Lionfish isn't eating as well

[Mistborn]

I've had my lion for a couple months now I think. At first he would literally eat everything I threw at him without question. Snapper fillet, squid, shrimp, silversides, krill, a live molly. But the last week or so he hasn't been eating as much. I've literally had to mimic a live silverside for him to even be interested in it. No temp swings lately, Though I did redo the rockwork a bit recently.

 

[wkscott]

I bet Renée can help you. @Lionfish Lair

 

[Lionfish Lair]

I love seeing the little ' over my name

Have we talked about your lion before Mist?

 

[Mistborn]

Nopeee, we have not.

 

[Lionfish Lair]

I just went back through your threads and I remember when you got it. Didn't want to get mixed up.

Can you grab a couple of pictures?

 

[Mistborn]

I literally took these, a couple seconds ago. He's on the side of the tank. I took the pics sideways lol. Idk why they're so big. I said thumbnail....

 

[Lionfish Lair]

Who in your signature is with him? Anyone with a cloudy eye? Have you seen him shed?Has he been yawning at all?

 

[Mistborn]

He's with, eel, grouper, tang. Nobody is cloudy. Everyone else still eats like normal. No flashing or aggression that I've seen.

 

[Lionfish Lair]

Sorry, I edited and added 2 questions... has he shed recently and have you seen him "yawn"?

 

[Mistborn]

I've seen him shed very recently. Last couple of days. He yawned once recently that I've seen as well. By shed, I saw him stand in the current and sorta rush forward. Saw a little slime looking stuff puff off of him, then he settled into his place again

 

[Lionfish Lair]

Yup, that's shedding. Sometimes they can be a little reclusive and not eat as much. When they are yawning, they are loosening up the cuticle around their face.

His eye isn't as clear as it should be though...

I have scorps go off their feed all the time. My sphex had me concerned for over a month. Just now I was yelling at him "IT'S THAWING", because he's turned back into being a food freak. There's not much to do just yet but to continue to watch, particularly the eyes. He's eating some, so that's good.

You don't have a microscope at home, do you?

 

[Mistborn]

Okay, I'll just keep an eye on him then. Yeah his eye has had those little flaws? scratches? on them since I've had him. They've actually cleared up slightly.
No I don't, but if I could borrow or use one, what would I do?

 

[Lionfish Lair]

I pick out some of the larger pieces of every shed and throw them under a microscope. You can easily see Ich spinning and such. I had one fish I didn't even realize had Ich until I looked.

If his eyes have been like that for awhile, that would point to something like Ich, yet I would expect for it to have shown it's face by now. It's not normal, so there is indeed something going on.

 

[Mistborn]

I had thought that too when I first got him, and I kept the tank dosed on seachem paraguard for a month. No change. Is waiting all I can do at this point?

 

[Lionfish Lair]

That's all I would do. Without knowing what you are treating, you could be causing more harm than good. Volitans are a nice hardy fish, so we have that on our side.

 

[Lionfish Lair]

Maybe the Paraguard is why it hasn't come on full force. What's in that?

 

[Lionfish Lair]

"Proprietary, synergistic blend of aldehydes, malachite green, and fish protective polymers."

So there's malachite green and perhaps formalin....

When did you stop this?

 

[Mistborn]

Some type of aldehyde blend iirc. I used it the first time I had an ich attack a couple years ago and it cleared right up. I've read and some consider it a "catch all" if you're not 100% sure what you're treating. I didn't want to take any chances with the lion. The treatment has been over for a couple weeks now though.