Feeding the lions

[Howesbrother]

My lions loooove live food. Unfortunately, the only live food available are freshwater fish like rosies and goldfish...I read that the frozen silversides are ideal for their diet. But they hate the dead fish idea and frankly so do I...I got monster fish, to see them devour prey.

Any suggestions?

 

[Ornatapinnis]

Teaching Lion's to eat frozen food takes some persistance but is very do-able. I start mine on live ghost shrimp, after thay are used to the routine, I start offering dead ghost shrimp and krille. THey will shortly take just about anything dropped in the water. YOur lion will realize that you dropping something in the water = food. Takes some time but is easy. You may need to "starve" your lion for a while but don't give in and give it a "feeder".

If you keep feeding your lion freshwater feeders it will have a short life span. I feed my lions a multi-complex diet such as Ocean Ntrition's formula one or two, this food has all the nutrients that you lion will need. Might not be as "cool" as feeders but it will live a long healthy life on this type of diet. Don't let it get hooked on krille too, that don't do too well long term when fed mostly krille.

Joel

 

[Miles]

I would just like to mention..

Some specific species of Lionfish can be MUCH MUCH harder to wean than others. All of Joel's advice above is very good, and it is the general consensus to give them a well-rounded diet of prepared foods.

BUT, I have a Lionfish species tank (3 seperate species).. in which 2 of the species ate prepared food only a few days after being in the tank.. Once they related me to live food, they would eat anything, even pellets off the top of the water. But one species, Pygmy Lionfish, will STILL not even attempt to anything but live food. He has been housed with the other Lionfish for over a year now, and watches them eat prepared foods on a daily basis, and still has not taken a single attempt at eating them. I will hold the food directly on its nose, only to watch another lion swoop in and snatch it right in front of him..

Just thought I would throw that in, so no one goes pulling their hair out over the situation..

 

[Ornatapinnis]

That is a good point Miles.

I based my answer on Volitan & clones but your right about some being stubborn to even impossible to get to eat prepaired foods. I once had a radiata that would not eat anything but live and had a fu man chu that took the better part of six months to get to eat frozen.

A good trick I have done is to use fishing line (monofiliment) and threaded it thru a piece of frozen krille so I could make it "swim". Worked well with silver sides too.

I got a really nice colored P. Miles last Monday from Sri Lanka...you were the first person I thought of when I got it (ha ha)

Joel