Lionfish / Trigger / Puffer feeding schedule & diet

[RLG2182]

Hello everyone!

I'm in the planning stages to set up an aggressive tank (140 + 60 sump) for the first time. I've only really had peaceful fish that were easy to feed flakes, pellets, frozen cubes of brine, etc.

I was interested in getting a porcupine puffer, volitan lionfish, Niger/Clown trigger, snowflake eel, etc., but have a couple questions...

A) How often do these fish need to eat? liveaquaria.com suggests 2-3 times per day! LFS in my area say once every day. Others on some websites say every other day. I'm concerned with not being able to leave for a weekend without having to find someone willing to feed them. No automatic feeder for this stuff. Are these fish ok without feeding for 2-3 days? (note: this would only be one weekend, maybe every other month or so. not often).

B) What do people actually feed these fish? I'm good with frozen silversides for the eel... but doesn't feeding squid & other crab/mussels for the get super expensive? Where do you guys buy food? How is this food prepared? LFS will be happy to sell me their expensive frozen stuff all day long. Most LFS feed them freshwater feeders. I know most FW are too fatty a diet to feed them... are there any FW fish that are good?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

--Rob

 

[pat8you]

For your normal schedule i would suggest feeding somewhere around every day or every other day. Just make sure you feel what they can eat in 2-3 minutes and not much more. If you over feed it will cause excess nutrients in your tank.

I would consdier looking into a different puffer. The porcupines are cool but they get absolutly huge. I have seen them get to over a foot long and 6" wide. There are other puffers that stay a more resonable size so you don't have to upgrade your tank down the road.

The fish will be able to make it 2-3 days with out feeding but it is obviously not optimal. If you can get someone to go in one day and drop a cube of food in there for them that would be better.

 

[RLG2182]

Wow... didn't know porcupines got THAT big. Most I've seen stay 6" max. Good to know.

Also good to know that I won't be killing anything if they go 2-3 days between meals on those rare occasions.

Still doing research on proper diet & where people go to get these foods + cost. Thanks!

 

[thincat]

Do not feed them any freshwater feeders. They have to much fat and will harm the fishes liver. You could do Mollys, just change them over to saltwater slowly and after a few months they would be good as a snack.

 

[RLG2182]

I had Mollys at some point... never knew they could be changed to saltwater. Interesting!

 

[RLG2182]

On a side note on the Mollys... are they more "nutritious" to the lionfish, etc after they are changed to SW?

 

[Krypt]

For those types of aggressive fish, making your own foods will be the way to go. It's ALOT cheaper to go to your local grocery store seafood section, buy some squid, shrimp, mussles, etc. Then follow this video:

It's well worth it to make your own.

 

[thincat]

On a side note on the Mollys... are they more "nutritious" to the lionfish, etc after they are changed to SW?

If you reread my post you will see that I said for a "Snack". If you acclimate the molly's to saltwater you could put a few in when you are away on the weekends. As far as more nutrious it all depends on what you feed them. Vitamin fortifed food.