Dwarf Lionfish tankmates

wesley · 03-03-2007, 11:17 PM

In planning out my FOWLR that's currently cycling, and I think I've discovered a huge love for dwarf zebra lionfish. It seems like most people recommend "any fish that it can't eat" for a tankmate. I'd like something that's rather active and colorful, of course I'd prefer hardy, and it needs to be happy in my 50 tall. Tons of caves and "rockwork" (cinderblock was used as baserock); I'm thinking some kind of wrasse. Here's my other question.

maybe a pinkface wrasse

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...fm?pCatId=1151

introduced well after the dwarf might be a fun combonation. Right now I only have a four stripe damsel. If he becomes a meal it's no loss. Anybody have any other suggestions?

Jflip2002 · 03-03-2007, 11:33 PM

He will become a meal, the damsel that is. Get something bigger than the lionfish, and you'll probably be ok. What about like a Panther Grouper or something (Not sure if a 50 is big enough). Or a larger rabbit fish would be nice as well.

wesley · 03-03-2007, 11:40 PM

from what I've read, those guys both seem a bit big...

I really really like the thalasoma (sp?) wrasses. Anybody care to weigh in on this combo? would those wrasses be too active, maybe keeping the lionfish from getting much food?

Geoff · 03-04-2007, 08:14 AM

some of the smaller groupers may be possible, but a Panther gets monsterous.

pretty much any fish that is larger than the lion and does not have a mouth as large as the lion (to eat the lion) you will be fine. your choices are a lot bigger than you think.

G~

wesley · 03-04-2007, 01:02 PM

so would you consider one of the thalassoma wrasses an okay pairing? I would love a tang, but no way am I going to put on in a 50, though I know others have. Maybe a foxface or a puffer? Maybe I do have quite a lot of choices...

Geoff · 03-05-2007, 09:15 AM

yes and no. they are big enough that they will not become food for the dwarf lion, but they are very aggressive feeders. it will be very difficult to get food to the lion with one of these wrasses in the tank. they will literally grab the food out of your hand once they get used to you. they are very bold.

G~

wesley · 03-05-2007, 09:51 AM

I do like bold fishes, but I would hate to make it hard on anyone in the tank.

so would that mean that most wrasses would be out of the picture for the same reason? I would imagine that a 50 is too small even temporarily for any surgeon/tang or trigger. It's hard for me to envision medium sized fish... I keep thinking nano-sized guys or fish that would need at least a 75 to be happy. I'd welcome any other suggestions...

Geoff · 03-05-2007, 09:28 PM

which species of dwarf lion are you looking at? if you can give me a species i can prolly find more fish. lions do not have the biggest mouths in the world, that belongs to frogfish

, so finding a tank make may be a lot easier than we are making it.

G~

wesley · 03-06-2007, 07:34 AM

I'm almost positive I'm going with a dwarf Zebra. I think that finding a tankmate is mostly difficult because of the size of the tank... everything else I'd wanna throw in there seems like it'd be too large for a 50. I'm looking at 1.5 to 2 years max residency in this tank before they'd be moved into another, well established larger tank.

wesley · 03-06-2007, 07:44 AM

how about a snowflake eel? Seems like a "nice" companion. Would it be too much to think of having one more fish in there? Maybe a larger velvet damsel?

Geoff · 03-07-2007, 09:17 PM

an eel is fine. damsels have been known to pick heavily at lions, expecially the dwarfs that tend to sit on rocks instead of swimming around.

G~

AdamG · 03-07-2007, 10:02 PM

I recommend a zebra eel, colorful, but will get tied up in the rock work and may not see all of him most of the time

wesley · 03-07-2007, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geoff

an eel is fine. damsels have been known to pick heavily at lions, expecially the dwarfs that tend to sit on rocks instead of swimming around.

G~

gwah, this is harder than I expected, but at least I'll be sure I'm making a fair pairing. so, wrasses = too bold, damsels = picky, tangs/triggers = too big for the system... eel = good idea. I'm hopin' for just one more, maybe with a touch more color/activity than those two. I feel like I'm at least makin' progress...

Geoff · 03-08-2007, 01:28 PM

maybe a Genicanthus angel. a zosters butterflyfish. maybe even an acuminus butterfly fish. make sure it eats first though.

G~

wesley · 03-08-2007, 09:09 PM

I think that's it, I really dig the pyramid butterfly. So, I think maybe the eel first, then the lion after a bit, then the butterfly at the end. Space them all a couple weeks apart. Sound right?