tank mate for a lionfish

[JaiWiz]

not sure if i have the room but just wondering if i could put a tank mate with my lionfish in a 30 gal. tank the lion is a antennata and i know its a small tank but would like to put a little more life in there ornamental shrimp are def outta the questions as are crabs just wondering what kind of fish or anything else i could throw in with my prized lion.

[TheMikey]

Ideally a fish big enough that it can't fit in the Lion's mouth. The problem with that, though, is that you're running in a 30g tank and - because lionfish are really messy eaters - your bioload is going to be huge. I hope you've got a powerful skimmer. Also, if you want to keep your lionfish happy you're going to need to upgrade your tank size.

[JaiWiz]

i got no protein skimmer and am running it with to aquaclear a 20 and a 30 with a koralia nano powerhead and about 30 lbs of live rock i was thinkin of putting a picasso trigger in with him i will have a bigger tank in a year when we switch our offices to a bigger building

[TheMikey]

I would STRONGLY advise against putting any other fish (especially predators) in your 30g tank. Unless you get a big protein skimmer, you are going to run into severe problems with your water parameters unless you're doing massive water changes with some frequency.

Also, minimum tank size for Picassos should be 75-80g. 30g is just too small. Same thing with the lion, I would suggest seeing if you can sell it to someone with an adequately sized tank (45g minimum... ideally 60g) instead of keeping it cooped up in such a small area.

If you're dead set on keeping a lionfish, there are several dwarf species that will be fine in a 30 gallon set up.

First things first, get a protein skimmer.

[paddyob]

I would STRONGLY advise against putting any other fish (especially predators) in your 30g tank. Unless you get a big protein skimmer, you are going to run into severe problems with your water parameters unless you're doing massive water changes with some frequency.

Also, minimum tank size for Picassos should be 75-80g. 30g is just too small. Same thing with the lion, I would suggest seeing if you can sell it to someone with an adequately sized tank (45g minimum... ideally 60g) instead of keeping it cooped up in such a small area.

If you're dead set on keeping a lionfish, there are several dwarf species that will be fine in a 30 gallon set up.

First things first, get a protein skimmer.

I agree 110%.

Maybe do your upgrades first instead of putting an unsuitable fish into your tank.

Your tank is not suitable for the lion alone with the filtration you are running. Aqua Clear filters are good... but you can't get much lower on the filtration charts.

Maybe slow down Jai. Make better educated choices and select only what MAKES SENSE!

I assume first tank. Relax. Be patient. Research. Enjoy.

Please don't add anymore until your system can actually support it.


Good luck. Lions are awesome!

[JaiWiz]

yea i hear ya i'll let jus the lion hang out for now i already got a canister for it which i'm gonna fill with live rock rubble and keep the aquaclears packed with carbon (easier to change the media in a Aquaclear then a canister) and i will eventually get him a bigger tank. This is my Third tank i started with a 10 gal at home then upgraded to a 55 gal which has been flawless for over a year and i need to desparately upgrade that its too small for myself and the 6 fish i have in it. the lion is at my office i also have another 50 gal fish only tank at the office but it was no place for my prized lion so lol here i'am as for putting a fish in with the lion it was just a thought that i could find something that would be suitable in there it doesnt have to be a fish i plan on putting mushrooms in there and wanna know if there are any starfish or sea stars that would be good for the tank?

[JaiWiz]

anything jus to add a lil more life to the ordeal lol

[reefwars]

urchins and starfish would be fine, you could probably add a frog fish as well they dont need a whle lot of space and your lion wouldnt go near it but they can be quite tricky to take care of and add alot to your bio load. but if its just colour your after why not add some easy corals like shrooms and zoas??

[paddyob]

yea i hear ya i'll let jus the lion hang out for now i already got a canister for it which i'm gonna fill with live rock rubble and keep the aquaclears packed with carbon (easier to change the media in a Aquaclear then a canister) and i will eventually get him a bigger tank. This is my Third tank i started with a 10 gal at home then upgraded to a 55 gal which has been flawless for over a year and i need to desparately upgrade that its too small for myself and the 6 fish i have in it. the lion is at my office i also have another 50 gal fish only tank at the office but it was no place for my prized lion so lol here i'am as for putting a fish in with the lion it was just a thought that i could find something that would be suitable in there it doesnt have to be a fish i plan on putting mushrooms in there and wanna know if there are any starfish or sea stars that would be good for the tank?

Fair enough!

I agree about canisters... PITA for maintenance but can do the job. I myself have used AC30s on smaller tanks solely for surface skimming or carbon while using a canister.

Hope it goes well!

[whatcaneyedo]

Do some research before going out and buying just any starfish. Most that are readily available don't eat algae and often starve to death within a year. Some of them are carnivorous and others we don't even know what they eat. Generally speaking, brittle stars are a much safer bet. They tend to be omnivorous scavengers... but again, do your research because some of them get huge. This site is great for free information http://liveaquaria.com/product/aquarium-fish-supplies.cfm?c=497+528

I'm a big fan of tuxedo urchins, tiger tail cucumbers and abalone.