DwarfZebraLionF

FAQs about Zebra (Dwarf) Lionfishes, Dendrochirus zebra

Related Articles: Dwarf Lionfishes, Lionfish & Their Relatives, Keeping Lionfishes and their Scorpaeniform Kin Part 1, Part 2, by Anthony Calfo and Robert Fenner,

Scorpionfishes: Lionfishes & Much More for Marine Aquariums
Diversity, Selection & Care
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by Robert (Bob) Fenner

Dwarf Lionfish Minimum Tank Size 4/13/09
First off, congratulations on such a huge compendium of aquarium information, this site has provided me with endless amounts of help with my tank.
<Thank you kindly.>
My question for you is odd in that it seems to be answered around every corner; which would make this easy if all the answers were the same!
<Everyone has an opinion!>
I'm in the process of setting up my second tank, it is a 30 gallon long (12"H x 12"W x 36"L) and would like to put a lionfish in it.
Despite what a lot of sites claim about the Antennata, I quickly decided that I was going to have to go with a dwarf.
What I would like to know is; what Lionfish would actually be comfortable as the only fish in a tank of this size? If it is best for the fish, I would prefer a Dwarf Zebra Lionfish (mostly for appearance). Is this tank
big enough?
<No, I suggest at least 50gallons for any of the Dwarf Lions. The problem being the amount of waste and messy eating habits. If you where to attempt to keep one in a 30 gallon you would need to do regular ,if not
weekly, water changes and implore efficient skimming to keep water quality up.> And what are the minimum tank sizes for the other species?
<As stated above, 50 gallons minimum for any of the Dwarfs. Keeping one in anything smaller is possible but for the health of the animal not suggested.>
As I said before, every site has an answer, they are all different, but at least this one we can trust to do what is best for the fish.

Thank you,
Andrew

Dwarf Lionfish, eaten away 8/18/08 Hi Guys: My Dwarf Zebra Lion has areas of discoloration on his body (both sides, please see pics) that has me concerned. I first noticed this perhaps a month ago. <What else is in with this animal?> His health seems excellent otherwise. All of his fins are intact and perfect. He is very active and always responds when I enter the room. He is always hungry and eats very well. I feed him (from a variety of both frozen and freeze-dried foods) every other day. The food is supplemented with garlic juice, Zoe, and Selcon. He resides in a 55 gallon fish-only tank with just a 2" Common Clown <This> and a 1.5" Spotted Cardinal (both of which are in perfect health and years old). All is very peaceful. The tank's parameters are: 1.022 Spg. Ammonia is 0. Nitrite is 0. Nitrate is 20 -25. <A bit high> I do 10% water changes every week and ensure the filter, skimmer and substrate are clean. <Good practices> This is a wonderful fish and I'd hate to lose him. Your help is indeed appreciated. Regards, Rob <Something, someone (the Clown of what is listed) is picking on this fish... perhaps at night... It needs to be separated. Bob Fenner>

Re: Lionfish The only fish that ever goes close to the Lion is the Spotted Cardinal. The clown always keeps his distance. Unfortunately, I have no other place to move him. <Something is chewing on this fish... perhaps a divider? BobF> Re: Lionfish Thanks very much for the advice Bob. I would have bet anything you were going to tell me it was lateral line erosion or some other disease. I never would have guessed it was one of his tank mates. I guess I'll have to rig up a divider and see if it clears up. I'll let you know. Regards, Rob <Please do. Thank you, BobF>

Prospective 75g Set up... Lion comp. -- 03/07/08 Hi WWM Crew, <Chris> I am looking at purchasing a 75 gallon tank that I want to set up as a FOWLR tank. The tank that I am going to buy is already completely set up and running with water, LR and all the equipment (protein skimmer, penguin BioWheel, etc.) The guy is moving away and I am just going to take everything over. I already have a couple of 8 gallon BioCubes so I am not totally new to saltwater, but I haven't had them long either, but now I am hooked. <Join the club!> My question is, I would like to get some lionfish in there, how viable is maybe doing the tank with 1 Fuzzy dwarf, 1 Fu Manchu dwarf, and 1 zebra dwarf? <Could be done> Will they fight with each other? Second, is there a good clean-up crew that will survive these fish? <You> Other possible plans include 1 Russell's Lion and some other colorful active fish (any suggestions?). <For you to read> Can I do a Russell's Lion with a dwarf lion and maybe like one other active fish? <Really gets too big for a 75...> Any other suggestions on what other fish would be good in there, compatibility-wise? 75 gal. seems big to me, but I know it is not when talking SW. Still in the planning stages and wanted to get some input. Thanks! Chris <Keep reading... Maybe start here: http://wetwebmedia.com/marine/fishes/index.htm About the fifth tray down... Lionfishes, compatibility... Bob Fenner>

Lionfish sexes.... -- 06/26/07 I have an empty 55... well kinda it's filled with water, few damsels, live rock, and cycled... its just been sitting there for about three months now. I am interested in lion fish...along with them breeding them... was thinking about zebra dwarfs. Have bred clowns and seahorses, by no means does this make me an expert... guess my point is just that I don't like to just have fishes I like to have them thrive and breed as well.. should have go into biology instead of sales kinda thing. been looking and looking I cant find any info on sexing or breeding these....I cant believe that no M biologist hasn't studied these, there has got to be some info somewhere. any ideas on how to sex them? <Not as far as I'm aware> and any ideas on encouraging breeding... ps I will take the damsels out before add the lions. Breez <And henceforth run your mail through grammar and spelling checkers... before sending. Bob Fenner>

Undulated moray eel and dwarf lion? '¦No -- 05/07/07 Hi, I have an undulated moray eel. And wanted to know, if dwarf zebra lionfish would get along with the moray. <There are several cases of lionfish having killed small moray eels and there are several cases of moray eels having killed lionfish. The undulated moray eel is rather on the piscivorous side. I would not try putting them together. Cheers, Marco.>

Rapid Death in Lion.... 1/28/07 I just purchased a dwarf zebra for my tank...but he only lived 12hrs. He was fine after acclimation and mostly jut hid in his new environment. After a few hours, I noticed some weird behavior. He began swimming very erratically flying through the sand and darting everywhere. he wedged his head under a rock! I netted him out from under it and let him be. by midnight, he was dead with his mouth pried open sunk to the bottom. the only other tankmate is an emerald crab which was at the scene of the death. could he have killed the lion? the crab was clawing at it earlier in the day. thanks! <<We need a few more details, my first suspicion is to the acclimation process? What exactly did you do when adding the animal to the tank? Did you quarantine this animal prior to adding it to the display? Water Chemistry/Conditions? - Adam_J.>>
Re: Rapid Death in Lion 1/30/07 I did the standard acclimation process... <Sorry...but this varies depending on "who" you talk to, I don't like to make assumptions...take things for granted here when dealing with so many different people.> but several tests later, my nitrites had spikes substantially. This is probably the reason for death. <Or at least a factor...yes.> How do I lower these levels? <Multiple, large and subsequent water changes.> I have a tried everything....I did a 50% water change, added more live sand and rock. <Uncured...cured?> Added extra bacteria <Of what source.> and ammonia ease. what's next? <The identification of a root problem...mature tanks do not have spikes in nitrite for no reason.> they've been at this level now for a week. <Did you know this before adding the new addition?> I do water changes regularly and I've had a yellow tailed damsel living there the whole time without any problems. <They are amazingly resilient animals...possibly not a good indicator of overall captive conditions...> thanks <Adam J.>

I'm not dead yet - lionfish 1/16/07 Hi. Thank you for emailing me so quickly. I wasn't sure if I would get a response or not. Last time I told you about sick zebra lionfish. I was having trouble feeding him anything other than guppies. However, one of your viewers suggested "going fishing", and my lionfish has now eaten twice off the "hook". Unfortunately he is still sick. He doesn't have control over his body movement. <Patience> The current in the tank has floated him into living rock, a sea fan and coral. <Place elsewhere> He was floating upside down, my husband thought he was dead, but to our amazement is still hanging on. He was floating on his back for several days so I moved him to a holding tank. <Ah, good> Now he rests on his side. However, he is still eating. <Can go w/o for weeks...> This morning, I fed him another guppy, then followed with a small piece of uncooked shrimp. He ate both, but the food had to be right in front of his mouth to get it. Is it possible he had a stroke? <Interesting possibility> He has been like this for over two weeks. I though he would have died a long time ago, but he truly amazes me. I think I'm going to call him "Timex" Thank you again, Denise <Where is that Cameron Swayze when you need him? Excelsior! Bob Fenner>

Lionfish/shrimp compatibility 10/11/2006 Thanks in advance as you folks have been very diligent in answering my questions. <<You're welcome in advance!>> I've looked through FAQ's on the dwarf lionfish and now realize that if I get one, my peppermint shrimp is probably in trouble. <<Yes, if by trouble you mean eaten.>> The dwarf zebra lionfish at the LFS is aprox. 2" what I wanted to know is what about my 2" blood shrimp and my cleaner shrimp? I do not want to lose them. All the FAQ's mention the cleaner as a possibility but none mention blood shrimp I do know from your site it depends on the individual lionfish but how likely is it? <<Lionfish eat shrimp, period. The question comes into play weather or not they will leave a known 'cleaner' alone, which both of the aforementioned shrimp are. In my experience, they will be consumed in time. Now, if you're starting with a very small lion, and large shrimp, the relationship may be established, but don't bet on it. If your shrimp are a real prize to you, I wouldn't risk it, but if their loss is less than tragic for you, you can try.>> Paul <<Good luck my friend. Lisa.>>

- Lion Lighting 8/21/06 - Howdy!
<Howdy.>
I have poked around on the site and can't seem to find a direct answer to my question. My current set up: tank is about 30 gal with around 20# of LR and live sand, filter is a Penguin 200 bio-wheel, and lighting is an 18" 15 watt 20,000K light - I'm not familiar with this type of marine lighting (Kelvins and such). I'm looking to keep a single dwarf zebra lionfish (YAY!), but I'm concerned about the lighting-is it too bright?
<Could be...>
I don't want to blind the poor thing but I also don't want to lose algae.
<What algae? Lions don't generally eat it...>
Also, should I "stack" the LR to create caves or do they just hide behind them?
<Caves and ledges are best for lionfish, yes.>
Oh, and would I also need a protein skimmer or will the BioWheel do the trick?
<A skimmer would help with this type of fish.>
Thanks guys! <Cheers, J -- >

Zebra Lion Fdg. Question ?? - 8/10/2006 WWW Crew, I just recently purchased a Dendrochirus zebra, my first lion fish. <A beautiful animal> He seems at home among the live rock'¦. swimming around, hanging in caves, being responsive to me'¦ defensive toward the Blue-Headed Wrasse, a Tomato Clown and a Damsel. <May eat these last in time...> His color has become more vibrant since he was introduced 4 days ago and he seems healthy. Of course, my question concerns feeding. He did eat some ghost shrimp a couple of days ago but nothing else. <Dwarf Lions don't eat that much, often...> I've offered various frozen marine fare as well as dried foods. Should I keep feeding him live foods until he eats the frozen and, should I worry if he doesn't eat anything for a few more days? <The latter> Will he literally starve himself waiting on live foods? <Mmm, not likely> Marine flesh on a feeding stick seems to repulse him as he just turns away. <Takes time, practice...> Also, let Bob F. know that I emailed. I haven't spoken with him in quite some time and would like to catch up. My email address is below. Thanks much! Regards, from David A. Bell <Oh! Hi David! Hope/trust all is well with you and yours. Bob Fenner>

New Marine Tank, Set-Up and Livestock ... Dwarf Lion comp.... AdamJ's go 7/6/06 Hi there, WWM crew, <Hey there Jeremy.> I've been a long time reader of the site, definitely one of, if not the best sites around, in my opinion...but on to the pressing issues. <Of course'¦'¦.of course.> I have a 55 gallon system set up, currently housing a single 1-1/2" Dendrochirus brachypterus, and a few hunks (about 7 or 8 pounds) of live rock, though I'm planning on adding more later on. <Be sure to cure and quarantine the rock in a separate receptacle since there is established livestock within the tank.> The substrate is a combination of 50 pounds of 'dead' sugar-fine sand, 20 pounds of Nature's Ocean live sand, and about a pound of sand from a friend's established reef. As far as filtration, I have both a Magnum 350 and a Fluval 404 canister filter, as well as a Coralife Super Skimmer rated for 65 gallons. <Not a fan at all of canisters'¦'¦especially on Marine Aquaria.> My questions are, 1. Is this sufficient filtration for this size system? I've read that sumps and the like are better as far as nitrates are concerned, <Sump is a just a fancy term from a down-current receptacle that is used to hide away equipment. Well if you cram it sense with bio-media that traps detritus it can be just as bad as a canister, that said if configured correctly, i.e., large protein skimmer, and macro-algae refugia (things that aid in nutrient control) sumps can be quite useful, not to mention the added water volume'¦there is much posted on WWM on ways of setting them up.> but I don't think I have the room under the tank, due to the stand I have; a sump for me would have to be right around 11" wide or so. <There are a few glass tanks that fit this configuration, not to mention custom/DIY acrylic jobs.> 2. I've heard that adding live rock to an established system can make it cycle again...should I worry about this a whole lot? <If it uncured yes a lot, and even if it is cured I recommend quarantining in a separate tank for a minimum of 30 days, you don't have to use another tank, a trash can or Rubbermaid container would do just as fine.> 3. Can I add another dwarf? Possibly a D. zebra? My LFS told me they don't fare as well as D. brachypterus, so I'm slightly wary of them. <Not to mention the size'¦these dwarfs are around 7-8' full-grown, I prefer tanks of 75 gallons+ for adults.> 4. Would you happen to know of a few interesting tankmates? I'd like something active and outgoing, like a tang or an angel, but I'm not sure what will be compatible with the dwarf lion(s). <The lion will limit you, not only being predatory but with it's adult size. Other ambush predators such as larger Hawkfish would work well. Most fish that I recommend for novices are either to small (because of the lion) or too large for your system.> Hardiness would definitely be a plus, this being my first venture into marine aquariums. Thanks, <Anytime.> Jeremy in CA <Adam also in SoCal.>

Lions and Marine Bettas 7/1/06 Hi there just a quick question. Would a marine Betta be O.K. with a zebra lionfish in a 30 gallon tank. Many thanks. <No, both get too large for this tank.> <Chris>

Lions and Marine Bettas Part II 7/3/06 Thanks for getting back so quick.
<Sure>
Would there be O.K. in a 450L tank as will be upgrading in about 12months? <If you wait until you get the 450 they should be fine together. However neither will probably make it a year in the 30G tank> <Chris>

New dwarf zebra (Lion).......will he start eating? 4/30/06 My tanks, a moderately stocked 65 gallon (reef) & a 55 gallon (predator) w/ a 40 gallon sump feeding both tanks. Large protein skimmer, excellent water parameters. <Excellent> Reef tank set up for about 4 years now. System has 125 pounds live rock w/ 50-60 pd.s of live sand between the two tanks. Large copepod/amphipod population w/ macro algae. 55 gal predator tank newly setup about 3 weeks ago. I started with a very small 1" Picasso Humu trigger who is happy and doing well and who does not bother my newly acquired lion at all. (Yes, I realize that eventually the Humu will outgrow a 55 or maybe be incompatible w/ the lion long-term) Plans are only to have 2 fish in this tank (maybe 3, until an upgrade.) My time in the SW hobby I have been strictly a reef guy. This is my first lionfish (dwarf zebra) & 2nd attempt at a predator tank so I am still learning as I go in this area. I did as much research as possible beforehand reg. Lions but there are so many opinions out there as is the norm with anything in this hobby. He is about 2" and appears to be healthy. I have had him for 5 days now. For the most part he just sits perched on the live rock which I know is normal. When I was redoing my spray bar on the 2nd day as I thought the circulation was too forceful for him, and moving the live rock around he was swimming all over the tank and active. On the 2nd day I initially tried frozen krill & silversides on a clear feeder rod which he ignored, & eventually swam somewhere else as I don't believe he liked me bothering him. On day 4 I tried those again with no luck. So on day 5 I tried live brackish mollies which I acclimated to 1/2 SW salinity in a small holder tank. They swam right past his mouth multiple times with no response. However, my 2 tanks are side by side. In the reef I have a mated pair of percula clowns w/ a long tentacled Anemone. When he sees the smaller clown or one of my small damsels or other smaller fish through the side of the tank he shoots over to that side and gets real excited. Obviously a feeding response? <Maybe> Are they attracted to brighter color fish?, as the mollies are black & the clowns & damsels bright? <Perhaps> Any suggestions on what I should do to initiate an initial feeding? <Posted...> I realize that it may just take some more time for him to acclimate and I am getting impatient, but I don't want to reach the point where I'm going on 2/3 weeks with no eating. I was going to try the mollies again or perhaps buy a small bright colored damsel and go from there. No access to SW feeder shrimp, only FW ghost shrimp which I don't really want to use (bad experiences the last time I tried a pred tank w/ disease transmission & outbreak). Should I try a peppermint or camelback shrimp (cheaper) as I know their primary food source is shrimp or soft shell crab? Money has never been an issue with me from day one, only the health & care of the animals. Whatever it takes to get this guy eating although I am hoping it is just time. Sorry for the lengthy email, and thanks for the chance to pick your brains for some much needed info. A caring hobbyist, Matt H. <Please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/dwflionfdgfaqs.htm and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>

Zebra lion disease/and supporting the pet fish pharmacy biz 2/13/06 Hello WWM crew, I have a problem with my Dwarf Zebra Lion. I tried doing searches on your site and Google and didn't really find anything tuned to what is happening with my Lion. He has a fungus (that much I'm sure of). He has this cottony growth that seems to have been growing for the last couple of weeks, behind his eye. He is currently in a QT and the water parameters are 1.020 Spg, <Better to keep this near seawater conc., 1.025> amm = 0ppm, Nitri = 0ppm and nitrA = 20ppm. He has no problems eating (live feeder shrimp -for now- because I just got him as a juvenile). The growth is right behind one of his eyes and started off small, but over the last couple of weeks has grown much larger (and seems to be spreading to his gill). I have been treating (since this was first noticed- a couple of weeks ago) him with "PIMA-Fix" for a week. <Worthless...> Then, that didn't seem to work (the growth got bigger) and I tried using ( "Fungus-Clear" - by JUNGLE) for several days. <... not useful here> I put him in another QT tank in which I am treating other fish with ICH (using "Ich-attack" organic treatment - which treats fungus as well) <There is no such thing...> for a day and then did a water change in the original QT tank in which my lion was in and put "Triple-Sulfa." <... in saltwater? Why?> He has been in there for the last couple of days and the growth is getting worse. Any help on getting rid of this fungus and keeping my lion alive would greatly be appreciated. I even tried a freshwater dip for 8 minutes, before putting him back in the QT tank. We then, with new water (same water parameters) put in "Penicillin" which we are currently treating him with. He is lively, eats and swims about the QT tank but I don't think he will last if the fungus is not treated once and for all. Most medications we have tried (shown in bold) seem to have failed. Please help. Terrie and James <Your problem is almost certainly environmental and/or nutritional in nature. See WWM re Lionfish and Dwarf Lionfish Systems, Foods/Feeding/Nutrition... and stop with the chemical dumping. You are hurting your chances of recovery here. Bob Fenner>

Dwarf Lionfish Compatibility etc., Clownfish behavior - 01/23/2006 Dear Mr. Fenner, I have a 29 gal. well established eclipse tank that was recently given to me by my neighbor. Two angelfish dwarf angels came along with it. A Bicolor and a Coral Beauty. My neighbor had both of these fish for over a year, and they are very healthy. <Nevertheless, these are incompatible here> I am planning on putting a dwarf lion in it.
<Not a good idea... too easy for this sized system to become "unbalanced" with such fish/es> My question is, will the lionfish outgrow the angels. I'm not really worried about it outgrowing the Bicolor as it is already 4" but the Coral Beauty is only 3". The two Lions I'm looking at are the Fuzzy Dwarf (Dendrochirus brachypterus) and the Zebra Lionfish (D. zebra) My LFS gets in ones that are about 3-5" so I'm not worried any problems right away. When I was searching the Internet I couldn't find anything had definitely that a Coral Beauty would be safe. <Would be in an adequately sized system... at least twice what you have here> The Bicolor is eventually going to move into a larger system. I was wondering which lion you would recommend as to color ease of keeping etc. <Mmm, likely the Zebra... simply for looks...> They both are about the same price and availability at my LFS so that isn't an issue. Unfortunately my LFS is a NSLLFS (not so local, local fish store) and is the only place around that sells live food to get it eating. I was wondering if live food is necessary to get them eating. <Sometimes, yes> Ok that's it for the lionfish questions. Now for just one more question. I also have a 20 gal. Nano reef (which I have written to you about before) with 3 Ocellaris Clowns which until recently were getting along great and one Yellow-tailed Blue Damselfish. <... too crowded> Amazingly the damsel isn't the problem, it's the clowns. I had two of them that were getting along fine and then the same neighbor gave us a new one which was in her tank. The new one has been in there for about 2 months. At first the larger of the two original clowns was bullying the new one, the new one is slightly larger but they are very close in size, both are about 1.5" ) then the tables turned about a week ago. Now the newer one has scared the other large one into hiding 24/7 or at least 12/7. The third one, the littlest one is only 1" doesn't bother anyone (and isn't bothered). I have been no serious injury's to either one just a few nipped fins and perhaps a few missing scales but nothing serious. <You will...> I think part of the problem may be that they are both females ( I think). <Highly unlikely> Will they ever stop fighting with each other and get along or should I remove one of them to another tank (or take it back to the LFS) Even though there have been no serious injuries I am worried that it may die of stress/starvation. Thanks for you're help MDM

Almost dead lionfish... Dwarf, fdg. 1/12/06 Hi. My lionfish will probably be dead by the time you guys respond, but I'll ask my question anyway. We bought a zebra lionfish about six weeks ago. My husband maintains the tank so I don't know any of the water dynamics. However, he tests it regularly, says it is good. It is a 55 gal tank w/five other fish and three hermit crabs. <Might be consumed...> When we bought the fish, the store said to feed it krill, brine shrimp, but not fresh water feeders. <Good> However, that is all that the fish will eat. <...> We have tried feeding it frozen krill, Formula One, live brine shrimp, and fresh shrimp from the grocery store. He will eat nothing else. <Needs to be trained to other foods...> We've tried using a feeding wand and soaking the food in a garlic solution from the fish store. Several days ago, he starting acting unusual. He was lethargic and swam like one side of his body was slower than the other. Since then, he isn't eating anything. Last night he was having a hard time balancing himself. He would swim, but couldn't control his balance, turning upside down. He would move toward our air filter system and let the bubbles carried to the top, then float down. He floats into the living rock, seashells, sea fan, etc. I thought he would have died last night. To my surprise he was still alive, and when I got home tonight, he is still kicking. I've read a lot of your emails, and haven't found anything or anyone else with this type of problem. <All sorts... Read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/lionfdgfaqs.htm here: http://wetwebmedia.com/dwflionfdgfaqs.htm and here: http://wetwebmedia.com/goldfshfd.htm and the linked files above> I did try your one reader's suggestion with the fish hook, but I used a sewing needle. My fish still didn't eat, but the idea worked! Other than those problems, he looks good, his eyes do not seem to be clouded. Any thoughts? Thank you, Denise <Patience... these fishes will very rarely stop feeding to the point of starvation... Bob Fenner>

Re: Almost dead lionfish... Dwarf, fdg. -- a follow-up 1/12/06 1/20/07 Hi again. I just wanted to thank you for your responses. Unfortunately, my zebra lionfish died later in the day that I emailed you last time. <I'm very sorry for your loss, Denise.> I would have been shocked if he made it through whatever illness he got. Think we are going to stick with creatures that eat pellets, or frozen fish products. <You are likely wise here. Making maintenance chores for yourself that you're not prepared for can be overwhelming, and these fishes do require some TLC to get feeding sometimes.> Anyway, again, I just wanted to thank you for your help. Denise <Thank you for the follow-up, Denise. Again, I'm very sorry for your loss. I'm sure you did everything in your power, my friend. -JustinN>

Nutritional Considerations 11/30/05 Hi Guys: After six months, I finally got my Dwarf Zebra Lion to eat non-living food! He was on a diet primarily of live ghost shrimp gut loaded with frozen marine foods. I fed him between one and two shrimp every other day. He is really beautiful and in great health. Now the bad news. The food he is now eating is Hikari freeze dried krill. Considering Hikari's reputation for purity and vitamin loaded food, I thought I was just fine. Then I read one of your posts that stated that predators on a diet of krill can lose their eyesight due to a missing nutrient. Is that the case with the vitamin loaded krill as well? Can I add anything to it to compensate such as Zoe and Selcon? This is really disappointing considering how long it to me to wean him off of the live food. Your help is certainly appreciated. Regards, Rob >>>Hello Rob, There is no SINGLE, NON-WHOLE food item that you can feed any predatory fish that will fulfill all of its nutritional requirements. Consider this, when a lionfish eats a small fish, it's not only getting meat, but blood, bone, organ tissue, etc. Keepers of reptiles and certain birds also run into this issue when feeding their charges. Soaking dried krill in a vitamin solution will not account for these missing items totally. You MAY be OK soaking the krill as you are doing, but long years of experience tell me this is wishful thinking. My advice is to keep soaking the krill, but begin conditioning the lion fish to accept other food items such as frozen silversides, whole fresh shrimp, etc. Best of luck. Jim<<<

Sudden lionfish death 8/25/05 I just added (four days ago) a juvenile (3") dwarf zebra lionfish to my new 120 gal FOWLR (fully cycled, excellent water parameters). Neighbors are a few small damsels and a longnosed BF. The little lion spent a few days exploring the rocks and caves, then over the last two days has been swimming about looking quite fine and happy. He hadn't taken any food, but I understand this is normal, and I wasn't worried about it, as he seemed to be acclimating quite well. Last night, I saw that he was suddenly breathing very fast, and moving weakly with the current on the bottom of the tank. By morning he was dead. Any ideas? There were no apparent signs of disease (ich/velvet, wounds). Eyes were clouded over this morning but were fine last night, so I am assuming that was a post-mortem effect. <... very likely resultant from stress, possibly physical damage in the few days, weeks leading up to the time of your acquisition... This "sudden death syndrome" is quite common, particularly with some groups of fishes... they "look and act fine", but die mysteriously... some time later> I'm quite disheartened because he was a wonderful fish. I'd at least like to get a notion of cause of death before I replace him, to mitigate risks of a duplicate incident. The other tank inhabitants were happy, eating, and looking generally undistressed this morning. There wasn't anything in the tank that he could have choked on (all three damsels were alive and well!). Thanks, Dan <The best, and about the only "things" you can do are to select specimens that have been "on hand" for a few weeks from your dealer, and carefully quarantine them ahead of their placement. Bob Fenner>

Goin' On A Hunger Strike - 08/11/2005 I have a 150 gallon marine tank. My dwarf lion (D. zebra) has not eaten in a month (frozen krill). <Disturbing....> Have tried many ghost shrimp, crab, shrimp, etc. to no avail. My 8" snowflake eel seemed to be having trouble eating also and recently died. <A major concern....> He did not seem thin and actually seemed swollen. <An excellent clue....> My 5" porcupine puffer quit eating for 3 days but now is eating fine. frozen krill). My powder blue tang and other herbivores seem to be unaffected. No change in appetite or behavior. The lion appears to try to suck in the food but cannot. My water quality seems good. <Seeming good is not enough info.... Be certain ammonia and nitrite are ZERO, pH 8.3, salinity 1.021-1.024....> But my nitrates are high. <Also of concern. How high? Above 20ppm can be an issue.> I have done additional water changes (more than normal), I run a UV sterilizer, protein skimmer and do regular filter changes. <Try to find the source of your nitrates.... I would be concerned that the tank may be overstocked if you cannot keep nitrate down with reasonable water changes.> No fish in the tank have bad fins, color or any abnormalities. And there have been no recent illnesses or fish additions. I would appreciate any suggestions. <My first guess is purely environmental issues. Get more water changes done, pronto, if anything is mildly amiss there. Try feeding foods soaked in garlic extract to stimulate an appetite. If still unsuccessful, you might want to consider the possibility of internal parasites.... the swollen eel, after having not eaten, may be an indicator, here. Are any of the fish excreting long, clear-ish strands of poo? You might consider offering a food medicated with Metronidazole or Praziquantel, or treat these fish in a quarantine tank with either of those in the water.> Thanks. <Wishing you well, -Sabrina>

Dwarf Lionfish 7/22/05 I was wondering if any of the dwarf lions are easier to acclimate and keep than others and which one(s) are easier to convert to frozen food. I recently added a dwarf zebra to my 65 gallon tank, he never ate anything and died after 5 days, If I attempt another I would like to know if any other dwarf is easier than the zebra?
<Brad, most lionfish are difficult to convert to frozen food. You have to start them out eating live foods to get back in shape so to speak, then occasionally try frozen foods. No guarantee they will acclimate. I don't believe one type of lion is easier to convert to frozen food. Personally, I think the Volitans would be the easiest of the lions, but they are not dwarfs of course. Thanks, Brad
<James (Salty Dog)>

Injured Lionfish? 2/6/04 Hey guys, how are all of you tonight? <well, with hope for you the same> Just a quick question about a dwarf lionfish (Dendrochirus zebra) that was recently added to my tank that already hosts a serpent star, yellowtail damsel, and emerald Mithrax crab. I noticed about 3 days after his addition that on his right side a small piece of his gill coverer, for lack of better terminology, is missing. I can see his gill, it looks healthy red? It also seems like there is a small transparent covering over the flesh, maybe this is recuperation? I just wanted to see what you guys thought, I'm thinking it maybe happened during transportation. Thanks again for being such a great resource! Francisco <agreed... sounds like shipping/handling trauma... although gill tissue is not regenerative.
<<Au contraire! RMF>>
IF the lion appears to respire slowly and normally, and eats well... simply observe in time. Else, do try to send a clear close up photo for more. Kindly, Anthony>

A Dwarf Lion And A Full Plate G'morning, <Good morning, MikeD here> I had a pair (supposedly matched m/f) of Dendrochirus zebra in a 125g, and they got along wonderfully for over a year<OK>, but 3 weeks ago, the one I presumed to be the male just up and died. He was @4" long, well rounded, no scars or marks (no one bothered him!), and I can find no particular cause of death.<Many possibilities here, including old age as all Lionfish are wild caught> Everyone else in the tank (1 pr mand. gobies [reg. breeders]; 1 pr cardinals [constant breeders]; 3 giant long tent anemones [semi-annual breeders]; 1 each yellow goby, Sailfin blenny, maroon clown [5"!], 4 seahorses [all females], plus an even half-dozen polyps & Goniopora, and untold numbers of starfishes and crabs) are all doing swimmingly fine! No fatalities for almost two years, until this lionfish incident.<That sounds like a full load, but if they are doing well, don't fix it> This particular tank is just over 6 years old, with a 2-3" live sand bottom, bioball filtration and UV sterilizer. Stopped using the red sea protein skimmer @4 years ago and my life--and that of the tank residents--has been much happier: the water chemistry is much more stable without it.
<This sometimes happens if the skimmer wasn't properly maintained/adjusted and the keeper keeps up water changes> Everyone eats live brine shrimp and live FW guppies<Here's problem #1 as freshwater guppies are NOT suitable long term food for lionfish and will result in vitamin deficiencies and fatty build ups> 5 days out of 7. When I have babies in nursery (almost constantly, one variety or another), they get frozen baby brine shrimp plus live tiny brine shrimp)<OK. Are you using Selcon or some other vitamin additive? Brine shrimp alone are famous for being nutritionally poor in food value>. The nursery is merely a Plexiglas sheet with holes drilled in it for water flow, stuck in kitty-corner, with a small sub-pump moving water from the general area into the sectioned off area, so that their food also ends up in the general population, as well.<OK> Regular chemical supplements are limited to Nature brand Reef Former (1/2 oz daily), plus 1 oz per week of Mg and Sea Alk (also Nature), with the rare gallon of Kalkwasser maybe once a month or two. I do 20% changes @every 3-4 weeks with RO water, although I have gone as long as two months between. I keep the salinity at about .022 +/- .001. There is a great deal of live rock, stacked so that there are many, many passageways and hiding places; I'd guess there's maybe 100 lbs of rock. It supports a pretty broad variety of Caulerpa and corals and other growing things, including spiky looking yellow sponges and flatter orange and red spongiforms. I have more than my fair share of hair algae, but there are only about 50 hermits in there, and the job is just too much for them...<Not surprising. The Caulerpa is probably helping keep nitrates down, but without a skimmer the task is just to big, thus the hair algae is being fertilized> Ok, finally we're at the question part: How do I distinguish between male and female dwarf lions?< Although harder than the Dwarf Fuzzy Lionfish, the males here too have larger heads and slightly larger pectoral fins. The two species can tell the sexes of the OTHER species apart and will react to a male the same as they would to their own kind> Do you think there's enough room for another lion?<The room probably isn't a problem, but I'd improve the diet> A friend has a small one, @1-1/2" long, but I'm hesitating about bringing it home. Will it be a problem if I end up with 2 females?<Two females usually get along without problem> 2 males?<While not as definite about it as their close relatives, you MAY end up with a dispute between two males, depending on the individual fish involved> One large and one small?<Usually this won't create a problem with the size differences you've given, although to be safe I'd feed the larger one before introducing the new one. Again, you NEED to improve their diet though.> Thanks for your advice,<You're welcome> Donna Valdosta, GA

Dwarf zebra lion Hi, <<And hello to you.>> First off, your site is an outstanding source or information. Keep up the great work. <<Will do.>> Now for my problem. I bought a dwarf zebra lion about a week ago. He's not going after the prawn I try to feed him. I've tried using a feeding stick and shaking it in front of him. I know that lions can take a couple of days to eat, but here's the odd part. Yesterday, I added a "tank cleaner" kit. He shows interest in the scarlet hermit crabs and tries to eat them when they poke out of their shell. He's only about 2 inches big, so is it possible that he hasn't been trained to eat non-living food yet? <<That is a possibility, but I get the sense that you are not quarantining this fish... which would be a mistake. Quarantine gives you the chance to try a number of feeding tricks without the social pressures of other tankmates. Put yourself in the fish's fins... if you had just come in from the ocean via a traumatic capture and shipping process, what would you think about having a prawn on a stick shaken in your face?>> I also have a Volitans who eats like a savage. <<And if I were living with this fish, I'd be nervous... I'd really consider quarantining your dwarf lion, give it a chance to get it together away from this fella.>> I've read that I should feed him 3-4 times per week, but how many prawn should I give him in one sitting? <<Depending on the size of the prawn, one or two... perhaps three if they are small.>> Also, same question about a snowflake moray eel. how much prawn per sitting. <<Same answer.>> I have a 55 gallon with a protein skimmer, canister filter, and extra air stone. all of my levels are fine (Ammonia=0, Nitrate=0, Nitrate=5)..so I doubt quality is the problem. Sorry about so many question...but I figured better to get them all out now than to keep writing back...thanks...Jim <<Cheers, J -- >>

Dwarf Lion I have a Dwarf Lion (Zebra) that will eat only real fish. I put piece of fish on a feeding prong and he pulls away from it. Are there any secrets to training him to eat other than cheap feeder goldfish? Thanks. <<Mainly what you're doing and plenty of patience... Don't over-worry re this animal starving... they can/do go on hunger strikes even w/o these efforts for a few weeks duration at times... Keep wiggling those food items in front of it, and not live foods. Bob Fenner>>

Dwarf Lionfish Setup #2 Hey everyone at WWM, love the site, keep up the good work and advice!!! <Thanks. Mike D here> I e-mailed last week about the possibility of setting up a lionfish tank for a dwarf lionfish. The tank is as stated, a 35 gallon tank, and the lionfish was going to be the only fish planned for the tank.<OK> The kind of dwarf lion I was looking at getting is the Zebra lionfish.
<Some are actually gorgeous>
I am a member of the Marine Aquarium Society of Australia (their Sydney branch) and I posted a message on their website, RTAW (Reefing the Australian Way) and no matter what I say there, everyone says to me that a single Zebra lionfish should not be kept in a 30 gallon tank... But I have read in many places that the minimum size for a Zebra is 30 gallons. I was planning on having a skimmer (its not a great skimmer, but it skims none the less) and a HOB wet/dry filter, as well as doing 5-10 gallon weekly water changes. I am a diligent person when it comes to water testing, so in that respect, it would be fine. I was planning on having a sand bed of about 1-2 inches (crushed coral/shells) with some LR, but not too much (enough that the lion can have some hiding spaces, but would prefer for him to be able to have more swimming space).
<Here's a minor problem. They don't like more swimming space and if you give him more LR he'll be more secure, less stressed and the tank will have better filtration. It won't end up "more swimming space", but rather more wasted space.> The feeding plan (if the lionfish is not accepting frozen foods) was that I have a 10 gallon tank set up with damsels in it (most of them were saved from other peoples tanks, or bought cheap from the LFS) and to feed him those, as opposed to goldfish or mollies, while slowly weaning him onto frozen foods.<That's fine, although fish aren't their preferred foods, with the bulk of their diet made up of shrimp and small cabs, With damsels you're likely to get one that's too aggressive (remember lions are predatory but NOT aggressive), whereas with mollies, you get additional food value with good marine foods, plus they'll help with some algae. Ideally, small ghost shrimp or marine shrimp would be better by far and the FW vs. SW nutrient problem isn't as extreme with crustaceans as with fish.> I wasn't going to have extremely strong lighting, I thought that 2x2 foot NO would be sufficient, as I read that strong lighting can blind a lionfish.<True, as they are also largely nocturnal.> So, yeah, that was the plan... but I have been told by many many people NOT to do it, because the tank is too small for a single lionfish, though in the previous e-mail I sent to WWM, I was told it would be possible to have a PAIR of dwarf lions in a tank that size (not that I would, I only want a single lion).<If you get them young, I'd see nothing wrong with a pair. While the Zebra DOES get larger than the Fuzzy, large sizes grown in captivity are rare.> Anyway, that is about all there is to tell about the planned set up... what do you think??<If it were me, I'd go for it. sure bigger is always better, but these aren't adventurous, active fish like wrasses.> Laney Jacobs

Dwarf Lion Bob, I am sorry if it seems like I am harassing you I am just after info. I have found that the breed of dwarf lion I am wanting to purchase is Dendrochirus zebra (if it makes a difference). From what info you have given me in your last e-mail I am questioning whether or not to add the three spot damsels. I was going to add 5 or 6 because from what I have observed they are quite small and I think they look quite neat in larger groups and I figured that if they were in a larger group they might take out all there aggression on each other, am I right on this or wrong? From what you tell me they sound like they like to be quite the trouble makers. If they are to aggressive what other breeds of damsels do you think would be better and would do ok with the breed of lion I have mentioned? I also like the 3 and 4 striped damsels. I also had a question on another fish I currently have in my tank (actually he is the only fish, I am starting a new marine aquarium and it has been going great and is ready for fish). The fish was sold to me as a "worm goby", this sounded stupid to me so I looked up info on gobies and found that it was a "neon goby" the blue striped one, not the yellow. Is there any info on this fish you could give me? What it eats? If it is good in a community or is it aggressive? All I know about it is that it looks very healthy and it has been enjoying burrowing under the rocks and corals. It will spend all day bringing rocks in and out of its hole it has made (is this normal?) Thanks, John Moyer << The Three and Four Stripe Dascyllus or Humbugs would be much better choices... the Domino, singly or in groups is a real terror at times... Really. Ounce for ounce they're amazingly bold... if they weighed in at a pound or more I wouldn't go diving with them.... They've drawn blood from biting me in service accounts... Okay, point made I wager. The D. zebra is a great animal. It should do fine with more peaceable damselfishes... but do be sure they're large enough... for a small fish, Dwarf Lions have cavernous maws. There are such fishes called Worm Gobies... and there are many species in the Genus Gobiosoma (neon gobies) that are blue-striped... What you most likely have is a Gobiosoma oceanops... it is not aggressive, is a cleaner organism out of the tropical west Atlantic (originally, but yours is likely tank bred/reared)... But they're generally not prodigious diggers... preferring to "perch" on hard substrates. Bob Fenner>>

Quick questions on lions hi!
<Howdy, Cody here today!>
thanks for the info on the lions. iv got a couple questions though, as I'm about to get my lion! (hopefully pretty soon :D) I'm debating between a dwarf fuzzy or a dwarf zebra. which one of the 2 will swim around more ? out in the open ?
<Neither will be very active and would probably be out about the same amount of time.> iv only got a 40G tank. & wanted to know what other fish would u suggest that I could have with the lion ? iv read up in the lionfish compatibility FAQs, but still don't know what would be best ? it would be Great if u could name some possibilities. (my tank kind of limits me to what I can add in with a lion) would a Tomatoe clown or any clown of any sort be ok ? what about a hawk fish ?
<The clown and hawk should be ok as long as they can't fit in the lions mouth! For a hawk I would suggest either the long nose or the arc eye. You might also try a dwarf puffer such as the blue spot for a tank mate. Cody> thanks Heaps !! Shaun

Dwarf Lionfish Companions? Hello all. <Hi there! Scott F. here tonight!> I'd like to start by saying you run a great site. <Thank you for the kind words! We're thrilled to be here for you!> I've been doing a lot of research on keeping dwarf lionfish, and have decided to keep a Dwarf Zebra Lionfish (Dendrochirus zebra) in a 29 gallon aquarium. I will use a 20 gallon sump with the aquarium. I was wondering...will a larger species of Damselfish (I am looking specifically at the Blue-Banded Sergeant Major, Abudefduf oxyodon) do all-right with my Lionfish in this tank? I understand I will be unable to keep small damsels, as they will be eaten, and that some larger species have aggressive tendencies. Will this damsel pester my lion to no end? <Well, to be quite honest, I'd be very hesitant to recommend keeping this damsel with the Lion. Almost all Abudefduf Damselfish are rather nasty, and there is a very real possibility that the damsel can harass the Lionfish excessively.> If this is not a good choice, what other tank mate might do okay with my Lion? <I'd consider a Halichoeres species wrasse, which should be able to hold its own and not harass the Lionfish. Other, small laterally-compressed fishes will work, too. Do a little research on the WWM site for some possible candidates!> Thank you so much for the help. Keep up the good work-you help more people than you can imagine. Go with God. Jeff <>< <Glad to be of service, Jeff! Regards, Scott F.>

Small tank for small lions in a small group Hi Bob, I have recently been very interested in Lionfish. Having considered the possibilities (pro's and con's) I have decided against adding one to my main display tank. However I am still very interested in the idea of having a lionfish, so I have been discussing the idea with a fellow hobbyist over the internet, who has some 10 yrs+ experience with various lionfish species. <Good to hear of your searching, striving...> I put forward the idea of a smaller tank, 36"x18"x18", housing a group of dwarf lions, and he thought it a good idea. Something like a pair of fuzzy dwarf lions, and a pair of dwarf zebra lions (D. Zebra, D. Brachypterus)..... or maybe stick to a single species and get four.... or maybe 3 fuzzy dwarfs and a dwarf zebra. What do you think ??? I see you recommend 15 to 20 gals per adult dwarf lion ("I recommend a good 30 to 40 gallons per adult Pterois, and half that for other species" ~ The Conscientious Marine Aquarist). So I figure, 60 gals ...... 4 dwarf lions .... they will be the sole inhabitants of the tank......or am I misinterpreting you i.e. you could be referring to this volume per fish in a standard tank. <No, this is about right... maximum fish load...> If this idea is feasible, I would be very keen to go ahead with it. In terms of filtration ......... I had considered a less traditional approach ...... something a bit like the Leng Sy EcoSystem thing.....except varied. <Me too... I add more mechanical filtration, a skimmer, more circulation...> I had considered a sump beneath the tank, 24hr lighting and loads of Caulerpa, and if necessary another filter such as a canister or a fluidized bed or maybe a gallon of bioballs in the overflow to deal with the heavy feedings ..... although I would limit this to three moderate feeds a week. Also, since there would be no herbivores in the tank, I thought perhaps I would grow Caulerpa in the display tank as well as the sump ..... perhaps doing away with the need for a "filter" ...... what would your opinion be. <Sounds good> As a sort of clean up crew, I had considered some large hermits .... I shells bigger than a golf ball ..... to deal with any waste. <Yes, and some algae... and big enough to not get inhaled by the Lions... they have large mouths and can/do eat/inhale such things> Planned decor would be a simple single large overhanging cave like structure, that would be assembled and secured before them going in. Thanks for reading. Regards, Matt PS. You might think "why is he asking me, when there is a guy with 10 yrs+ advising him......." .... well I figure safe than sorry, and get a second opinion :-) <And a third, fourth... enough till you feel comfortable. Bob Fenner>

Two Lionfish... and a partridge in a pear tree Merry Christmas <and the same to you my friend> I am in the process of cycling a 55 gal fish only tank. When the cycling is complete I would like to house two dwarf lion fish (Zebra and Fu Man Chu) and have them as the only inhabitants. Is a 55gal large enough for these two fish? Regards Paul Cole <seems reasonable for many years... perhaps not when they are full grown... the Fu-Manchu gets around 8" and the zebra gets to 10" and the tank is only 13" wide (Outside Diameter). Still... 2 fish in this tank will be fine in the 3 year plan. A wide 75 or 90 gallon would really be sweet for the long haul. Best regards, Anthony>
<<These species will never grow to these dimensions here. RMF>>

Dwarf lion, zebra I think Hi, I just bought a dwarf lion. He is about 2 to 3 in. I have a 55 gal tank with a lot of hiding places, MAYBE THAT'S WHY I CAN'T FIND HIM ANYWHERE! I checked on him all afternoon and he was hiding behind a rock but now I don't see him. I should tell you that I also have a Niger trigger that is about 4 in long and a percula clown (Nemo fish) 2 in. I was told there shouldn't be a problem in my size tank?
<no there should not be any problems>
Well what do you think? Also won't the lion poison the other fish if he bits them?
<The lions bite is not venomous...it is his dorsal spines which are venomous>
He is sooo cute I hope he is alright and is just hiding.
<he's probably hiding>
Could you tell me if dwarf lions are active or our they hiders?
<mainly hiders>
Well I guess that's all the questions I have for now. I hope you can help. :-) Sincerely, Jill. P.S. I also have a lawn mower blenny and a med size hermit crab that is growing by leaps and bounds!!!!!!!
<Good luck, IanB>

- Dwarf Lion Growth Rate - Hi, Great site. A question that's I have searched, your archives, and all information I can find. The question is, how long at the best guess, will it take a dwarf zebra lionfish, to grow from 1.75 inches to 4 inches. <A couple of years.> He is kept in a 40 gallon with 40 lbs live rock, a few mushrooms and a flower anemone. He is fed Mysis shrimp once daily now as he is still small. As he grows I'll feed silversides, krill, and chopped market shrimp about once daily or as needed. He eats very well, and I don't plan on feeding to much. The water is ph.8.3 , s.g 1.023, ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 5, calcium 400, dKH 12, temp 78. Thank you for your reply in advance, and yes I know he can/will get 7 inches or more when full grown, just concerned how long until he's 4 inches. <More than a year, but probably not less than two. Cheers, J -- >

Dwarf lionfish hello I have a new dwarf lion fish (zebra) that I just got Friday the 2nd of march. I am anxious for his survival because he is not acting normally, since I put him in the tank he was breathing hard and swimming weird. He can swim fine most of the time but sometimes he positions himself vertical and swims horizontal. is this him just trying to get a good perch on the wall or something? am I over reacting? well , please respond soon thanks Chris <Hmm, well... Lionfishes, including Dendrochirus/Dwarf species do "hang out" at all angles... so, this is "normal"... and the "hard breathing" is likely due to "being new" (leaking osmotically from netting, skin, mucus loss... Impairment of blood cell counts...) Would however increase aeration/circulation, hold off on feeding this specimen till it stabilizes/stops breathing hard... a few days to a week. Bob Fenner>

Dwarf (Lionfish) Done Did Himself Dear crew, This evening I noticed that my dwarf zebra has a tear or puncture in the membrane of one of his fins. There are actually two tears or perforations, one about 1/8" in diameter, the other about 1/16", joined by a thin strip of tissue. He swims fine, is not sheltering or guarding, and is currently feeding. First, is this nothing to worry about? <<Nope, I'd just watch him, continue feeding properly, might add some Selcon to food if not already. Have Spectrogram on hand at all times.>> Second, if it is a cause for concern, should I do something prophylactic to prevent infection? <<That would best be the supplement, Selcon.>> Or will it likely heal on its own without my doing anything? [I Googled, and found only a section on wound management that pertained to lions wounding us, rather than assisting a wounded lion.] <<Stuff like this happens to all fishes all the time. Given proper conditions, it should heal just fine. But, even if the tissue *doesn't* grow back, it will do no harm to the fish.>> Thanks, as always, Rick Walters <<Quite welcome. Marina>>

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