Dwarf lion cloudy eye not swollen 5/27/2008
Hey crew,
I hope all is well at the wet web. Ok this is more of a need for confirmation.
I have a dwarf lion D. Brachypterus I have had him around 7 months. His right eye is cloudy not swollen. the left eye is perfectly normal. His behavior is business as usual eating to satiation. Current diet includes Enriched Krill, mysis shrimp, and silver sides (I do give on occasion Ghost shrimp loaded with Cyclopeeze). tank mates are a yellow tang, and a white ribbon eel. the tank is a 75 gallon mixed reef soft coral, clams , sps, LPSs, zoos, leathers, Shrooms, pectina, inverts, with a 30 gallon fuge. water needless to say is optimal. I am assuming that this is due to some type of trauma
<Very likely, yes>
since there are not
any obvious signs of stress or going off feed, and the other eye is perfect.
Am I right or am I putting him in Quarantine for antibiotics?
<I would not... better to leave the fish where it is>
also instead of putting him in quarantine would it be possible if necessary to put the meds into a silver side and feed him that he does hand feed after all?
Thanks a lot Crew God bless
Dan
<And I would not "treat" the fish per se... just time going by, good water quality, nutrition will see this eye condition heal. Bob Fenner>

Help with whirling fuzzy dwarf lion. 10/30/07
I hope you can shed some light on a problem I've recently noticed.
I have a 2.5 inch fuzzy dwarf lion. He's been with me for 10 months.
Eating like a champ, varied diet of pellets, krill, squid, silversides..... if it touches the water he eats it! He shares a 65 gallon tank with a SF moray eel and a small purple tang.... and that's it. I hope to move them all to a 110 within the year.
<Good.>
Water quality is fine. 1.020, pH 8.3, no ammonia, nitrate is around 10, no nitrite. I do 10 gallon water changes once a week. I do not run copper.
The problem I've recently noticed is when the lights come on in the morning he goes into a whirling (somersaulting) fit for about 5-8 minutes..... completely out of control. After that time he sits on his favorite "perch" which is a large sea fan and about 15 minutes. Then he is fine, starts begging for breakfast etc. Should I be concerned about this behavior? I tried duplicating it at different times of the day with turning on and off the lights, but I've only noticed it in the morning....
Am I being overly worried or is there something very wrong going on here?
< Begging for breakfast and not being able to duplicate the behavior are good signs. If he is eating and otherwise acting and swimming fine throughout the day he should be fine, you just have a fun fish to watch. >
Thanks for your insight,
Wendy
<Best Fishes, Scott V.>

Green Lionfish with cloudy eyes
Hi,,<Hello Robin!>my green lionfish (Dendrochirus barberi) has cloudy eyes .And I would like to know what to do. I have had it for a little over a month. And it has been eating live saltwater fish that I catch and krill. I changed my water because the ph was high 8.8 It is now 8.4 nitrate 0 ammonia 0,nitrite 0,and nitrite 0 SG 1.024.Also the only time I turn on the light is when I feed it. Other then that is dark with just a little sun light. Please help ASP
<Could be either a bacterial infection or parasites, brought in from the fish you are catching and using for food. This is something that you should refrain from. Purchase your food at a pet store to avoid introducing parasites and/or disease into your aquarium. Stop feeding wild caught fish to your fish and see if it clears up.>
Thank you.
<Good Luck!! -- Brian Griffin>

Lionfish Eye Problem   9/11/07 
Hi,
<Amber>
Please help. I have a Hawaiian Lionfish about 3" inches long and around 2 years old which I assume is a girl, for no reason.
A few months ago she developed an eye problem that I had treated with antibiotics for only one week. The clear part around her eyes are always enlarged, yet different shapes at times, sometimes clear and sometimes cloudy (as in the pic I took today to send you). Also the black part of her eyes have shrunk. She has trouble seeing so catching her red opae to eat is harder, but she does it. She moves around the tank less since developing this problem, obviously. Otherwise she looks good, I just feel sorry for her since I keep her separated now.
Please advise,
Amber Hudnall
<Does this Pterois sphex have some darkened areas to hide in? A loss of vision as you state can be due to a few things/general causes... mostly resultant from trauma (swimming into the side, rock...) and subsequent physiological and possible bacterial involvement... but quite often due to too bright, continuous lighting... Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/liondisfaqs.htm
and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>

Troubled fuzzy dwarf lionfish – 06/28/07
Hello, crew.
<Dan>
I am troubled by a sudden and severe downturn in health of my dwarf fuzzy lionfish. He is about 4" long and has been our little puppy dog for, oh, most of a year or so. He is usually playful and begs for food. The tank is an established (over two years) 120 gal FOWLR (plus a few mushrooms, mostly hitchhikers) with about 200 lbs live sand (4-6" sand bed) and perhaps 100 lbs live rock. We have a sump with a Euro-reef skimmer, a moderate-sized macroalgae/mud refugium, and a 1250 gal/hr pump. Inhabitants include a few damsels, the lion, flame angel, Christmas wrasse, longnosed hawkfish, and orange diamond goby. Our newest inhabitant, as of a few weeks, is a gorgeous scorpionfish sold to us as a "Rainbow Scorpionfish".
<Interesting... do you have a scientific name?>
It is currently less than 2" long (we were told it would get twice that), and looks like living coralline algae. Remarkable coloration.
The water parameters have always been stable -- zero nitrate, nitrate, ammonia; low phosphates. Temperature is around 80, pH around 8.1.
The lion has been happy and eating a varied diet (Mysis, krill, squid, shrimp, scallop) as recently as two days ago. Yesterday, I noticed that he was lethargic and breathing rapidly. This morning he was at the back of the tank, breathing very slowly, half on his side. I thought he had died, but then he sort of shuffled around a little bit. He has no outward signs of disease (shedding, wounds, spots, mucus) nor do any other of the tank inhabitants. I checked them very carefully at feeding time this morning.
<Good>
One note: we recently lost a sharpnosed puffer (a week or two ago). This guy was a pig and kept on eating and eating. He got massively fat (and still wouldn't stop eating -- looked constantly inflated) -- perhaps a tumor of some sort?
<Mmm, not likely. Much more probable is simple gluttony due to so much good food being so available>
He was fine one day, and then was dead the next. We assumed that he had either died of gluttony or the possible tumor or even a run-in with the scorpionfish.
<All possibilities... my overwhelming vote for the former>
We suspected the latter because the scorpionfish had (past tense) these little "eye fronds" that disappeared around the time of the death of the puffer -- the puffer perhaps took a nip and paid a big price.
<Again... a potential...>
Is it possible that the lion bumped into the scorpionfish?
<Yes>
Any recommendations at this point?
<Patience, observation>
I am loathe to set up a hospital tank and medicate, when there is no obvious diagnosis.
<We are in strong agreement here...>
Plus, lions don't do copper, and I've never dabbled with formalin.
Thanks,
Dan
<I would just wait, keep monitoring your water quality... I think the loss of the Toby is unrelated... Bob Fenner>

Follow-up: Dwarf fuzzy lionfish – 06/28/07
Unfortunately, the lion didn't make it. We are really heartbroken, he was our favorite fish.
<Sorry for the loss>
I took a really close look at the body, and found no signs at all of disease. No spots, mucous, sores, or wounds; no torn fins, eyes were clear; nothing. We are at a complete loss.
Regards,
Dan
<May seem a bit unusual, but if you'd carefully (you can still be envenomized by a dead Pteroine) open up this fishs lumen (with a sharp single-edged razor blade)... There is another set of possibilities that involve this fish having swallowed something... It should be visible with gross examination if so. Bob Fenner>

Possible Lionfish murder   3/21/07
You have a great site and as a new marine enthusiast I thank you.  
<You are welcome.  We do our best.>
My FOWLR tank is 4 months old.  It is 55 gallons and I do 10 gallon water changes every 2 weeks.  PH 8.2, Ammonia 0, Nitrate 10, Nitrite 0, Calcium 320, Gravity 1.022, KH 8.  I have 10 crabs, 5 snails, 3 Blue Damsels, a Clown, a Foxface Rabbitfish, and a now deceased Dwarf Lionfish.  
<You are overstocked.  The Lo vulpinus will need a larger tank.>
I introduced the Lionfish a month ago and he ate krill once or twice a day (12 hours apart) as long as he appeared hungry.  
<Was the Krill dead or alive, and if dead were you soaking it in a nutrient solution?>
I only fed him if he was trolling the tank "begging".  Ten days ago I introduced the Rabbitfish.  No problem for the first few days and then the Lionfish quit eating.  
<Could have been striking because he did not like the food.  They need at least some live food.>
I checked your site and found that they could go for a couple of weeks with no problem.  The last time he ate was 5 days ago.  During this time the Rabbitfish stayed really close to the Lion at times bumping up against him.  I saw the Lion chase him away once.  
<Likely aggravated.>
When the Lion would hang upside down on a rock the Rabbitfish would stay right under him.  Not being aggressive but just staying real close.  I noticed the Lion breathing fast yesterday but otherwise looked really healthy.  This morning he was dead.  Is it possible the Rabbitfish stung him and caused his death?
<This is possible, but I seriously doubt it.  As you have not sent water parameters/general setup information I cannot give you a precise answer.  But I would venture a guess and say that the diet was very plain, and it could have been a vitamin deficiency, or lack of amino acids, as well as a plethora of other things.  It would be helpful to know how long you had the fish, and what your water parameters are.  Also, it would be helpful to know EXACTLY what you were feeding the Lionfish.  Were you soaking the food in a nutrient solution etc.>
The Lion was 3 inches and the Foxface is about 5 inches.  I really loved the Lionfish but am hesitant to replace him if the Rabbitfish is going to kill it.  
<Please see above Re: overstocked.>
He shows no aggression to the other fish.  
Any help you can give me will be greatly appreciated.
<I hope that this helps.  Brandon.>

Re: Possible Lionfish murder  3/23/07
I had the Dwarf Lion 1 month.  I fed him frozen krill soaked in garlic.  No live food.  I was under the impression that once it was weaned off live food it should stay that way.  
<Some would argue that it should.  I personally have had better success with the Dendrochirus genus giving them live gut loaded food from time to time.>
I was not soaking in a nutrient solution.  
<Take a look at a product called Selcon.>
My LFS did not suggest so I assumed not necessary.  
<When you take these fish out of their natural habitats, you take away their natural food source, and substitute it for something that is readily available.  Unfortunately, you have no exact idea what their metabolic requirements are.  Feeding one thing and one thing only is a sure way to cause a deficiency.  Imagine if you only ate McDonald’s hamburgers every day.  Soon you would be doing very poorly.  Same principle here.  Think of it as a vitamin supplement for your fish.  This is why I do gut loaded live shrimp.  I can feed the shrimp all kinds of things, and the feed the shrimp to the fish thereby increasing the potential delivery of compounds they might be missing.>
My water parameters as previously stated are PH 8.2, Ammonia 0, Nitrate 10, Nitrite 0, Calcium 320, Gravity 1.022, KH 8.  15lb.s LR, 4 inches of live sand and crushed coral.  Filtration is the hang on Whisper that came as a package.  The Dwarf Lion looked great and when he did swim around he had a lot of energy.  Up until the introduction of the Lo vulpinus the Lion was a great eater and seemed to like the Krill.  
<It could have also been stress from the new addition.>
Beginner question.....when you say I'm overstocked is it due to the room the Lo vulpinus needs on it's own or is it in conjunction with the damsels and the clown all of which are less than 2 in. (I know they will get bigger).  
<I meant the Lo vulpinus should be the only fish in that tank due to it’s potential size.  As well as the tank being stocked to the max level when you put the Lo vulpinus in.>
On that subject I realized really quickly that a 55 gallon turns out to be a lot smaller than you think and in the near future I plan to go to a larger tank.  
<Sadly 55 gallons is small when a marine environment is concerned.  It seems to me that the average tank is ~100 gallons.>
I have my tank in my office at work and spend 10 hours a day enjoying it.  
<Cool.  I tried to talk my boss into that once…>
I of course would like to have as many active fish to watch as possible and lean towards aggressive predators but quickly realized that 55 gallons is too small and I'd have to give up my crabs.  
<Predators and crabs/shrimp/any crustaceans don’t mix in any volume really.  They will eventually be eaten.>
The Dwarf Lion seemed to be a good compromise and I added the Foxface for size and color.  
Evidently I was misinformed by my LFS.  
<It happens from time to time.  They are in business to make money, and sometimes they forget that the consumer is paying their bills.>
If I took out the damsels would it allow for another fish with the Lo vulpinus?  
<I would pull the L. vulpinus, and try adding another Dendrochirus minus the Clown.  With the L. vulpinus, bioload is not what I was getting at.  It is the size/dimensions of this fish versus the size/dimensions of the tank. With other fish it could become stressed due to overcrowding issues.  Like how I feel on a bus.>
Thanks for you patience with my inexperience.
<No one is born knowing how to do this.  Except for Bob perhaps. <<Heeee, no... RMF>> Good luck to you.  Brandon.>
Lamar

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.>

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 ar 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>

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) 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>> 

DOA Lionfish 7/22/05
Hi,   
<Hey, Mike G with you today.>
we  have  been having  very bad luck with our  dwarf  lion fish  being  shipped to us.   we have  a  online fish store GODSCREATIONSUNDERTHESEA.COM     the strange  thing is   lately    I have  ordered lion fish from 3 different  suppliers  wholesalers/   each time  the lion fish arrives dead?   dwarf lions  are  suppose to be hardy   what do you think the problem could be  . the  heat?
<Are you sure they've arrived dead? Often, a fish will look dead upon arrival, only to "revive" once acclimated to their new home. In my experience, smaller lions are notorious for this. Did you acclimate the supposed corpses? If so, and they arrived dead, I really cannot help you unless you provide more information. Best of luck with your problem, Mike G.>

Re: DOA Lionfish 7/26/05
yes they were dead  and  one  I received the other day we put him in the water in our  tank, he  was upside down and never recovered. defiantly dead.
<Interesting.>
I thought  maybe they were delicate shippers?
<Actually, no.>
or  two much heat    or  temp change . where  can I find  a list of  all wholesalers    ?
<Doubtful. There is no real compiled list of all wholesalers on the planet.>
lol I have tried to get  a dwarf  lion fish 3 times  for  a customers  each time  it is DOA or  shortly after   being put n the tank/ .
<I am beginning to suspect your water over the quality of then fish you are receiving.>
on one  order I bought  3 at one time   and all three died  one   made it a little longer  but it look like there was something wrong  with his eyes. pop eye maybe  or something . were thinking  about  direct  importing ourselves .
<Perhaps. What are you parameters? Mike G>

Question about Lionfish
I've had my dwarf lionfish for about a month and a half now. He's eating silversides, and guppies. Good appetite, and seems healthy. However, for the past two weeks, he's been acting odd. Every now and then, he goes to the bottom of the tank, where the crushed coral is, and turns himself on his left side, and drags himself in short jerks across the coral. Then, he does a quick burst, and returns to swimming around the tank. Now, I noticed two days ago, his left eye is hazed slightly.. it seems cloudy. Well, I put the two together, his left eye is cloudy, and he's dragging himself across the coral
on his left side.. as if trying to "scratch" the eye or something.
(I've checked Nitrites, Ammonia, PH) and everything is normal..
So my question basically, is, what's wrong with his eye? Is this a fungus? A sickness? A parasite? I'm confused, I've never seen this before.. Please help me Bob. Thanks
<Hmm, don't know exactly where the "cause" and "effect" come in here... Do agree with you that the scratching caused the cloudy eye... but why is this fish sitting about? Do you have adequate aeration? Does the fish's breathing seemed labored? It may have swallowed something it shouldn't have... and hopefully this too will pass... but otherwise, I wouldn't do much than wait and see at this point...Bob Fenner>

Re: Question about Lionfish
Nope, he's not labored breathing whatsoever, and he's quite active. Swims around up and down, all around the tank. Doesn't appear to be stressed at all. Every now and then, he sits on either the coral in the tank, or the bottom. However I thought all lionfish do that occasionally?
<You are correct... in the wild or captivity... perhaps nothing to worry about all the way around... maybe this fish just "went bump in the night"... Lionfishes and their relatives are very good at self-healing.
Bob Fenner>

Re: Question about Lionfish
Unfortunately, my dwarf lionfish was found dead today when I arrived home. Could his cloudy eye been signal for something worse? Last Friday, was the last time he ate, it was a silverside head. Then I added an angel fish into the tank on Saturday. And he seemed normal until about 2 days ago, when he stopped swimming around, and either sat at the bottom, or floated at the top.
This morning he was alive, but didn't do much, he was on the bottom of the
tank. When I found him dead today his mouth was completely open, like as wide as it could possibly go. Well, what do you think could of killed this animal?
<Do you still have this specimen? I would "necropsy" it (cut it open, carefully... they are still venomous when dead... I suspect "gut blockage"... from? Silversides? A rock? Even a Hermit Crab?...>
I was told the cloudy eye was "Popeye" but, couldn't kill him, and I also remember giving him a silverside head on Friday, could he perhaps of "choked" 
<I think so too>
on it all week until it ended his life? Perhaps you can help me Bob. Since I'm all out of ideas.
<Sorry to hear of your loss my friend. My thoughts are with you. Bob Fenner>

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>

Fuzzy dwarf lion fish - cloudy eyes
Hi crew!
I have a fuzzy that has cloudy eyes.
<Both...>
I noticed it during his stay in the q-tank. Have read all I could and it seems common with lion fish.
<Yes>
I thought it would go away once he would be in the display. I have good water parameters . I know feeders are bad. I have never been able to feed him anything but small live freshwater fish.
<A problem... at least a co-factor here>
The LFS around here don't carry grass shrimp. I carefully inject the feeders with Selcon one day and the next with Vit-a-boost .
<Wow!>
I have tried shrimp on a stick, and he went for it once but bit into the stick and now seems to fear both. It's been about a month and I don't think it's getting all that much better. Is there anything else I could do to help?
<Order other foods... through the Net... there are many companies, etailers that offer these... and cultures, populations that aren't hard... are even fun to grow yourself>
What are silversides everybody mentions?
<... a group of fishes... use your search tools>
I could get him to eat small dead marine fish, but where would I get those? Is the Selcon and Vit-a-boost + guppies ok or?
I really like my fuzzy, they are really cool. 
P.S.  Can't wait for IMAC.
<I suspect something more... bigger is at play here than just a nutritional component... Do check your water quality, and practices of using "supplements"... I am fully guessing that your fish's problem almost directly stems from environmental influence/s. Bob Fenner>

Fuzzy dwarf lion fish - cloudy eyes
Hi crew!
I have a fuzzy that has cloudy eyes.
<Both...>
I noticed it during his stay in the q-tank. Have read all I could and it seems common with lion fish.
<Yes>
I thought it would go away once he would be in the display. I have good water parameters . I know feeders are bad. I have never been able to feed him anything but small live freshwater fish.
<A problem... at least a co-factor here>
The LFS around here don't carry grass shrimp. I carefully inject the feeders with Selcon one day and the next with Vit-a-boost .
<Wow!>
I have tried shrimp on a stick, and he went for it once but bit into the stick and now seems to fear both. It's been about a month and I don't think it's getting all that much better. Is there anything else I could do to help?
<Order other foods... through the Net... there are many companies, etailers that offer these... and cultures, populations that aren't hard... are even fun to grow yourself>
What are silversides everybody mentions?
<... a group of fishes... use your search tools>
I could get him to eat small dead marine fish, but where would I get those? Is the Selcon and Vit-a-boost + guppies ok or?
I really like my fuzzy, they are really cool. 
P.S.  Can't wait for IMAC.
<I suspect something more... bigger is at play here than just a nutritional component... Do check your water quality, and practices of using "supplements"... I am fully guessing that your fish's problem almost directly stems from environmental influence/s. Bob Fenner>

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. 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>

Cloudy Eyed Dwarf Lion
Hello.. AGAIN
I have a fuzzy dwarf lionfish that has extremely cloudy eyes. He is in a 125, and I am doing about a 30-35 gallon water change. Any tips?
<Keep up with the water changes and perhaps try using Epsom salt, 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons.>
Should I worry?
<It depends on the cause. It is usually because of some sort of physical damage and easily reversible. On the other hand, some lionfish will develop what appears similar to cataracts. This is usually associated with a poor diet. Do search www.WetWebMedia.com for cloudy eye for additional information. -Steven Pro>

Sick Lion
Hello, I have a fuzzy dwarf lion that I have raised from about an inch long to maybe 4 inches over the past year. It has always been a good eater and active. About two weeks ago it stopped feeding and has taken up residence in one location which it seems loath to move from. There are no other signs of a problem - color and respirations seem normal etc. All other tank mates are in good shape with no off behavior. Do you have any idea what could be the problem??
<yes... often, aquarists allow themselves to be trained to feed only one or two types of food to such fishes like thawed frozen silversides or worse(!) live freshwater feeder fish. If this is the case with yours (as it is with so many expressing these symptoms), then your fish is suffering from a dietary deficiency. Do research gut-loading techniques for live prey if you feel you must use live food or simply feed a greater variety of thawed frozen foods. Most lions fed feeder guppies, minnows or goldfish, for example, categorically die within 12-18 months because of it.>
thanks, Steve Browne
<best regards, Anthony>

Re: Sick Lion
Anthony, This lion has never been fed live food. 
<my apologies, my friend.. I was playing the odds for literally 9 of 10 lions acting as such (dietary deficiency from live food)>
He primarily eats frozen krill, dried brine shrimp, and some top quality pellet food. I thought he was eating a varied and healthful diet.
<honestly not that impressive. A 4 or 5 on a scale of ten to me. Even freeze dried brine is severely limited in nutritional value, pelleted foods aren't too bad but do lack many vitamins (baked out in processing at high temps), and the frozen krill is very good, but it is gutted and singularly limited as a whole prey food item. Lions eat fishes and crustacean in the wild that are gut loaded with rich plankton and algae. This has not been compensated for well in this (like most) captive diets. Let me suggest the very best food for your lion would be a homemade food recipe! Inexpensive in the long run... can include great vitamins, flake food, and other nutritious elements not easy to feed lions otherwise. Do look about the WWM site for recipes and in Bob's CMA. Many other recipes on the net too.>
Could diet still be the case? 
<yes, quite possible>
What else could it be? 
<so many other things it could be with such general symptoms)... much like humans, blood, disease, organs, tumors.. who knows. Need more to go on for a diagnosis, I'm afraid>
thanks, Mike
<best regards, Anthony>

EMERGENCY! with Dwarf Lion Hi Robert! <Hello Jason> Please don't refer me to FAQ , because I found nothing under the Links to my problem. Although I will go over them as again as soon as I send you this! <Okay> I need experience help with a problem that has been diagnosed as internal bacterial infection in my almost full grown Fuzzy Dwarf Lion. This morning I noticed him swimming around with what appeared to be two grape size pink balls of fleshy stuff protruding out the anal area. I thought he was trying to pass some krill that I feed all my fish. By the late noon it was obvious this was not the case. He seems agitated as he swam about the tank looking for a place to get comfortable. He usually stays in one spot most the day and feeds every day except today. <Mmm, you likely "know" that such infections are largely environmental and nutritional in cause... hopefully you will give clues in both departments... that is, what sort of set-up, history, water-quality tests you have... and the types, frequency of feeding.> I made some calls to a LFS and they made calls to find info for problem. They contacted this pro fish guy. and before they could finish describing the problem, he says it was an internal intestinal infection possibly by feeding live foods. I do feed live guppies and ghost shrimp mixed in with a very varied nutritious diet to all my fish. Some times a few dead guys are in the net with the living. <This should be okay...> Water conditions are perfect, I have 10 other fish with no problems! <Mmm, "perfect"... is a subjective evaluation... what "are" the readings? You understand... what may be "perfect" to some is flawed to others> This guy said the fish has a 50% chance of making it and don't feed him anything for 3 weeks. He also said the swelling should go down and the protruding intestine will shrink back. If it is an intestine?  <Not feeding may be a sound approach here. There are folks who would advise dipping/bathing in Furacyn compound laden water... isolating in a darkened quarantine/treatment tank> I'm not 100% sure. The LFS said to add Melafix to the water to help. so I did. I hope someone has dealt with this problem before. I feel I need to give him some type of internal medication in a food, and try to get him to eat it some how. Any ideas????? I don't want to lose this guy! I've had him for more than a year and bought him when he was about the size of pen cap. <No problem on waiting on the feeding for several days to see if the reddening lessens. Do consider the separate tank and fifteen minute baths in 250 mg. to a gallon or so of Nitrofurazone as well. These are sturdy species once adjusted to captive conditions, with remarkable "powers of regeneration/self-curing". I hope that yours rallies. Bob Fenner> Thanks for any info. Jason Toemmes I will post a pic if this will help!

Dwarf Lion I would agree with you on the fact that a fuzzy dwarf is a sturdy species. Unfortunately he did not make it. He passed on today and I'm very upset. I never had a fish go so quickly. I figured it would have been less stressful NOT to move him into a q-tank. I figured wrong because all the other little vampires in my tank decided to nip away at his fins all night. I moved him into the q tank this morning where he later died. <Sorry to read of, realize your loss> My water quality is to my knowledge in the norm. PH is 8.2, Ammonia is 0, Nitrite is 0 Nitrate is 30 ppm the salinity is at 1.017 <Mmm, the nitrate is a bit high... and I strongly suggest moving your spg nearer to near seawater conditions... 1.025 or so... Can't state to what degree these two variables were detrimental here, but do know that Lionfishes of all species are sensitive to ongoing low specific gravity, nitrates> in a 125 gallon setup with 40 watt UV and protein skimmer. I use carbon in the sump. I change the water monthly depending on nitrate readings. <Good regimen... I would look to other methods of nitrate removal and make the changes biweekly. Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/nitratesmar.htm> I top with RO water only. I feed frozen krill and Mysis with Angel formula and Prime Reef, every day, once a day with Selcon, and I add calcium and trace minerals about 2 times a week. I feed 4 - 6 live guppies or ghost at a feeding with other stuff already mentioned about 3 times a week. Some times a sprinkle spectrum pellets for a change. The lion didn't touch that. Maybe this pic will tell you some thing! http://www.logos-and-graphics.com/lion.jpg <A prolapsed G.I.... the specimen bloated... a good image, but nothing to denote root cause of death. There may well have been some sort of internal complaint largely at play here... and nothing anyone could much do to forestall this animals death.> Thanks for response, Jason <And your involvement. Bob Fenner>

Lionfish
<Hi Doron, PF here. Wish it were happier circumstances you were writing about.>
I recently introduced a Fuzzy Dwarf Lionfish into my 29 gallon FO tank. My saline is 1.022-1.023, nitrate 0, amm .5, pH 8.2, water temp 78. <Good parameters.>
For the first two days he seemed fine, a week later he appears to be lighter in color, and slightly breathing harder, he also floats up to the top and tilts his head slightly. <I’m afraid that sounds like cyanide poisoning:  Per Anthony, the symptoms include unusually stark color in fishes, normal feeding behavior, sudden loss of appetite and then death with gills flared and pale in color (light pink or white... not red). I hope it’s not, but looking it over… I’m afraid if that is the case, there’s nothing you can do for the poor thing.>
The rest of my fish seems fine, Niger Trigger, puffer, SF moray eel but behavior is weird.
His first feeding of minnows <Feeding fresh water fish to marine organisms is a bad idea. The nutrients are all wrong, and it shortens their lifespans. If your little lion makes it, wean him off the live food and onto things such as krill, small strips of fish, etc. You should be feeding all your animals that way> , he ate with no problem, now he just stares at them.
I feel water quality may be an issue, pls. comment pls.
Also since introducing the Lionfish my SF moray eel has been hanging upside down on the heater, and at exactly 10am since the Lionfish has moved in, he swims in circles non-stop for 15minutes???  < I think that may be because of the crowding, that’s a lot of fish for such a small tank. I would recommend you upgrade to a bigger tank. Triggers are notoriously aggressive and I’d hate to have us get a letter about your tank mates snacking on each other.>
Pls. help!
Doron
<I’m not sure there’s anything we can do to help Doron, hopefully your fish will pull through. Good luck, PF>