Lion Fish and Puffer..."Dance of Death"?

[gbhunter1977]

I bought a fuzzy dwarf lion fish today and was told that it will get along fine with all the tank mates. Then I got to reading. First let me tell you what I have in my tank;

Its a 36G Hex tank 29lbs of live rock
I have 1 clown fish
1 alge blenny
1 fire fish
1 valentini puffer

since I added the lion fish I found out that the puffer might get killed but the lion or it might kill it. I also heard that during feeding some of the fish might get accidentaly killed by the lion fish!

I just want a happy tank with no death or hair raising moments involved. Should I get rid of the lion?

[super stooge]

to put it very basicly, if itll fit in his mouth chances are hell eat it

[gbhunter1977]

Its the poison im worried about. people keep telling me that the Lion will impale the puffer or the other fish during feeding or while they sleep. The puffer is larger then the lion so im not worried about it getting eaten.

[reefer334]

The lion will not impale your puffer or any other fish for that matter they cannot use there spines that way.

[Demonic]

I cant believe you have all those fish in a 36 gal tank. Cruel

[gbhunter1977]

the fish are very small. all are 1" or less and the tank is almost a year old. I plan on getting a 96g soon.

[dendro982]

Yes, the tank is really small for all this fish, valentini puffer likes to swim in the stream, and lion will grow to may be 5" in a months:eek2:

At the bright side, my valentini puffer (more 1.5 yrs old) lives in peace with lionfish (and in the past with 2 more lionfish and tassled filefish).

Details with illustrations are here: http://dhost.info/defineyourreef/refpages/pufferv.html

[reefer334]

People should not say anything if they do not have something nice to say!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Maika'i]

i think its a perfect amount for a 36g, in no way is it cruel. I dont get why people think thats too many.

[LisaD]

I think the fuzzy is probably one more fish than you should have in that tank. As has been said, you'll need to worry more about it eating smaller fish than impaling tankmates on its spines. How big is the lion?

It's good you plan to upgrade, eventually, they are all nice fish.
If you decide not to upgrade to a 90, I think a 55 would be a fine size for your group.

[gbhunter1977]

The lion is the shortest of all this fish at about and inch or less.
The fire fish is about 1.5 inches the pufer is 1 inch but he is also wide lol. The blenny is about 1.5 inch and the clown is about 1 inch but also wide.. The Lion so far is not even big enough to eat the head of a krill.

[billsreef]

I wouldn't worry about the lion going around and impaling other fish, they just don't do that. The spines are only used defensively. The firefish is long and skinny, kind of like spaghetti, and still might get eaten even if the lion is shorter. In general anything that is the least bit smaller (to the lions eyes, not necessarily ours) will be food. Also Valentini Puffers are nippy little buggers and likely to nip at the fins of a lion.

[dendro982]

Not mine: mombasa lion is together with valentini puffer, small chromises, damsel, scooter, was with spagetti-like cleaner wrasse, it was too fast. Not that I'm arguing, it just happening in my tank :D

[billsreef]

Sometimes you, or rather the fish, get lucky. But just sometimes ;)

[pinkie]

I have puffers with a volitan. A couple times my dogface has been stung by not watching where he was going. The location just swells up and goes away after a while. A lionfish sting isn't like the touch of death.

[gbhunter1977]

By the looks of it it loks like nature will take care of the lion fish. He was eating the frozen brine with out issue but for the last 3-5 days he has not eten anything. So the issue will most likely resolve itself.:(

[crazedpuffer]

Frozen brine is horrible food for just about any SW fish. Try frozen silversides or prawn.

[Jason1520]

my volitan is about 6-7" and has no issues with my new porccupine puffer. I think the days are numbered for my small damsel, but that is nature...the food chain. The puffer and lion should coexist without any problems.

Like the others have said...upgrade tanks as soon as possible. I am not too farmiliar with dwarf lions, but my volitan has grown about 4" in the last month or two, and doesnt show signs of slowing down. He eats more and more every time i feed him.

Which brings me to feeding your lion. Only feed twice a week, more only if he wants it. Let him get hungry, he will eat. Also get Silversides, they love them! I was feeding krill, till someone from another thread advised to use silversides, which were a huge success.

Good luck!

[thepudge]

I don't think you need to upgrade. Those fish will be fine in a 36 gallon for life. Dwarf lion isnt much of a free swimmer, nor is the blenny. As long as your tank can handle the bioload and you dont have aggression problems you shouldnt worry

[thepudge]

I don't think you need to upgrade. Those fish will be fine in a 36 gallon for life. Dwarf lion isnt much of a free swimmer, nor is the blenny. As long as your tank can handle the bioload and you dont have aggression problems you shouldnt worry