fuzzy dwarf lion color variations?

[kaiboshi]

I HAD 3 dwarf fuzzy lionfish: a dark brown, a completely bright red, and a yellow with a little brown mixed in on the body. Then I got ich. I learned my lesson thoroughly but at the expense of my dwarf lions. These little guys are probably my favorite fish but it seems like everyone else (and their brothers + extended families) is into triggers/tangs/puffers/everything-but-lionfish, as such Divers Den ends up being kinda useless. Does anyone out there know of anywhere that can reliably get a hold of specifically colored dwarf fuzzy lions (Dendrochirus brachypterus)? I've emailed a few outfits regarding this issue and received no responses.

I didn't do anything to hunt these colors down in the first place, in fact it was complete coincidence. I had read up on the dwarf lions and decided on one for my first sw fowlr tank, a 29 gallon setup. I expected to get a brown one and considered myself blessed if I got a pure red specimen. Went to my lfs on shipment day and they had a yellow dwarf fuzzy that was mixed in with the rest, the owner didn't even know that the yellow color form existed. So the first sw fish I bought was a 24.99 dwarf lion that was nicer looking than the one that is cited in the "lionfish info sheet" which supposedly sold for $350. I know compared to other fish 350 is nothing but I thought I got a bit of a deal =]

Anywho, if anyone has any information it would be much appreciated =]

[anbosu]

I have a red one now and its eyes are almost blue. Was that the case with yours also?

[kaiboshi]

Under the right light their eyes look similar to what gasoline looks like on water, or oil on water, but I think that is just the outside of the eyball itself. My red lion had like a worm type pattern similar to what mackerel have on their backs but the red lions was a dark orange over a black background. the brown lion (dark brown, almost black) had the same pattern but brown on black. Yellow lion was a lighter brown on black. The variety is really neat with the dwarf lionfish. I wish I was a good enough photographer to get good pictures of their eyes, obviously impossible now but the thought crossed my mind numerous times while they were living =]

[LisaD]

I've been fortunate enough to find different colors at my LFS, mixed in with normal colored specimens, at the same price. You could ask the LFS to order you "red" or "yellow", but expect to maybe have to pay more (I doubt it would be $350). Or just stop by whenever they have new ones come in.

You could also call some of the high-service e-tailers like PhishyBusiness or Reefhotspot, maybe Bluezooaquatics, and see if they would get one for you.