Fuzzy drawf lion in a Nano-reef, What?

[myownkeeper]

i meant not one but two people that have 29 gallon nano-reefs with drawf lion fish in them...... this is strange because from what i know lionfish are not reef safe, or am i wrong? im still new to this hobby, and my three main interests are coral, lionfish, and puffers. im thinking about upgrading my tank to a 28 gallon aquapod (12 gallon now), and im interested if this can be done. that makes three people ive met total since i started this hobby who say they hay done it.
im sry if this is a stupid question but i want to get to the bottom of this

[PhotoJohn]

They wont hurt coral but will eat anything else that will fit in their mouths

[Amphibious]

There's no stupid question with the exception of the one that is not asked.

Photojohn is correct. the fuzzy Dwarf Lion is reef safe as are all lion fish. Keeping a fuzzy in a 28 gal would be ok as long as you realize most any other fish you would like to keep with it would be considered a top menu food item. However you could make a really nice coral and invertebrate display for him to live in.

Dick

[aquaman2000]

I concer, the lion is not going to hurt you reef in any way. The problem lays in it's compatibility with its mobile tank mates. If it will fit in the lions mouth.... It's gone. There fore you will find that you can not keep any Shrimp or small fish in the system. And with it being only 24 gallons you can't keep any large fish. So you have to make a choice.... which is more important to you? And which can you provide a proper home to? The other thing to think about is that Dendrochirus brachypterus ( Fuzzy dwarf lionfish) grows to be 6" in length. That is a very, very large fish for a 24 gallon aquarium (even though they don't swim much). I kept mine in a 180 gallon and you would be surprised how much he moved around and was out swimming.... because there was space in which to do so.

[Seahorsedreams]

My fuzzy was in a 12 for 3 years... I kid you not. I upgraded to a 24 and it's perfect for him. But his bioload is plenty for that size tank and I would never consider putting anything else with him.

Some peeps consider reef safe to be anything that can live harmoniously with motile inverts and corals.... based on that he wouldn't be.

[myownkeeper]

im serrously considering it now...hes a red fuzzy drawf lion. i was told he wont get bigger than 3 in., and that he would need to be fed live feeder guppys witch could be a troublesome. then again i have a clown and scooter blenny u would like to keep them so that could be a problem. but my main focus it keeping coral.

[myownkeeper]

what about green spotted puffers? would thoose be concidered reef safe?

[CarmieJo]

Puffers are generally not considered reef safe as they chew on rock and coral. They will also eat inverts.

[myownkeeper]

but lionfish wont eat inverts?

[Amphibious]

That would depend on several things. Since the word invertebrates covers a wide range of critters I wouldn't say they would not eat invertebrates. That's too broad a field. Also, if you went away for a week you might come home to a few missing invertebrates. You see, it depends on the situation.

Generally speaking most inverts are safe. Ornamental shrimp would not be safe, however.

[myownkeeper]

so im goining to look at new tanks tomorrow, cant decide if i wana get a replacement 14 or if i want to upgrade to a 24.... if i do im going to continue my collection of coral, move my scooter and clown. An as a possibility get a red drawf lionfish

so what do you guys think?

[CarmieJo]

If you have the space I would get the bigger tank. That 10 extra gallons can really make a difference in stability. I think your clown could definitely become fish food for a fuzzy dwarf and it the scooter is small it could also be at risk.

[Seahorsedreams]

Get the larger... you won't be sorry. What motile invertevbrates do you have? He'll eat shrimp.

They definately get bigger than 3".... more like 5.

Guppies are not a proper marine fish diet. But lionfish are generally easy to get on frozen. My 3 took it within days.

Here's my grump old man when he was a baby.....

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll73/hixphotobucket/Dwarf%20Fuzzy%20Tank/post-16-1146807772.jpg

And here he is as a grumpy old man.....

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll73/hixphotobucket/Dwarf%20Fuzzy%20Tank/fuzz3.jpg


And here's our newest addition who is the size of a popcorn.

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll73/hixphotobucket/Our%20Fish/fuzzy920.jpg

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll73/hixphotobucket/Our%20Fish/fuzz.jpg

[PhotoJohn]

Is the sting of a dwarf lion as potentially harmful as a full size lion?

[myownkeeper]

thats exactly the lion im looking at, my clown is still a little baby but hes a little bigger than the lion for now.
i think after discussing it with my fiance' im going to get the 28. im still wanting to have mainly coral but concidering getting that little lion, my only concern is having another fish in the tank and the feeding. i was told he would only eat live, but if i could get him on frozen that would be amazing.

what do you guys think?
i realy wana to set up the tank right

[Seahorsedreams]

You can still have corals. That's not a problem. Just don't put anything sensitive in the sreas he likes to perch... he'll harass them by sitting on them all the time.

Whoever told you that they have to be fed live.... don't listen to another word they say because they have no idea what they are talking about. Between me and my husband we've owned 5 of these (lionfish... not all fuzzies). All went to frozen except one and that one had to be fed live feeder fish and died in a year. The next one he got he was able to convert and lived for 15 years. None of my 3 fish came to me eating frozen but were able to be trained within a week.

The baby right now is in an 18. The old grump is in a 24 and the volitan.... well a much bigger tank of course :-)

They are:

* low maintenance (I feed Mon. Wed., Friday)

* social (as in begs constantly.... but at least it looks like he's excited to see you),

* very hardY (yet when they get sick they are harder to treat because you're limited by options (scaleless),

and ABSOLUTELY gorgeous!!

I'm not gonna make a comment of the fish tankmates... I'll let the others tell ya what they have gotten away with. I personally have species only tanks.

In the frozen training process, if it takes any length of time, don't keep feeding freshwater fish. I would go with what is commonly referred to as ghost shrimp (glass, grass, popcorn shrimp....). If you want to feed marine fish, which is a very appropriate died, you have to do a full QT on them. Otherwise lord knows what you be introducing every feeding day.

[myownkeeper]

how do you train them, if you dont mind me asking?
and do you feed them mysis?

[Seahorsedreams]

Mtsis will be too small. I feed chunks of krill, silversides, clam, squid... whatever is on the menu for that day.

Ya, put the chunk on a stick and jiggle jiggle jiggle. When I get their attention I slowly move it away from them and they start to chase it.

[rayme07]

Seahorsedreams you have a nice fuzzy there buetiful.:up: Thanks :)