pm
| What if I got a small one? I do have some Chromis', a 6 line, a percula, two Tangs about 3-4". I dont know because if they got eaten by the guy, my wife would kill me. That is why I dont have an eel anymore. If I got a small one, would it still be able to eat those smaller guys? |
Posted By: Adam Blundell
Date Posted: October 27 2005 at 4:12pm
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I'd say a small lionfish would make history of those fish in a hurry. Adam ------------- Come to a meeting, they�re fun! |
Posted By: Tyler Stewart
Date Posted: October 27 2005 at 4:15pm
| Well then, I guees that eliminates the lionfish. What other cool fish can I put in there? I have a 65 gal reef with the fish noted above already in there. Oh, and a bi-color blenny. I just need something new because I get stuck in ruts where I get bored with my tank. Any other fish ideas? |
Posted By: LostCauseZ06
Date Posted: October 27 2005 at 4:48pm
i dont totally agree with adam... a dwarf lionfish gets like 4 inches tops... ryan has had a bunch that were fully grown and they were tiny... and they hid ALL the time.. they were never swimming around... just hiding in a rock 24/7... according to ryan, most hte ones he has had hid during the day and only came out at night... maybe adam just starves his lionfish??? hehe 
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Posted By: ssilcox
Date Posted: October 27 2005 at 5:02pm
| You would be amazed at how large of a fish a lion can actually eat. I had a small volitan that I was sure wouldnt be able to eat a clown that was the same size as the lion... sure enough, 10 minutes after putting him into the tank the clown was history. Took a couple gulps... but he got it down. |
Posted By: LostCauseZ06
Date Posted: October 27 2005 at 5:05pm
| hahhhahha thats awesome! they are reef safe right?? maybe ill do a lion/coral only tank, that would be sweet!! |
Posted By: Adam Blundell
Date Posted: October 27 2005 at 5:19pm
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Yep reef safe, you just described Suzy's sweet tank. Adam ------------- Come to a meeting, they�re fun! |
Posted By: LostCauseZ06
Date Posted: October 27 2005 at 5:38pm
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really??? im talking like 4 lions though... can they live together in peace? or am i only allowed 1???
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Posted By: Tyler Stewart
Date Posted: October 27 2005 at 5:55pm
| Ryan who?????? |
Posted By: Will Spencer
Date Posted: October 27 2005 at 6:01pm
I'd have to agree with ssilcox, It's amazing how big a fish they can eat. Not as bad as the Frogfish though. It can eat a Lionfish as big as itself.
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Posted By: Tyler Stewart
Date Posted: October 27 2005 at 6:27pm
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Well then, I guees that eliminates the lionfish. What other cool fish can I put in there? I have a 65 gal reef with the fish noted above already in there. Oh, and a bi-color blenny. I just need something new because I get stuck in ruts where I get bored with my tank. Any other fish ideas? |
Posted By: ryanj
Date Posted: October 27 2005 at 9:11pm
| i just bought a scooter blenny and it is way cool to watch. Also anthias are cool. |
Posted By: jeffras
Date Posted: October 27 2005 at 9:35pm
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lawnmower blennies are sweet. Talk about a fish with personality!!! A great addition to a reef tank and very hardy! ------------- Jeff Rasmussen |
Posted By: Suzy
Date Posted: October 27 2005 at 10:27pm
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I think it depends on what you are looking for in a fish: Something really
sexy, never hides and eats out of your hand? 
My sexy antennata lives in my reef with a scopus tang, a porcupine puffer, a green spot dragonette and a LAWNMOWER BLENNY! And, he is much hotter than Wills Volitan! I even have a peppermint shrimp with him! I only see him when I take off the background and look into the back of the rock. Weird creature, hides all the time! I do often see Ooday perched outside the shrimps front door.... |
Posted By: LostCauseZ06
Date Posted: October 28 2005 at 9:57am
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well i just so happend to buy two lions last night |
Posted By: dukester48
Date Posted: October 28 2005 at 11:36am
| Im not in the market for fish until I finish My new tank but Im pretty sure my first fish will be a flame hawkfish, they are awsome! |