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View Full Version : will an almost adult lion eat a small lion?


luv4scjjt
11/08/2011, 06:04 PM
Does anyone know if a bigger lion will eat a smaller one? I am guessing yes but was looking for opinions. The bigger 5-6 inch(body only) the baby is 1 1/2 (body only)

FMarini
11/08/2011, 06:43 PM
Yes- ESP if we're talkin about p volitans, total cannibals. As I've mentioned many times venom and spines are not a deterrent from getting eaten

luv4scjjt
11/08/2011, 06:52 PM
I figured but was curious. We have a v lion. I found a russels the other day at my lfs and fell in love with her. She is really white and that is my favorit color. And i love the clear fins. So she is in quarentine for a few months while i get her her own tank set up till she's big enough to be put in the 180 safely. What is the growth rate difference between a russels and v.

FMarini
11/08/2011, 07:35 PM
The growth rates are similar w the p volitans outpacing the Russell by a few inches when finished

Wolverine
11/08/2011, 07:50 PM
A good general rule is that if a lion thinks it can get a fish into it's mouth, it'll probably try. On your end, take the size of fish that you think your lion could possibly eat, then double that; once you get something above that size, you should be safe.

luv4scjjt
11/08/2011, 08:11 PM
:fish2::fish2:lol.nthanks guys. i'll keep him in his own tank for a long time. I'll keep him safe from the big old lion fishy.

StephLionfish
11/08/2011, 08:13 PM
There's a Russel's here, too. I would love to have it, but it's about 3" bigger than my Volitan... and I don't want to take the chance. It really stinks.

luv4scjjt
11/08/2011, 08:24 PM
the russels are my fav. I like the clear fins and they seem to be more white then the others. I couldn't resist. So i will set him up in his own tank till he's big enough to not be fishy chow. Are ther any safe angels to put with a lion, zebra eel, and racoon butterfly?

StephLionfish
11/08/2011, 11:06 PM
Got pictures of your lions? I'd love to see them!
Not sure on the Angels..

luv4scjjt
11/09/2011, 08:43 AM
Here a couple pics. I don't have a pic of the baby russels yet.

luv4scjjt
11/09/2011, 09:34 AM
water was a little cloudy it was moved the night prior to the pic.

namxas
11/09/2011, 10:12 AM
Your volitans is gorgeous...nothing like one. Of course, now we need some pix of the russelii...

Oddly enuff, we haven't kept a Russel's, but they are indeed pretty fish. We saw one recently being sold as a "red volitans" that was really outgoing, but it was a bit larger than we like. However, the real kicker is we KNEW it was getting sick, and sure enuff, it had spots within two weeks.

I actually pointed that out to the family who wanted to buy it, but they bought it anyhow...

MrTuskfish
11/09/2011, 10:34 AM
Your volitans is gorgeous...nothing like one. Of course, now we need some pix of the russelii...

Oddly enuff, we haven't kept a Russel's, but they are indeed pretty fish. We saw one recently being sold as a "red volitans" that was really outgoing, but it was a bit larger than we like. However, the real kicker is we KNEW it was getting sick, and sure enuff, it had spots within two weeks.

I actually pointed that out to the family who wanted to buy it, but they bought it anyhow...

All logic & reason (if present at all) is lost when you want a fish. I'm over it now, but can remember rationalizing anything.

Wolverine
11/09/2011, 11:52 AM
All logic & reason (if present at all) is lost when you want a fish. I'm over it now, but can remember rationalizing anything.

We used to go to a store that could also rationalize selling anything to anyone. We still joke about saying "if you do it just right..." for any impossible situation.

olemiss reb
11/09/2011, 12:05 PM
A volitan I had ate an antenatta that I thought was way too big to be eaten. The antenatta was too big to be swallowed completely and the fins hung out of the volitans mouth throughout the day.

http://i934.photobucket.com/albums/ad181/jstari78/vol3.jpg

http://i934.photobucket.com/albums/ad181/jstari78/vol2.jpg

namxas
11/09/2011, 12:09 PM
Yeowch!

Wolverine
11/09/2011, 12:10 PM
A volitan I had ate an antenatta that I thought was way too big to be eaten. The antenatta was too big to be swallowed completely and the fins hung out of the volitans mouth throughout the day.

I've seen lions die in that situation. They go for something too big and choke, so you end up losing two fish in one shot.

namxas
11/09/2011, 12:27 PM
Good point, Wolverine. This happens a lot with anglers too.

Just LOOK at that poor lions belly...makes mine ache.

luv4scjjt
11/09/2011, 01:00 PM
wowwow. those pics are definatly an eye opener. That poor fishy. We have been very sceptical of every fish we buy because we were likethat to. Always thought we could make them better at home. Then theat one guy would wipe out the whoel tank. Now we are real carfull and can you say quarentine......The russels will be in his own tank after quarentine is over. I will post pics of him hopefully tomorrow. The volitan is in my office tank and the russels is home in the qt.

MrTuskfish
11/09/2011, 02:14 PM
I've seen lions die in that situation. They go for something too big and choke, so you end up losing two fish in one shot.

They can also eat so much (reminds me of my ex-Mother-in Law) that food can decompose before its digested. Not healthy.

MrTuskfish
11/09/2011, 02:17 PM
We used to go to a store that could also rationalize selling anything to anyone. We still joke about saying "if you do it just right..." for any impossible situation.

How many threads are started on this forum from folks that start out..."Has anyone ever.....?" in other words, if someone did something once, I can too. Someone, somewhere has done everything in this hobby; long term success is another story.

sacremon
11/09/2011, 02:45 PM
I do seem to recall someone (Frank? Greg?) something about if lions are raised from very young/small together, there is a tendency for the later much larger one not to eat the smaller companion. Nothing certain, and it may just be a matter of time, but that appears to be the case in my tank with a P. volitans and P. radiata. Eventually the volitans will stop growing (it is getting near adult size) and the radiata will get too large to eat even if he were so inclined.

sacremon
11/09/2011, 02:53 PM
Double post

namxas
11/09/2011, 03:28 PM
If the fish are "raised-up" together, there's definitely less chance of mutual predation, but as you said...it ain't 100% sure.

rayn
11/09/2011, 03:37 PM
Ha, I had just wondered in another thread about a v. lion and a dwarf. Guess this proves namxas right. Not even worth the chance if you like the fish enough.

StephLionfish
11/09/2011, 07:48 PM
Here a couple pics. I don't have a pic of the baby russels yet.

Wow... just beautiful. There's no fish prettier than a brown P. Volitans, IMO. I saw a Vol at the lfs once that had pure black stripes. Unfortunately, it was JUST BIG ENOUGH that it might've tried to eat my Vol, and I hadn't had another tank.

luv4scjjt
11/10/2011, 09:00 AM
Thank you. I love the lions they are so pretty. I still haven't gotten them to eat frozen food though. I keep caving in after 3 or 4 days of trying and give them live food. I can't bring myself to starve them to long. I just keep trying every day hoping he'll eat it. lol.

wlyon
11/10/2011, 09:52 AM
My volitions have lived with a maroon clown for 2 years now. He could easily be eaten, yet they never mess with him. (I know I should remove him but he sleeps with one of my volitans and I can't bring myself to separate them.) However when I introduced an 8 inch Harlequin tusk they instantly thought food, and I had to remove him from the display.

With that being said, I agree with the "having your lion grow up with its tank mates" theory.

MrTuskfish
11/10/2011, 12:43 PM
I had a Volitan eat the biggest female GSM clown that I've ever seen. they were together for several years. I think an adult tusk is safe, they should be too thick & robust to fit in any Lion's maw. Exceptions to everything, though. In fact, I consider them to be ideal tankmates for Volitans and have kept them together for years without incident. No fin nipping by the tusks, ever.

namxas
11/10/2011, 02:45 PM
How large is your tuskfish?

I've been seriously considering one for the 210 med. lion build.

Wolverine
11/10/2011, 03:23 PM
I had a Volitan eat the biggest female GSM clown that I've ever seen. they were together for several years. I think an adult tusk is safe, they should be too thick & robust to fit in any Lion's maw. Exceptions to everything, though.

I've seen that happen with huge maroons as well. I agree that a tusk should be fine (though I have seen large tuskfish "sample" lionfish spines).

MrTuskfish
11/11/2011, 08:59 AM
How large is your tuskfish?

I've been seriously considering one for the 210 med. lion build.

The Tusk I have with my Volitans is about 8", very deep-bodied & thick. BTW, LA has the big Aussies on sale this week; this seasons crop of Australian tusks seems to be especially nice. There have been a few on DD that have as much blue in the body as any I've ever seen.