Problem w/ getting a Dwarf Lion to eat.

eses · 02-25-2002, 09:27 PM

Two weeks ago I bought a Fuzzy Dwarf Lion for my 75 G reef. I bought it from a reputable shop in my area. They had the fish for 2 weeks, and said it was eating Forumla 2 well. I couldn't verify this at the time, as they had it housed with much larger fish..but from the looks of the fish, it appeared to have been eating well.

Anyway. One week ago I took it out of quarantine and put it into my display tank. It appears to have gotten used to it's surroundings just fine; I often see it, and it spends most of it's time perched on the reef or just swimming near the sand bed.

But it won't eat, and I'm looking for tricks, tips, or suggestions. I have tried feeding it Formula 2 (as recommended by the shop), shrimp pieces, krill (small and large), brine shrimp, and mysis shrimp. All thawed (previously frozen.)

If I put something in the water, it doesn't even stir like it is hungry. It won't even move from it's perch. I've gotten the food dropped right in front of it, no go. I've tried with the krill and shrimp to put it on a clear piece of tube and wiggling it gently around mimmicking life...but still nothing. I even attempted feeding it a live and dead guppy, no interest at all.

Tank parameters are fine. Salinity 1.023, 20ppm nitrate, no ammonia, nitrite, Alk 3.2 meq/l. The fish doesn't appear stressed at all, no rapid breathing, no darting, normal swimming and good appearance. I've seen it produce waste (poop) once while I was trying to feed it, so it has had something in it's system. Its gone now 2 weeks without food from me. It is possible it is feeding on various pods on the tank, as I have a huge amount...but I haven't seen it eat any, and I've also tried offering it some of the larger ones from my refugium.

Thoughts?

Rin · 02-25-2002, 10:05 PM

Try feeding it something alive. I don't usually recommend this, but you might try a few guppies. (Live Saltwater fish are too expensive for this experiement, IMO.)

I've never seen a scorpionfish turn down a guppy.

FMarini · 02-25-2002, 11:03 PM

HI:
I'll second the request to feed live, EXCEPT.... don't use guppies, try to get live ghost shrimp. They are much better than live guppies, in that they crawl on the bottom, they live for hrs in saltwater, and they lok similar to the lionfishes fave foods. SHRIMP.
W/ that said i can almost guarentee the LFS did not ween this lion over to cube food. i suspect they threw in live goldfish or rosey reds, as well as cube food for the other fish, and said "they saw it eat". Dwarf lions are difficult to ween over to dead prepared marine foods, but w/ perserverence they do ween over. The problem you'll face is the other fish in the tank will out eat this lion for a while.

Last point, once you do get this lion to eat frozen marine foods, cube food won't cut it. You'll have to feed, marine foods, like shrimp chunks, fish flesh, crab meat etc.
If you'd like i can recommend two things 1)- do a search for lionfish in here and in the fish forum as i have responded to many of these posts w/ how-tos, and 2)-feel free to email me directly and i can send you my lionfish info sheet which contains many husbandry tips for caring for lions. Including weening your fish over to dead marine foods
Good luck
frank
________________
See my 180 gal tank of lions
http://www.marshreef.org/members/fmarini/index.htm

Chrome Weasel · 02-26-2002, 12:04 AM

When you ween your lion onto "dead" food you'll have to make it look alive. Get a skewer of some sort (they sell nice ones at some LFSs) and try some thawed krill. If you dont trick him into eating he'll starve to death. Start with the ghost shrimp though if you can. Go with the guppy if you have to though and get the lion something to eat. Just dont rely on any freshwater fish regularly since they are essentially junkfood to a lionfish.

Once he eats a few times in the tank and you get him eating of a skewer you're all set. It should only take one time for him to figure out he can eat "dead" krill.

eses · 02-26-2002, 10:39 AM

Like I said above, I tried the skewer trick with krill, shrimp, pieces of fish, and a dead guppy. I also put a live guppy in the tank, and it made no moves towards it.

I will attempt some ghost shrimp, but from what I've read so far it looks like I'm trying the right steps, just not getting the desired results.

Thanks for your input.

02-25-2002, 09:27 PM	#1
eses Council Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Seattle Posts: 270	Problem w/ getting a Dwarf Lion to eat. Two weeks ago I bought a Fuzzy Dwarf Lion for my 75 G reef. I bought it from a reputable shop in my area. They had the fish for 2 weeks, and said it was eating Forumla 2 well. I couldn't verify this at the time, as they had it housed with much larger fish..but from the looks of the fish, it appeared to have been eating well. Anyway. One week ago I took it out of quarantine and put it into my display tank. It appears to have gotten used to it's surroundings just fine; I often see it, and it spends most of it's time perched on the reef or just swimming near the sand bed. But it won't eat, and I'm looking for tricks, tips, or suggestions. I have tried feeding it Formula 2 (as recommended by the shop), shrimp pieces, krill (small and large), brine shrimp, and mysis shrimp. All thawed (previously frozen.) If I put something in the water, it doesn't even stir like it is hungry. It won't even move from it's perch. I've gotten the food dropped right in front of it, no go. I've tried with the krill and shrimp to put it on a clear piece of tube and wiggling it gently around mimmicking life...but still nothing. I even attempted feeding it a live and dead guppy, no interest at all. Tank parameters are fine. Salinity 1.023, 20ppm nitrate, no ammonia, nitrite, Alk 3.2 meq/l. The fish doesn't appear stressed at all, no rapid breathing, no darting, normal swimming and good appearance. I've seen it produce waste (poop) once while I was trying to feed it, so it has had something in it's system. Its gone now 2 weeks without food from me. It is possible it is feeding on various pods on the tank, as I have a huge amount...but I haven't seen it eat any, and I've also tried offering it some of the larger ones from my refugium. Thoughts?

02-25-2002, 10:05 PM	#2
Rin Mayor Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Leesburg, GA Posts: 774	Try feeding it something alive. I don't usually recommend this, but you might try a few guppies. (Live Saltwater fish are too expensive for this experiement, IMO.) I've never seen a scorpionfish turn down a guppy. __________________ -Todd

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02-25-2002, 11:03 PM	#3
FMarini Citizen Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 179	HI: I'll second the request to feed live, EXCEPT.... don't use guppies, try to get live ghost shrimp. They are much better than live guppies, in that they crawl on the bottom, they live for hrs in saltwater, and they lok similar to the lionfishes fave foods. SHRIMP. W/ that said i can almost guarentee the LFS did not ween this lion over to cube food. i suspect they threw in live goldfish or rosey reds, as well as cube food for the other fish, and said "they saw it eat". Dwarf lions are difficult to ween over to dead prepared marine foods, but w/ perserverence they do ween over. The problem you'll face is the other fish in the tank will out eat this lion for a while. Last point, once you do get this lion to eat frozen marine foods, cube food won't cut it. You'll have to feed, marine foods, like shrimp chunks, fish flesh, crab meat etc. If you'd like i can recommend two things 1)- do a search for lionfish in here and in the fish forum as i have responded to many of these posts w/ how-tos, and 2)-feel free to email me directly and i can send you my lionfish info sheet which contains many husbandry tips for caring for lions. Including weening your fish over to dead marine foods Good luck frank ________________ See my 180 gal tank of lions http://www.marshreef.org/members/fmarini/index.htm

02-26-2002, 12:04 AM	#4
Chrome Weasel Just Moved In Join Date: Aug 2000 Posts: 13	When you ween your lion onto "dead" food you'll have to make it look alive. Get a skewer of some sort (they sell nice ones at some LFSs) and try some thawed krill. If you dont trick him into eating he'll starve to death. Start with the ghost shrimp though if you can. Go with the guppy if you have to though and get the lion something to eat. Just dont rely on any freshwater fish regularly since they are essentially junkfood to a lionfish. Once he eats a few times in the tank and you get him eating of a skewer you're all set. It should only take one time for him to figure out he can eat "dead" krill.

02-26-2002, 10:39 AM	#5
eses Council Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Seattle Posts: 270	Like I said above, I tried the skewer trick with krill, shrimp, pieces of fish, and a dead guppy. I also put a live guppy in the tank, and it made no moves towards it. I will attempt some ghost shrimp, but from what I've read so far it looks like I'm trying the right steps, just not getting the desired results. Thanks for your input.

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