Lionfish feeding methods

danny zubot · #1 08-30-2004, 09:04 PM

I have have my new lionfish for just over a week now and have been having difficulty feeding it. I feed my clowns and wrasses mysis and know that the lion will feed on mysis as well. The problem is that the clowns gobble up the food before the lion gets any. I know the feeding habits of lionfish in the wild are such that it will usually wait for food to wonder by and then snatch it, how can I simulate this in my aquarium? The lion is very timid and tends to reside in caves most of the time, perhaps a forum exists that will give me more info about feeding this little fella. Anyone?

hawk · #2 08-30-2004, 09:38 PM

How big is the Lionfish?

TANGOMAN · #3 08-30-2004, 09:40 PM

Is the Lionfish large enough to eat "Silversides" yet ? I had occasions where I had to use a needle and thread, punctured through the tail section of the feeder. Then I'd "go fishin'..."
I'll assume, (hope), this isn't a Volitan Lion ? 'Cause when it starts eatin', the Wrasse and Clowns will start dissapearin'...

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Perhaps try feeding in the dark or with very moderate lighting. It can be tough to get many species to accept prepared foods amidst competition with others.
If it's small enough where Mysis is the food of choice, perhaps an acrylic tube attached to a syringe or a turkey baster and direct the food near to it's hiding spot. Lionfish can eat foods, and fish, much larger than one thinks. Trust me, I know ! I often fed Krill to smaller Lions.
Good luck !

kuatto · #4 08-30-2004, 10:48 PM

Had the same problem with my large lion(no longer with me)I distracted the others at one end and used long tongs to drop food in front of him.Once he gets use to feeding,there wont be nobody(or fish)that will stop him

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DOO-E · #5 08-30-2004, 11:50 PM

HAHAHAHA (not laughing at you) i just had a thought. I remember reading about these little meat clumps in the shape of fish that you use to feed preditors.. They are attatched to some thread and a little stick in the shape of a fishing rod. I read about them in a fish magazine everythime i see them or think of them they make me laugh.

Try those not only they may work but if they do it will be fun to feed your lionfish.

danny zubot · #6 08-31-2004, 02:27 PM

Hi everyone, thanks for the advise. He's not a voliton, though it closely resembles one only smaller (1.5-2 inches), I'll have to look it up again. He is just a baby and there is no need to worry about my other fish for the time being. Last night after my main lights went out I found him freely swimming around in the current so I thought I'd try again. I got him to eat some mysis but unfortunately wasted a bunch in the process. I think I will try silversides as they are much larger, he only seemed interested in the larger pieces. Nice to see it swimming around though, cute little guy!

richtg · #7 10-14-2004, 06:53 AM

How is that going, by the way? I forgot to ask you, do you remember to open the lid of your tank before you feed-he, he. Are those silversides I gave you working?

danny zubot · #8 10-14-2004, 02:15 PM

The silversides worked a bit better only because the clowns showed little interest in them. I'm actually taking them to Deb's today, hope she can work her magic with him.

EmilyB · #9 11-05-2004, 02:38 AM

I wanted to update this thread in case it can be of any help in the future for people with dwarf zebra lionfish, since my first one I never succeeded with, but didn't exactly try this method.

I started him on ghostshrimp to fatten him up a bit, but I held them with my hand and let them go just in front of him. It seemed he started to watch me and my hand (okay, caution, you have to know there is a lionfish in your tank always.......or be stung accidentally).

Eventually, I started feeding the tank some marine cuisine, with added mysis, and I would release it with my fingers the same way.

Anyway, he's the typical food whore now.

Delphinus · #10 11-05-2004, 03:31 AM

Way to go, Deb.