Lionfish

[Annie742]

OK so I was told my 90 gal would be to small for a lionfish,but......
Well I did get one. So maybe next year I'll be getting a bigger tank!!
I'm not real sure what kind it is. It was labled P volitans. He is about 3 or so inchs long. Very friendly, but he won't eat frozen food yet. Swimming around the tank, looked at my huge crab but didn't bother him.
So now I have a 75 with only a Maroon clown and now a 90 with just the lionfish LOL. But I think that will be enough for me.

Here is a pic of it. The pics I have seen they had spots on their tails but this one don't. Maybe it come with age?

[Woodstock]

Beautiful fish!!

[MoJo'sReef]

ive trained a few to eat frozen foods its not hard
if he will eat live feeder gold fish then its no problem
just buy u a few feeder gold fish and freeze them with no water( thats mean lol)
and get some frozen silver slides and once a day see if he will go after the frozen gold fish and as soon as he does try to get him to eat a silver slide
i used a feeding stick it works well
as soon as he eats the silver slide feed him only that and no more goldfish
then you can goto wal-mart and get some raw salad srimp and he will take to that also and its cheep
but only feed him no more then 3 times a week
i only fed mine 2 times a week
hope this works for u as it does for me and 1 other thing be carful with ick med's as they r very sinative to ick med's

Mike

[Annie742]

He is pretty isn't he???
I have always read that gold fish are a big no no for lionfish, can cause them to die!! I have just read your way of weaning also, but I think I will give him ghost shrimp until I can wean him onto frozen foods.

But I was wanting to know is this a P. volitans??? So they differ in the spots, he has no spots on his tail at all.
Thanks

[MoJo'sReef]

i wouldnt feed him goldfish for a long time but it probley wouldnt take but a day or 2 to get him to eat
and you probley wont need but about 3 goldfish and that will not hurt him at all
its a very easy way
give it a try you'll be happy

[cheeks69]

I'm not real sure what kind it is. It was labled P volitans

Looks like a Pterois volitans to me.
Here's a good read on them http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/cav1i2...lionfishes.htm

[Witfull]

Pterois volitans definately. you are correct goldfish are not a proper food source. i would go with ghostshrimp if he gets thin, but try frozen prawn or krill that is appx 1/2" in size. my antenatta loves them.

[Annie742]

I think it may be a Pterois russelli.
As he has NO spots on his tail, anal and soft dorsal fins.

I googled and this is what I found on the internet.......

Russell's firefish (Pterois russelli) is an infrequently found species. It might easily be overlooked and mistaken for the more common Turkey fish, The most easily recognised distinguishing feature is the lack of spotting in the soft dorsal, tail, and anal fins.

But I still like him
Still looking up on him.

Thanks for the replies!!

[Annie742]

Here is a side view of him.

[Chandria]

He is beautiful.