odd lion behavior?

[T-T-Trigger]

I am keeping a lion for the first time, so all the behavior is new to me, but this one seems odd. She will seemingly strike at nothing. The shortest spines of her wings (pectoral fins?), the one closest to the chest, will start to shake (looks like shivering) for a few, then she shoots across the tank four inches, seemingly striking at ...nothing?

Is this a telltale sign of a problem or just normal behavior?

TIA, chris

[FMarini]

Chris:
pretty neat huh....
So its one of two things going on.
1)-the lionfish is actually striking at something which you cannot see. The wiggling of the lower pectoral rays is usually a sign that the lion is focusing on a prey item. I have always equated this rapid vibrating as a way the lion is distracting the prey item. Movement as you know is a known attractant, any prey item which is in range will focus on the wiggling rays, and not the mouth of the lion. Also be aware that lions focus on the eye of the prey item for determine its closing distance.

or

2)- Many sedentary predators are covered w/ a thin membrane called a cuticle. This cuticle prevents algae, parasites, and general junk from sticking to the predator (since the fish is usually in one spot for long periods of time). This cuticle has to be shed periodically. What could be happening here is that the lion is shedding its cuticle, when my lions shed, they dart around rapidly, but it looks like prey striking behavior, and if you observe closely you might see shreds of almost transparent tissue floating away.

So which one do you think it is
frank

[T-T-Trigger]

Thanks Frank!

I had hoped it was normal behavior of some sort. Regretfully, my luck with fish (or rather, their luck with me:o ) has been poor as of late. But I am learning, there is so much to learn.

Anyway, it does seem like behavior 1. When the darting motion occurs, her mouth flairs open like there is something to be swallowed. Also the strikes are not frequent enough to be considered "darting around".

And yes, it is cool! When I saw the "shivering" my first instict was to check the thermometer! :lol:

Any suggestions on more active tankmates I can add in the future? Or should I stay with the slow, aggressive type fish (puffer, eel, etc...)? I was thinking along the lines of a sunset wrasse or harlequin tuskfish. It is a 5-6" black volitans in an 85g tank, the other inhabitant is a 3+" goldbar maroon clownfish.

tia

[FMarini]

T-T:
good call...
harlequin tusks=awesome, active wrasses=action i.e., coris wrasses, birdnose, etc(I perfer a lyretailed hog),planktonic triggers (bluecheek, pinktail, sargassum, crosshatch, niger, etc)
the list is long and endless.
frank

[T-T-Trigger]

I know you've probably seen a thousand different lions, but here is the new cutie, thanks again.