New Lionfish issues

[twoodbury]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to fish, and posting about my girlfriends tank. Forgive me for not knowing all the right terms.

She has a 100 gallon FOWLR tank that she lost all the fish in about a year ago due to power outage. Tank has been running since with lots of live rock in it. We did a ~40% water change, vacuuming, rock scrubbing and general cleaning Friday night. Followed by another 15 gallon change on Saturday, and all the numbers looked good.

We picked up a Green Wrasse(~5") and Tomato Clown(~2.5") at a local store on sale Saturday afternoon. The Wrasse had been returned by two different customers as it has been eating the other fish, and had also eaten something the pet store had put in there with it. The store was fed up with the fish, reduced the sale price from $8 to free, to get rid of it, and didn't want it back.... We're told the Tomato clown it was living with was the only thing it hadn't eaten. The fish seemed very happy in our tank. Swimming actively and eating.

On Sunday we get a small Volitan Lionfish (~4", tank raised, fed dead, frozen, thawed food). He doesn't do much most of the afternoon and evening, swimming around occasionally, but not much. The other fish swim around his as if he's just another fish, swimming right in front of him, nearly brushing his mouth as they swim by. He didn't eat, but we weren't surprised. Once we shut the light down for the night, around 8:30, he starts to become more active, swimming around much more. The other fish settle down in their spots, Tomato in sight between side glass and a decoration, Wrasse hidden back behind the rocks.

I awake at 4am to my dog barking as the x-mas tree has tipped over. I check on the fish and find the Lion sitting on the decoration, staring at Tomato, the Lion's fins fully extended. The tomato is as far down and back in this semi-protected area as it can get, occasionally raising up, causing the Lion back up an inch or two, only to come back to the rock. After 5 or so minutes the Lion loses interest, and eventually the Tomato decides to find another spot, which the Lion goes and stalks as well. He's pretty interested in this Tomato.

Worried about the constant stress to the Tomato we decide to turn the light on and see if that would change the dynamic. The Tomato swims right in front of the Lion and begins swimming around the tank happily. The Wrasse comes out and begins swimming around. Both swimming right up next to the Lion on occasion as they had the prior day. It appeared once or twice that the Wrasse may have grazed the Lion, and then it started swimming funny. The wrasse was mostly swimming along the bottom, stirring up sand, running into things and just disoriented looking, ending in him wedging himself under a rock, covered in sand and looking lifeless. I poke at the rock and nothing happens....

We quickly get the Tomato out of the tank (and into a separate tank). This commotion causes the Lion to hide on the back corner floor. I pull the rock off the Wrasse and he springs to life, seriously disoriented, he swims back behind all the rock and ends up running nose first into the corner, under and seemingly touching the Lion. The Wrasse is curled up and lifeless. I start pulling rocks away from the corner to try to get to the Lion and chase him around the tank for a while, eventually getting him out, and swapping the Tomato back in. We were certain the Wrasse was dead at this point, but poked it gently with the feeding stick only to see some signs of life. He swam around disoriented for a while and eventually seemed himself.

This AM, everyone seems happy, with the Tomato and Wrasse in the 100 gallon, and the Lion in the smaller tank below(with the pump in it).

Sorry so long.....

Any hope this is all just posturing by the various fish, that the Wrasse has learned it's lesson and will now avoid the Lion? The Tomato is too big for the Lion to eat whole. Any other way to interpret the Lions actions, other then hunting? The Lion hasn't eaten yet, despite trying a clam last night and at 4am, just before turning the light on. Return the Lion, or give this another go?

I've attached a pic of the Wrasse and Tomato. Can't get a good pic of Lion right now...

Thanks in advance,

-Travis

 

[nikki_kaiser]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to fish, and posting about my girlfriends tank. Forgive me for not knowing all the right terms.

She has a 100 gallon FOWLR tank that she lost all the fish in about a year ago due to power outage. Tank has been running since with lots of live rock in it. We did a ~40% water change, vacuuming, rock scrubbing and general cleaning Friday night. Followed by another 15 gallon change on Saturday, and all the numbers looked good.

We picked up a Green Wrasse(~5") and Tomato Clown(~2.5") at a local store on sale Saturday afternoon. The Wrasse had been returned by two different customers as it has been eating the other fish, and had also eaten something the pet store had put in there with it. The store was fed up with the fish, reduced the sale price from $8 to free, to get rid of it, and didn't want it back.... We're told the Tomato clown it was living with was the only thing it hadn't eaten. The fish seemed very happy in our tank. Swimming actively and eating.

On Sunday we get a small Volitan Lionfish (~4", tank raised, fed dead, frozen, thawed food). He doesn't do much most of the afternoon and evening, swimming around occasionally, but not much. The other fish swim around his as if he's just another fish, swimming right in front of him, nearly brushing his mouth as they swim by. He didn't eat, but we weren't surprised. Once we shut the light down for the night, around 8:30, he starts to become more active, swimming around much more. The other fish settle down in their spots, Tomato in sight between side glass and a decoration, Wrasse hidden back behind the rocks.

I awake at 4am to my dog barking as the x-mas tree has tipped over. I check on the fish and find the Lion sitting on the decoration, staring at Tomato, the Lion's fins fully extended. The tomato is as far down and back in this semi-protected area as it can get, occasionally raising up, causing the Lion back up an inch or two, only to come back to the rock. After 5 or so minutes the Lion loses interest, and eventually the Tomato decides to find another spot, which the Lion goes and stalks as well. He's pretty interested in this Tomato.

Worried about the constant stress to the Tomato we decide to turn the light on and see if that would change the dynamic. The Tomato swims right in front of the Lion and begins swimming around the tank happily. The Wrasse comes out and begins swimming around. Both swimming right up next to the Lion on occasion as they had the prior day. It appeared once or twice that the Wrasse may have grazed the Lion, and then it started swimming funny. The wrasse was mostly swimming along the bottom, stirring up sand, running into things and just disoriented looking, ending in him wedging himself under a rock, covered in sand and looking lifeless. I poke at the rock and nothing happens....

We quickly get the Tomato out of the tank (and into a separate tank). This commotion causes the Lion to hide on the back corner floor. I pull the rock off the Wrasse and he springs to life, seriously disoriented, he swims back behind all the rock and ends up running nose first into the corner, under and seemingly touching the Lion. The Wrasse is curled up and lifeless. I start pulling rocks away from the corner to try to get to the Lion and chase him around the tank for a while, eventually getting him out, and swapping the Tomato back in. We were certain the Wrasse was dead at this point, but poked it gently with the feeding stick only to see some signs of life. He swam around disoriented for a while and eventually seemed himself.

This AM, everyone seems happy, with the Tomato and Wrasse in the 100 gallon, and the Lion in the smaller tank below(with the pump in it).

Sorry so long.....

Any hope this is all just posturing by the various fish, that the Wrasse has learned it's lesson and will now avoid the Lion? The Tomato is too big for the Lion to eat whole. Any other way to interpret the Lions actions, other then hunting? The Lion hasn't eaten yet, despite trying a clam last night and at 4am, just before turning the light on. Return the Lion, or give this another go?

I've attached a pic of the Wrasse and Tomato. Can't get a good pic of Lion right now...

Thanks in advance,

-Travis

A lion will go after anything it can get into its mouth. If you want them in there together you need to create a lot of little caves with exits that the lion can't get into but the tomato can. He needs to feel protected so he isn't stressed. Also, have you fed the lion yet? You don't want to overfeed him but it helps. It's their nature to stalk. Tomato's are aggressive and can hold their own however the lion is a predator fish. In the past, I've always kept predators in their own tank but I know people mix them if the tank is large enough.

I would arrange my live rock to accommodate smaller fish and provide really good coverage as far as places to chill when they feel threatened. i dont know how much you have but you may need to add some base rock to do this. remember to add a means of exit as well. Give the tomato some time to adjust after you arrange the rock so he can get comfy. Then you can try again. Also, if you don't have some kind of "moonlight" or night light, I might get one just so the clown can see where the lion is. It's been a long time since I had mine. There are a ton of others that can give you some good advice on here.

 

[Beengirl]

I think you might be surprised at how big a fish's mouth can open up to fit in a fish. He very well
Might be able to eat this tomato. Tomato clowns can hold their own when they're bigger and have already claimed areas as theirs, but maybe not when the lion is an inch and a half bigger than he is. Hope it works out for you.

 

[nikki_kaiser]

I think you might be surprised at how big a fish's mouth can open up to fit in a fish. He very well
Might be able to eat this tomato. Tomato clowns can hold their own when they're bigger and have already claimed areas as theirs, but maybe not when the lion is an inch and a half bigger than he is. Hope it works out for you.

+1...my lion was small and ate a rather large blue damsel that I could not get out of the tank...not that I was upset as the stupid thing was a jerk to anything that came into the tank. I really think that if you are wanting to keep it in there with your tomato, arrange your rocks with caves that have not only an entrance but exit and small enough that the lion can't get in or out. Let the clown figure out all of its hiding places, and try introducing once he is comfy. I will say this though, try not to get too attached to the clown because he will be seen as potential dinner by the lion. Your lion will get bigger. Mine did rather quickly. I wouldn't introduce anything smaller than he is now. With that being said, if he is little now, I would try and get the fish that you are wanting if you want to save a little cash. They get more expensive the bigger they are as I'm sure your girlfriend knows!

 

[Phranque]

If you've ever been bass fishing and caught a decent size large-mouth, that's the best way I can think of to describe a lionfish's mouth relative to it's body size, and Volitans get BIG....... They can easily reach over a foot long.

You pretty much need to make the choice now..... re-home one of them, or the clown will eventually become a snack, and it sounds like it may be sooner rather than later. If it were my choice, I love lionfish, so I'd set up a separate tank for the clown and just be careful what you choose for future tankmates for the Volitan.

 

[nikki_kaiser]

If you've ever been bass fishing and caught a decent size large-mouth, that's the best way I can think of to describe a lionfish's mouth relative to it's body size, and Volitans get BIG....... They can easily reach over a foot long.

You pretty much need to make the choice now..... re-home one of them, or the clown will eventually become a snack, and it sounds like it may be sooner rather than later. If it were my choice, I love lionfish, so I'd set up a separate tank for the clown and just be careful what you choose for future tankmates for the Volitan.

+1 ...I would re-home the Tomato Clown. Not to be prejudice against them but quite frankly, they are little turds unless they are the smallest one in the tank and a potential meal.