Fu Manchu Lion compatible with damsels?

[jphendren]

Hello,

I currently have a 55 gallon FOWLR tank cycling, I initially wanted to do a porcupine puffer, but it seems that they will outgrow a 55 gallon tank. Now the Fu Manchu Lion fish has captured my fancy as my centerpiece fish, what a beautiful fish! Anyways, one of my sons likes the Fu Manchu, the other really wants a blue damsel. I am concerned that a blue damsel will become Lion dinner, what do you guys think?

From what I have read the Fu Manchu can reach 4-5" or so, blue damsel only about 2.5", I think that the lion will eat a blue damsel.

Jared

 

[ccCapt]

It would probably make a nice snack for the lion. The lion will eat anything that fits in it's mouth...and they have big mouths.

The Lionfish Info Sheet: Captive Care and Home Husbandry by Frank Marini, Ph.D. - Reefkeeping.com
"The Fu Man Chu lionfish is one of the more difficult lionfish to keep in the home aquarium because they ship very poorly and they don't readily wean from live to prepared foods. These fish are among the most shy and cautious lionfish I have ever owned, and it is imperative that caves and hiding spots are made available for this fish to hide. Initially, they spend much of their time hiding in the rockwork and will only come out to feed. These fish will have problems competing with fast swimming fish for food, and unless they are target fed, will starve. Live ghost shrimp should be among the first foods offered to establish this fish onto an aquarium diet, and once it is comfortable and begins coming out from hiding, the aquarist can begin to wean the fish onto prepared foods. I have had great success using Piscine Energetics Mysis shrimp as an enticing prepared food by simply thawing the frozen Mysis and squirting it out of a tube in front of the hungry Fu Man Chu. Over the years, I have kept three Fu Man Chu lionfish, and it took over two months to wean the slowest one from live foods."

 

[Jaybird]

I was going to say something similar. Perhaps along the line of: Yes, they are perfectly compatible. One is predator and the other is prey

It would probably make a nice snack for the lion. The lion will eat anything that fits in it's mouth...and they have big mouths.

 

[Soundtrigger]

Yummy is what the lion would say unless you get a adult garibaldi damsel and he'd prob out grow a 55g if you want a lion better start thinking larger fish like groupers or wrasse something on that line and that limits you on fish cause of space also you could have damsels first in the early stages then get rid of damsels and put in lion or let the lion have a buffet with the damsels