Volition Lionfish won't eat

[contactpsb]

I bought a system from someone on ebay, a 55gal tank and everything in it, which included a volition lionfish, dogface puffer and panther grouper. It was delivered on Sunday and the lionfish has never eaten for me, and I'm getting worried. I'm feeding frozen krill, I put it in a cup and scoop out some tankwater to let it defrost. The puffer is a pic and the groups is a fast devil that snags 2 for himself every day or two, but the Lion doesn't even look at it, in fact when I feed he turns away and faces the wall. I called the previous owner and he said that the Lion doesn't like Krill, that he fed him frozen raw shrimp from the grocery store, so I went and bought some an still nothing. I have dangled it in the water, let it blow around the tank from the jets, let it sit on his favorite rock, put it on a stick and inched it toward the lion, it even floated down and hit him on the head LOL I don't know what else to do. Wednesday I went to me LFS and they recommended Xtreme Garlic but there has be no change. Does anyone have any suggestions for me? I took him to the aquarium store the day I got him and they said he was a very hearty heathly specimen, he's about 1 1/2 yrs old.

 

[jerejohnson]

i feed my lionfish feeder guppies, or gold fish its not the best for him but im trying to train him to eat krill, so if your woried about it try droping some 10 cent feeder fish in. hope that helps...

 

[reefrunner69]

I agree with jerejohnson, it is not good for the lion, but starving is worse. More than likely the person you purchased the set up from was feeding live feeder fish to the lion, they can be quite tempermental in switching to dead prey. FYI, that tank is, or soon will be, ovestocked. Way to much fish for a 55g tank.

 

[Hara]

are you feeding the shrimp whole? that would be too big, cut it up into about 3 pieces (make sure the shrimp is peeled). My lion loves bay scallops as well, and they are round little balls and you wont have to peel or cut them up. But his very most favorite food is lancefish or silversides. You can get these at a pet shop. Thaw a few and drop them in one at a time. feed the other fish well first. then you can concentrate on the lion.

 

[Terry B]

Since the entire system has just been moved the water chemistry is going to be upset. You need to test and report all the water parameters including ammonia, pH, temp, salinity, etc. I would make a LARGE water change using only well aged and aerated saltwater (mixed at least 24 hours). It is not unusual for fish to refuse to eat for a few days after being moved. I agree that feeding freshwater fish to a lionfish is bad for them but at least it gives you the best chance for the fish to start eating. A 55 gallon is going to be way to small for the fish that you have unless they are still small themselves. Are you new to keeping saltwater aquariums? What books do you own on the subject?
Terry B