Shy LionFish

doccsg · 10-27-2001, 02:51 AM

Just got a tank - 3yrs old - moved it from a drs office to my house. Has been at my house for about 14days. The lionfish stays inside the rocks hiding except when the lights are out at night. I have a little tunnel through the reef. He looks fine and healthy but won't come out. He usually eats shrimp hand fed to him about every other day. He hasn't eaten in a week. All the other fish look great. Just did a water change 3 days ago. tested the water before and its fine.

What's up? Is he sick or just shy?

Drew · 10-27-2001, 12:03 PM

What size tank and what are the other fish? If the others are too active that may compel him to stay under cover. HTH

Drew

Doug1 · 10-27-2001, 12:11 PM

What species of lion fish is it?

doccsg · 10-31-2001, 01:41 AM

Just to clarify - really two issues here
1- not eating
2- hiding

125g DAS 1 Volitans lionfish, 1 Zebra Moray eel (also quite shy but eats), 2 saddle back clowns, 1 yellow tang. The last 3 in the list are pretty active.

Scrooge · 10-31-2001, 02:58 PM

I think many lionfish are just shy. They like to hang around under the rocks, sometimes upside down. I wouldn't be concerned if this was the only problem, but not eating is more serious. Still, it may just be full, lionfish don't eat every day like most of our fish.

You mentioned he was more active at night, have you tried to feed it after lights out?

Doug1 · 11-01-2001, 09:13 AM

So is it still hiding alot, any luck gettin it to eat yet?

doccsg · 11-01-2001, 03:29 PM

Good News!!!!

I walked to the tank today with shrimp in hand and the lionfish came out and waited in the top right corner of the tank. (the feeding corner) He looked hungry. I got the tongs and he backed off. I stuck my shrimp filled hand in the tank and he came back and took it. I guess I will have to hand feed. Thats what the previous owner did. He is afraid of tongs.
He has also been out of his cave all day. The urchin is in there and he can't get by.