i need advise on my lionfish tank im setting up

[Charley0400]

Hi... I'm new to the hobby. I have a 215 gallon with trigger system sump and protein skimmer (sump is 40 gallons). I am building the tank around a volitan lionfish and yellow headed moray eel (this eel is get some experience under my belt before I trade it in for a Japanese dragon eel). I have looked into several different ideas for tank mates. And have narrowed it down to the following:

Naso (maybe blonde) tang
Emperor (or regal if emperor is too big) angelfish
Niger trigger (as long as its not going to bully my lion... REALLY NEED ADVISE ON THIS OPTION!)
Marine betta
Miniatus grouper
Immaculatus puffer or starts and stripes puffer

I have heard triggers and puffers are not typically good tank mates for lions but if there are exceptions I am willing to look into them and even give them a try, but I am not willing to try anything that will kill my lionfish overnight.

Another concern is fish that are compatible with an eel.

Thank you for all your help!!!

[Megistos]

I am building the tank around a volitan lionfish and yellow headed moray eel

http://cdn.meme.am/instances/500x/62143578.jpg

[Charley0400]

http://cdn.meme.am/instances/500x/62143578.jpg

Why is this? I am inexperienced :-) lol obviously

[ChimolaFish]

http://cdn.meme.am/instances/500x/62143578.jpg

That's great. Also, triggers and lions dont really mix, man. I wouldm't even try either with a fimbriated moray though. Those things are nasty, haha. Dragons can be pretty aggressive too.

[Daniel Machado]

I'd make a few changes in the pretended fauna...

First I'd choose a safer moray eel, like a miliaris (any morph, but the golden one is nicer) or a snowflake. These get to a manageable size and are not super-killers.

I don't think a marine betta is gonna live much time with a lion... I'd skip this one. Maybe a clown grouper, Pogonoperca punctata, could replace it, much less likely to be eaten because of the toxic mucus.

Miniatus groupers are too "hidey" to be fully appreciated, I'd put a panther grouper instead.

Puffers and triggers are too tempting but too dangerous... So I chose a whitespotted or clown filefish, Cantherhines macrocerus. It has all the nice features of the triggers , lacking the dreaded temperament. Win-win IMO.

There are other nice tankmates for lions... Porkfishes and squirrelfishes are among my favorites.

A few pics of some of my fishes attached... Especially the filefish. It's a really gorgeous species, quickly became a favorite here.

Best regards.

Daniel.

[xkon]

That's great. Also, triggers and lions dont really mix, man. I wouldm't even try either with a fimbriated moray though. Those things are nasty, haha. Dragons can be pretty aggressive too.

FWIW I have two fimbriated eels with a russell's lionfish. No problems at all. Lionfish was added in about 4 months ago

[zachfishman]

I have heard triggers and puffers are not typically good tank mates for lions but if there are exceptions I am willing to look into them and even give them a try, but I am not willing to try anything that will kill my lionfish overnight.


I've heard this too, but our volitans (6) get along fine with the following fish:

Niger trigger
Picasso trigger
Hawaiian black trigger
Pinktail trigger
Guinea Fowl puffer

Note that this is in a 700 gallon system.

[NovaSS]

lionfish are hard to pick tank mates for. They eat anyone that can fit in there mouth so anything that is 3/4 or 1/2 the size of the lion. They grow very fast. also lionfish swim fast to catch food people think there slow but they will show you. Stay away from triggers and puffer its mixed reviews. i would get a couple of squirel fish, panther grouper will out grow your tank in a few years. zebra eel is one of my favs. harlequin tusk fish do good with the lionfish. fox face fish and tangs do good as well but you will be limited on tangs most get to big for the tank. I would add the lionfish last after a few months as it is likely that he wont eat the other fish.