I was just wondering what I should supplement my lion fish's food with. Right now he is eating as many silversides that I will put in the tank and I will try other frozen treats soon. I was recommended Selcon from Jason at Premium Aquatics and he also gave me some Ocean Rider seahorse supplement. They stopped carrying horses, so he had some in the fridge and gave me a pouch. Will this be enough or is there something else I should use. Thanks Chet

Selcon is what most people use. So how often do you feed your lion? You may need to check up on this, but I think you only feed lions like once or twice a week. Seems like I remember that from somewhere. [img]/ubb/uhoh3.gif[/img]

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Shelly

I feed him on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. I plan on using the Selcon once or twice a week. You can run into a lot of problems if you overfeed your lion. Thanks for your quick response. Anyone else have ideas???

Yes feed him no more than 3 times a week. Lions are not able to digest their food properly without a day or so between feedings. They will eat every day but it's not good long term. Now that he is used to dead fish (silversides) start mixing up the food. Eventually he will eat anything you put in the tank. Including Formuls cubes (packed with vitamins)

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Art
My Aquarium

Hi:
it seems like your doing the right thing. I would suspect you need no more than what is offered in the marine silversides, maybe the use of selcon is warrented(but i doubt it) i would also change up the diet of these lions, and add to the silversides things like, grocery store bought shrimp, scqallops, squid, crab, white fish (as I listed in mny lionfish info sheet you got). These should provide full vitamins, trace elements etc.
If you really feel your lions are having problems you could add a vitamin supplement to its foods as well. Vitachem or Zoe.But I suspect your doing fine w/ silversides, and if you add additional marine fish,inverts.
Three time weekly is fine for feeding. i would feed to satiation(a small lion maybe 2-3 fish).
i have never heard about this: lions needing a day or two to digest their food. Mine digest it in a few hrs, and are more than willing to eat the next day should i want to feed them. I beieve you don't want to feed daily due to the fact that these fish will overeat, and often times get organ dysfunction(like fatty livers, and kidney problems) from the excess nutrients in their diets....Maybe i don't know for sure.
my opinion
frank

But it can't hurt to add selcon to their food even if they get what they need from their diet. Just in case they don't, you're covered. [img]/ubb/smile.gif[/img]

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Shelly

I got a #27 needle and syringe(sp) from the hospital I work at and inject the Zoe into the silversides. Works great.


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First it was a hobby, Than an obsession, Thank God for OCD
http://www.cajo.org/albee1947/fishpage.htm

Hey Frank,

I got that information from an Austrailian marine biologest a few years ago when I asked a similar question about feeding Krill. As I have switched ISP's I do not have his e-mail any longer. From what I was told, typically lionfish will come out to hunt on the reef for their food and when full will retreat in seclusion for a day or more to digest their meal before comming back out to hunt again.

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Art
My Aquarium

Art:
I agree that when the lions are full they retreat back to "sleep off their food", this is very similar to boa constrictors, and other snakes, but what i was Q?ing is your explaination of it. Its not a requirement that they fast to digest properly, they do it so they can utilize more energy in digesting foods, and believe me my P.russells will gladly feast on more shrimp regardless of his full stomach.
As a solution you can feed smaller meals, you can feed more often. if you feed only 1 silverside daily, than feeding 3 or 4 the lion will be hungry then ext day, and won't need to rest to digest off its food.
Tthe overall gist of the story is correct...feeding 2-3 times week is sufficient...my lions haven't stopped growing cuz of it.
frank

I guess I could have misinterpeted the information I had. I reluctantly stand corrected.[img]/ubb/frown.gif[/img]

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Art
My Aquarium

Art:
No reason to reluctantly do anything. I was just making a point and am NOT trying to disuede you from your interpertation of the data. Your opinion, my opinion
frank

Just playing around [img]/ubb/wink.gif[/img]

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Art
My Aquarium