Reef Discussion

[Frecklycomic]

Hi All,

Hope you are all well and that your tanks are going well.

I am thinking about getting a baby Zebra Lionfish. However I am very undecided.
I love lionfish but I already have some fish in the tank. My biggest concern is my clownfish.

Would the lionfish eat the clownfish?
At present the lionfish is half the size of my clownfish.

Thoughts and help on this one?

Cheers.

 

[somethingfishy76]

I recon lionfish of any family will eat what ever it can as long as it fits into his mouth... nothing to base this on but I also found this video that shows one not eating the clowns... But then the clowns are its equal size... Really not sure but if you love your clown you might not want to risk it?

 

[Oceanarium]

I have grown baby volitains up in a mix reef tank and he never ate everything once he was big..... But he did eat everything newly added. I had a school of chromis in that tank and he even ate any new ones if I tried to sneak in with them but never touched the ones he grew up with. He was always well fed, which is part of the trick.

I also had a baby Barra cod in a tank and he ended up being the only and fastest fish in the tank.

It can be done but always a gamble.

The Zebra's are one of the hardest to get to switch off live foods, many dont make the transition. Once trained on frozen I suspect by the time he is big enough you should be right.

 

[MagicJ]

@Oceanarium has mentioned a critical issue - don't expect the newly introduced lionfish to start eating what you put in the tank. It can take a lot of time and effort to wean a lionfish onto frozen/prepared foods.

 

[Coralfarmer]

took me two years to get my fuzzy onto frozen, now hes a pest every time my hand goes in the tank he comes to it and follows me all around the tank...

 

[Frecklycomic]

Thanks Everyone. I will have to have a hard long think about it.

Cheers :)