Lionfish with other more docile breeds.

thinktank · Mar 15, 2017

OK, I know this is probably a beat up question across the Internets, but I find conflicting information about it and was hoping some people in the know could help clarify.

My tank is currently cycling and I'm deciding on inhabitants. I would really like to have a lionfish, but I know they're aggressive and not recommended with most other fish, except other aggressive fish who can hold their own.

However, I have seen pictures and YouTube videos (Taylor Nicole Dean, for example) of people with lionfish in tanks (even as small as 50 gallons) with shrimp, clowns, and other more "docile" fish and the owners swear they do just fine.

So...what's the deal? Are lionfish like Pitbulls and have just been given a bad name? Or are they really just liable to pop off after years of pleasant camaraderie with their fellow tank mates and go on a murderous rampage, eating all of their tank mates in one night (a supposedly true story I read!).

eatbreakfast · Mar 15, 2017

If they can't eat it, then lions are quite peaceful. Just remember they are capable of eating something about the size of their own body, minus fins.

jasonrusso · Mar 15, 2017

Maybe clowns, but a shrimp is a goner. I've had lions and they are never going to pick on another fish, like tail nipping. They will however eat another small fish.

Shep · Mar 15, 2017

@Lionfish Lair

Lionfish Lair · Mar 15, 2017

Lionfish are not aggressive at all, they just happen to be carnivores with larger mouths. Try throwing a tiny live fish in with an anthias and see how fast they'll slurp it up. Lions are just bigger (and actually much more docile than an anthias).

As far as tankmates.... you get away with it until you don't. Let's say you had bigger fish with the lion and he wasn't really interested in eating them. Then one day, you put in a small fish that is perfect eating size. You don't feed the lion one Wednesday and then that small fish becomes dinner. Problem is, now they all look like dinner. He'll be more likely at that point to eat the larger ones. It can work for a looooong time, but it's risky. So, how are other people "doing it", they're willing to take the risk.

I've seen a dwarf fuzzy eat an adult clownfish that had jumped over the divider at an LFS.

thinktank · Mar 15, 2017

Lionfish Lair said:
Lionfish are not aggressive at all, they just happen to be carnivores with larger mouths. Try throwing a tiny live fish in with an anthias and see how fast they'll slurp it up. Lions are just bigger (and actually much more docile than an anthias).

As far as tankmates.... you get away with it until you don't. Let's say you had bigger fish with the lion and he wasn't really interested in eating them. Then one day, you put in a small fish that is perfect eating size. You don't feed the lion one Wednesday and then that small fish becomes dinner. Problem is, now they all look like dinner. He'll be more likely at that point to eat the larger ones. It can work for a looooong time, but it's risky. So, how are other people "doing it", they're willing to take the risk.

I've seen a dwarf fuzzy eat an adult clownfish that had jumped over the divider at an LFS.

So it seems like it would be best to get the lionfish while small, and after all the other tank mates have grown to full size? And keep it well fed, of course.

Lionfish Lair · Mar 15, 2017

As long as the others are always larger than the lion, you'll be fine. They really aren't into eating something their own size or even slightly smaller, but they can. They are not like anglers which will eat a Buick if given the chance. We had a lot of grow out tanks, so that we could see their final size and match them appropriately. We also played musical tanks a lot. We had a teenie tiny Brasiliensis that saw 4 different sets of tankmates. He was too small to be with anyone in the beginning, then he was put with seahorse. When he grew and looked like he could soon eat the seahorse, he moved to an Inimicus tank and then onto a Volitans tank as a final destination.

Lionfish Lair · Mar 15, 2017

The fish you can see in this tank are definitely large enough.... ignore me griping at my husband for pouring in too much food at once. O.O

vic5hands · Mar 15, 2017

Looking to put one in to get rid of my 3 Dotty Backs

jonnythekid · Mar 22, 2017

i have a junior lion with a small damsel and when i first put him in there he looked like he wanted to eat the damsel but keeping the lion well feed, now he just compelety ignores him. might be a different story when he grows though.

thinktank · Mar 27, 2017

jonnythekid said:
i have a junior lion with a small damsel and when i first put him in there he looked like he wanted to eat the damsel but keeping the lion well feed, now he just compelety ignores him. might be a different story when he grows though.

Keep me updated as he gets bigger! I'd really like to add one at some point.

tj w · Mar 28, 2017

I've had my dwarf fuzzy in my tank for a while now and he's been a model citizen. He's with fish bigger and smaller. I think keeping them well fed reducing the risk but there's always that chance the lion will eat it.

thinktank · Mar 28, 2017

tj w said:
I've had my dwarf fuzzy in my tank for a while now and he's been a model citizen. He's with fish bigger and smaller. I think keeping them well fed reducing the risk but there's always that chance the lion will eat it.

I guess predators will be predators and you never know when one might snap off, but I've heard a lot more success stories with lionfish than horror stories.

Actually, the worst case of predation I have come across thus far is with an anemone, of all things. Guy did a water change that was too drastic, upset the anemone, and it literally ate ALL of his livestock overnight. He woke up to an empty tank, save the anemone and clean-up crew.