what happens if lionfish eats poisonus fish?

[iverson387]

I have a Volitans lionfish who is still small but i bought a fang blenny today thinking he was big enough to not get eaten. when i got home i looked at the size difference and im not sure what to do. What will happen if the lionfish ate him? I read that the blenny will sting him and he will spit him out but will this affect the lionfish? I dont want to take any chances of killing the lionfish. Has anyone had there lionfish eat a poisonus blenny. If so what happened?

Also does anyone know if the yellowtail fang blenny is reef safe? If he is i will put him in my reef tank instead.

[EllieSuz]

http://www.fishdb.com/db/salt/specimen/Yellowtail_Fang_Blenny.php

[kaiboshi]

Keep in mind that venom and poison are different. Depending upon what type of venom it is it might be alright because it's in the lions digestive tract and not being injected into it's bloodstream. Lionfish eat other lionfish sometimes though I would think it's specific to the way the venom acts (not like the fish knows). If you're worried then it's probably not worth the risk and potential anxiety. Can't comment on reef safe-ness

[philter4]

Kaiboshi is right, most venom does nothing if it is eaten, but I have had a small volitans lion eat a dwarf lion that I didn't think it could or would try to eat. I can't be positive that it did or didn't get stung, as it ate the dwarf face first, but the volitans didn't suffer if it got stung, in 2 days it was hungry again.

[iverson387]

So if the blenny was to sting the lionfish do you think the lionfish would die or just be hurt for a little while. Somehow the blenny managed to get from my sump to main tank last night and im having trouble getting him out. I dont know how he made it through the pump unharmed but he is out in the middle swimming with other fish. I dont think the lionfish has noticed him yet buy yesterday he ate a diamond goby twice his size.

[kaiboshi]

If the blenny gets the lionfish on the outside, like on the lions skin or something as opposed to after being consumed and stinging on the inside, I believe the lion would be affected by the venom.