Thinking of Getting New Fish - Lionfish?

[TheTrav13]

Hey guys,
It's been a while since I got a new fish. I have a 29 gallon reef with a blue tang, a clarki, and a 6 lined wrasse. I'm looking to add a small lionfish but I've heard from some people they are super aggressive, but I've also heard from others that if they're kept well fed, they have no problem with lionfish. I'm also looking to get something that will sift through the sand whether it be an invert or fish. I've had my tank for about 5 months now. I DO have corals!
your thoughts?
Trav

 

[Gregcoyote]

They do not sift the sand, they pounce on their prey with lightening speed. One of the fastest movements in the ocean is the lion fishes pounce. Florida will be glad to give you as many as you can carry as they are having open season on them. Placed into the population by hurricanes destroying fish tanks in Florida, they have no predators.

A fish that will fit into their mouth (and it is huge for the fishes size) is going to eventually be eaten. If the other fish is too big to eat, it will be ignored. I fed one for 10 years on frozen silversides and an occasional feeder fish.

 

[Gregcoyote]

By the way, that is him on my profile picture.

 

[Just.A.Bit.Salty]

Im usually not someone to lecture on a fish in a tank, but a blug tang, regal tang whatever you want to call it really should not be in a 29 even when it is small. It will outgrow the tank in no time and/or die. Your tank is stocked where it is so no you should not add a lion fish even if it is a dwarf lionfish good luck

 

[jenatron]

+1 to Just.A.Bit.Salty. Don't even think about adding another fish with that tang in there.

 

[CaptainAhab]

I would recommend doing more research before adding any new fish to your tank. The lionfish is inappropriate for your tank, as is the tang.

 

[PrettyFishies]

Lionfish = Bad idea.

Not sure what I'd recommend, but your tang is going to stress out and get sick in a matter of time. They need 6ft of length because they swim so much.

How about a dwarf angel like a flame or coral beauty? They can be hit or miss with corals, but I'm going to take my chances with one in my tank.

Lions are best with other aggressive species and in a larger tank.

 

[Gregcoyote]

I have three angles in a 300 gallon reef. A flame, black tail and coral beauty. The black tail is a coral picker and has concentrated on my Xenia, requiring me to set up a protective "no fish zone." The flame occasionally will pick a random coral and the beauty ignores all the coral.