Advice please.
 

I have an ocerlaris clown pair (2 and 3 inches) aswell as a Manderine fish. I have recently aquired a nice little dwarf lion fish because I was told, and have read that they will be compatiable if the lion isn't too large. He's only a baby, maybe 2 inches head to tail, is the advice I recieved accurate?

IME, a lion will eat anything that will fit in it's mouth. The mandarin qualifies for this category. As the lion grows, the clowns may fit also.


Moved to Reef forum

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Thank fully that won't be any time soon, he is quite small. Don't lion's stay away from manderines, something to do with how they taste, poisonous slime coat or something?

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I've heard that, but I wouldn't take the chance that the lion also knows that! :razz:

From what I have read the colour pattern of Mandarins advertises the fact that they are poisonous, and not good eating. This is similar to the colour pattern of Monarch Butterflies. It advertises the fact that they are toxic. As far as Mandarins are concerned it does not always seem to work, as my Six Line Wrasse ripped up my Mandarin pretty badly, so this defence seems to not be perfect. :rolleyes:

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I guess I'll just have to waiti and see what happens, I'll keep posting on this topic.

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I've heard this as well & even figured it was proven to me when I had my 16" bamboo shark that would eat EVERYTHING I put in the tank EXCEPT my mandarin. :eek: It really surprised me when I would see them sleeping together under the same rock. The shark & the mandarin were in the tank together for almost a year before I sold my shark to Big Al's.

But I get a 3.5" (small) puffer & my mandarin was suddenly targeted lunch. :sad:

I guess it just goes to show that we can't predict the actions of theses wild but fascinating creatures. :rolleyes: