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Re: survey
SELECTION
Did you mail order this fish and would you recommend mail order this fish? Are there captive-raised/bred specimen available and where?
No--purchased at LFS.
Any tips on how you picked a healthy specimen of this species from LFS? What do you think is the ideal size to get?
I just made sure he was swimming without problems.
Are there any noticeable differences in body shape, pattern or color among the same species or between juvenile and adult of this species?
Juveniles seems thinner.
Is there a way to tell the sex of this fish?
I haven't done enough research to know this.
ACCLIMATION AND INTRODUCTION
Any special tips about the acclimation and introduction of this fish?
Nothing special, just the typical acclimation methods of introducing some tank water gradually to the bag.
Any special needs for this fish or special considerations for young specimen?
Just be prepared for its growth. I've had it for over 2 years in a 29g, and it's too big for that. I am in the process of setting up a 125g and will be moving it very soon!
Should this fish be the first or the last to introduce to a tank?
I believe it should be one of the first fish if you're planning to get others that are considered aggressive. If you put the lion in to a tank that already contains aggressive fish, then the lion may be fending itself from its attackers.
COMPATIBILITY
What tankmates do you have with this fish?Is it a reef or FO tank?
I have a FOWLR, with a zebra eel and a few hermit crabs. When I first got the lion, I had a green chromis and a gobie that were only slightly smaller than the lion. Eventually, the 2 mysteriously disappeared--at different times. And coincidentally, the lion appeared a bit larger during those times!
Have you had more than one of this species in the same tank? If so, is there a certain male/female ratio or group number worked for you (to have a harem or pecking order)? Do they school?
n/a
Have you had other species of the same genus/family in the same tank?
n/a
What’s the stocking order (considering the above factors) that worked for you?
Did this fish hurt/eat any of other fish (or vice versa)?
It didn't hurt the fish, just ate 'em.
Did this fish hurt/eat Cnidaria (corals, mushrooms or anemones)?
no
Did this fish hurt/eat ornamental crustaceans (shrimps, hermits, crabs)?
no
FEEDING
How did you get this fish to eat at first?
It immediately took to frozen brine. When it was younger, it would wait for the frozen brine to melt away from the cube, then eat a few at a time. Now, it just swallows the whole cube.
If this fish only accepted live food, how did you wean it over to prepared food?
n/a
What’s the diet?
I feed it frozen brine, frozen krill (it loves that!), and on very rare occasions, live feeders (just to keep its hunting skills up).
How much and how often do you feed?
Once a day or every other day.
How does this fish eat?(grazers, active or sedentary predators, sand sifters, etc)
Swallows food whole.
GROWTH RATE AND LIFE SPAN
What is the initial size of your fish and maximum size it reached? How fast did it grow (how much growth over a given period of time)?
Initial size was approximately 4 in. In 2 years, it's grown to about 7 in.
What size tank did this fish live in? (or how soon did this fish outgrow what size tank)? What do you think is the minimum tank size required for an adult specimen of this fish?
I've had it for over 2 years in the same 29g. I'm about to move it to a 125g. I would say the minimum for an adult is 100g.
If this fish went through body pattern change from juvenile to adult, was the change complete? How long did it take?
I wasn't paying too close attention to pattern changes.
How long have you kept this fish? If you no longer have this fish, what was the cause?
I've had it now for over 2 years.
What is the longest lifespan and the maximum size of this fish in home aquarium and/or in the wild reported?
Don't know.
DISEASE AND TREATMENT
What disease has this fish had? How did you treat it, for how long? What's the effect of the treatment?
No diseases.
BEHAVIOR
Does this fish change body color under any circumstances?
It seems to get a bit darker with water changes.
How active is this fish? Is this fish shy?
Very active, and not shy at all.
How territorial or aggressive is this fish? How does this fish interact with tankmates?
Not aggressive.
Did this fish ever jump out of the tank?
no
How does this fish sleep?
It usually hangs out near the bottom of the tank.
Does this fish allow cleaners to clean? If so which cleaner and how often?
n/a
How does this fish interact with human?
It seems to know when I'm about to feed it. When I go to get the pack of frozen brine and then pop one open, it immediately goes to the tank wall to where I'm approaching the tank. Other times when I approach the tank but not about to feed it, it doesn't do anything special.
Any other interesting observation of this fish?
Sometimes I observe it just staring to the surface, appearing to be waiting for any signs of food.
REPRODUCTION
If you have a mated pair, how did you get them to pair up?
no
Any information of spawning in captivity?
n/a
SUMMARY
Your overall assessment of this species -
How sensitive is this fish to poor water quality on a scale of 1-5?
1 - very tolerant, may survive a cycle in a new tank
2 - quite tolerant, may survive accidental ammonia or nitrite spike
3 - not terribly sensitive to reasonable pH, salinity or temperature changes
4 - sensitive to any significant water chemistry changes, and may show stress during such changes
5 - very sensitive to water quality, may easily get stressed and get sick with any change in water chemistry
At least a 2, maybe even a 1. Very hardy fish
Would you recommend this fish to beginners?
I would recommend only if the beginner is aware of the possibility of being "stung". Just be careful when placing hands into the tank. Otherwise, very hardy fish.
Any other recommendations/comments?
Very pretty fish to look at and observe.
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