feeding a lion fish

[pong]

im back after a long time (in the forum)... bought a lion fish...

the question is... i know the lion fish likes to eat
live food... bought feeder gold fishes...

dumped one in... after a few minutes of chasing...
it ate the fish...

dumped another one in... with the hope that
the bamboo shark will eat it... but to no effect...
the lion fish ate it again...

dumped another one... the lion fish ate it again...

how do i make the bamboo shark eat the fish without
the lion fish eating it?

also, how many can the lion fish eat? the body is 4-5 inches
long (excluding the fins)... i dunno how the food fits in its body
... is there a chance that this will die because of overfeeding?

thanks!

[Blown 346]

Lionfish will eat other things besides feeder fish, the feeder fish are very high in fat and arent that good for it.
You could also feed the lion Freze dried Krill.
I would only feed the loin about 3 fish depending on there size.

The bamboo shark probably wont eat live feeders as they are a scavenger feeder, and the food has to be slow, and feeders arent.
I would try the freeze dried krill for the shark as well as pieces of clam, squid. You will have to place the food under the sharks mouth.

[ledford1]

I can't speak to the Bamboo Shark, but the lion I can. I'm assuming it's a Volitan?

Feeders are okay for awhile, but you want to switch the lion to frozen, prepared foods. I used an acrylic feeding stick from the LFS. Pierce the frozen food on the stick and then waive the food around to entice the lion and try to convince him that it is live food. The food can be silversides, squid or prepared foods like Formula One and Two foods. The lion probably won't go for it on the first attempt - it usually takes time to train the lion. Eventually, you'll just be able to drop the food into the tank for him.

[Ploppers]

Do you really have a bamboo shark in a 150? No, I'm not trying to bash.:) How long have you had it? How big is it?
I'd love to get a shark, but I don't think my clowns would. :p :rollface:

[SeanySean]

My lion used to eat pretty much everything, I started him off on Live but he then used to eat frozen food and the odd prawn.

They are also very easy to tame, my one used to spit water out during feeding time. all you had to do was show thefish through the glass

Go by the size of the belly on how much you should feed see what looks ok, when they eat to much they look bloated and sit on the rock feeling sorry for themselves. I used to feed a max of 2 lance fish or 1 kingsize prawn

[pong]

the bamboo is 6 inches long only... had it for 5 months... or
maybe 4... i think it eats the sinking pellets that i feed the
damsels... (that are designed as food... but wasnt eaten...
therefore swimming merrily in my tank :D)

yup its the volitan lion ... the easiet to keep according to
the people i know... besides... its the cheapest one too :D

[pong]

the belly... it looks as if its pregnant!

and i believe this fish is feeling sorry for himself
after eating 3 feeders greedily...

it just sits on top of my rock work right now...
not being able to move that much...

it usually chases the damsels... :p

[SeanySean]

Yeah it will take a day or so for it to go, When the stomach has returned to normal start feeding it again,

Thinking of the shark you could use two people one with a feeder stick and frozen food distracting the Lion and try to feed the shark at the same time.

Those Damsels are a gonna.... My cute little lion ate two medium sized clowns which looked way too big for its mouth in one sitting!!!

[hcahan]

Use the two feeding stick approach. It work well when I had a lion and a puffer to feed. Both are greedy little eaters.

[Amphiprion]

Please get your lion to begin eating prepared foods ASAP. Feeder goldfish have this nasty little enzyme called thiaminase--true to its name, it breaks down thiamin, which is essential to the health of the fish. This also contributes to long-term problems, like fatty degeneration of the liver. The shark should also feed well on any meaty frozen or fresh seafoods. Just be sure to keep it varied to replicate these sharks' diet. The "stick" approach works very well, IME.

[JENnKerry]

Exactly. Feeder goldfish are the main reason for many lionfish's premature deaths. They are no good for them. You'd be much better feeding them live ghost shrimp if you're feeding live.

[warren4066]

i would use a feeding stick for the shark, i don't think the lion can assum more than 3 fish. stop feeding it live feeders goldfish its not good for him in the long run. just starve him for about a week and during that time feed him something like silverside frozen and he will get the point that there is no more goldfish left in the world. he will forget about it.

[SeanySean]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6524435#post6524435 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by warren4066
i Just starve him for about a week

And remove rhe damsels, lol

[pong]

tried starving him for a month... didnt eat those pesky damsels...

the shark didnt eat them too... they just simply dont wanna die!

hehehe

btw, can u post a pic of the silverside... whatever this is... im from the philippines and the petshops here dont know what this is... il try to find one by visual identification...

[3rotorFD]

my dwarf lion won't eat frozen :mad: no matter what i do or try:(

[pong]

tried feeding sliced frozen fish... didnt like it... didnt even bother to try and sniff it! hahaha!

[Swanwillow]

silversides are very small, well, saltwater minnows. little fish.

or, just catch a damnsel, skewer it, and then feed it... sounds like tons of fun for me!!!

[pong]

catch a damsel? uhmmm... i dont think that will be a fun task... it might take forever considering that i have a lot of rocks in there :p hehehe!

what happens to a lion fish that primarily feeds on feeders? what is the expected lifespan if this is the case?

[warren4066]

i don;t know the lifespan if you keep on feeding goldfish as feeders, but the frozen silverside looks just like a minnow.

[SeanySean]

You could always swap to guppies instead of golfish,

I wish that I had my Lionel again to eat my damsel... PESTS the lot of them.

He would of got em,
Pong, how long haveyou had your lion fish?

[pong]

2 months... i think its the first time it ate unless i miscounted the live damsels out there :p hehehe

guppies? are they better than goldfishes as food?

[SeanySean]

Science, Science, Science, don't know to be honest - at least they are half in their habitat (salt water) not as fat so PROBABLY better.

They also look cooler as they last a bit longer, I started off with these for a month,

However, Lionel took time taking to frozen, but when they take the first the second will soon follow, my dwarf did not eat for a month as I did not have small enough fish for him - he had no choice.

From reading your post, get the shark on frozen, lion does not like, so will leave alone - do not worry about lion fish - worry about everything else, lol

/try everything you can get your hands on, mussles, prawns, lance fish.

Do not put the fish into the water, drag them across the waters surface, not showing the stick (scared the living daylights out of my dwarf)

I used to also tease with my fingers just poking through the water - be very quick, lol.

It only takes a taste - the rest is history - literally

[SeanySean]

On another note - I put a dog face puffer in my tank with the lion and the lion stopped eating, maybe vice versa, they may not like each other

[Swanwillow]

better than guppies:
mollies. they are brackish water fish, and if you feed them the right things, they will be more nutrisiously (can't spell today!!! UGH!) sound.

[pong]

now the problem is...

the lion learned to eat live food after the feeder experience...
it just ate another one of those pesky damsels!

hehehe

[Pandora]

Another issue with feeding FW fish as feeders is not so much with the quantity of fat, as the type. SW fish need a different kind of omega-3 in their diet that FW fish don't provide. Also, there is the issue of disease, feeders are kept in attrocious conditions at most stores (I should know, I've cleaned out these tanks). I'd stick with silversides.

[SeanySean]

Not that you have been feeding Live bait - it is just that is what Lions do, instinct...! Lions will eat everything that will fit in its mouth.

[jolt26]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6527292#post6527292 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by pong
tried starving him for a month... didnt eat those pesky damsels...

the shark didnt eat them too... they just simply dont wanna die!

hehehe

btw, can u post a pic of the silverside... whatever this is... im from the philippines and the petshops here dont know what this is... il try to find one by visual identification...

pong, try visiting our local site www.reefphilippines.com where you will find pinoys having success in training lionfishes to eat in their tanks ;)