Although deadly, the lionfish is a beautiful addition to your saltwater aquarium.
The beauty and danger of the ocean combine in the lionfish. They are usually found near coral reefs in the tropical Indian and Pacific oceans. They are beautiful fish that have bright, dramatic colors and flowing fins. They are also dangerous, with venomous spines that deliver painful stings. If you are careful to avoid these stings, use a net to handle them and take care with their diet, lionfish are a great addition to any intermediate or large saltwater tank.
Instructions
1. Match the size of your tank to the species of lionfish. The larger the fish, the larger the tank should be. You can keep a dwarf lionfish in a 30- to 55-gallon tank, and most midsize to large lionfish are comfortable in a 50- to 100-gallon tank. However, adult lionfish can easily reach 15 inches in length, so you should be prepared for at least a 75-gallon tank.
2. Install an efficient filtration system and change the water frequently to remove all waste products. Lionfish eat a great deal and produce a lot of waste. The best filtration system for your tank depends on what you have in it. Saltwater tanks are very delicate and the wrong filtration system could hurt or kill your fish. Ask a pet shop worker knowledgeable in saltwater fish which system is best.
3. Add a soft substrate (bedding) to the bottom of the tank because lionfish have soft bellies that are easily scratched or cut by hard, rocklike substrates. Softer, sandlike substrates work best.
4. Keep the aquarium temperature at 72 to 78 degrees, with a pH level of 8.1 to 8.4. Use a thermometer to track the temperature. Turn on the in-tank heater to increase the temperature or use a heater with a thermostat that turns the heater on and off when needed. Purchase a pH meter that stays inside the tank and gives you a constant reading or a testing kit. To raise the pH, add 1 tsp. of baking soda per 20 gallons of water, or purchase commercial pH drops. The pH level of the tank drops over time, so if you are slightly over the 8.4 level, it should fall. If you are worried about it, however, they sell drops at most pet stores that will lower the pH.
5. Keep rocks or caves in the tank for lionfish to hide in. Lionfish are reef fish and are most comfortable when they can hide from anything that spooks them.
6. Feed lionfish by turning off the lights so they come out of hiding. Drop in the food and leave the lights off until you are sure the food is gone. You can flip the light on to check, but turn it off if the food remains. Lionfish prefer live food and will eat any fish smaller than they are. For this reason, never add fish to the tank that are small enough for a lionfish to swallow, or they will.
Tags: filtration system, your tank