Fu Manchu Lionfish

fishoholic · #1 10-07-2009, 04:21 AM

Does anyone on here have a Fu Manchu Lionfish? Just curious as to what type of tank mates you could keep with one, and what their behaviour is like.

Leah · #2 10-07-2009, 11:36 AM

Laurie, I am pretty sure Whatcanyedo just added one to his tank, so you could possibly ask him.

noirsphynx · #3 10-07-2009, 01:38 PM

I think sphelps has one too.

Ellie_A · #4 10-07-2009, 02:04 PM

I don't have a fumanchu (will likely be adding one in the future), but I do have a dwarf zebra lionfish. Their behaviour is very similar.
The only inhabitant I have had problems with is small peppermint shrimp, he ate them, but that was to be expected really, I ordered them not knowing what size they would come in at. We do have a cleaner shrimp that he ignores completely along with a Blue Jaw Trigger, 2 Bangaii Cardinals and an Blue Spotted Jawfish. No problems with anyone else, he pretty much minds his own business and ignores everyone else.

Ellie

Ephraim · #5 10-07-2009, 03:26 PM

I have a Fu Manchu and he's one of the laziest fish i have ever kept, until he thinks he's about to be fed. He's always the first lion at the top to feed and will chase his prey down anywhere in the tank. You need to be careful what you put these guys with, they will eat anything they can fit in thier mouths.

whatcaneyedo · #6 10-07-2009, 05:06 PM

Like Leah mentioned I just bought one over a month ago. The LFS had already weaned it onto frozen silversides and krill from a feeding stick. At first it hid a lot but now its out perching on the rocks and scooting accross the sand nearly all of the time. I keep it with a Tomato Clown, Purple Tang, Mandarin Dragonet, and Snowflake Moray Eel. I dont have any shrimp or crabs so I dont know about those but I would like to try a cleaner shrimp if my Snowflake will leave it alone.

sphelps · #7 10-07-2009, 06:36 PM

What kind of tank mates did you want to keep with it? Pretty sure you can keep pretty much anything provided it's not small enough to become food. I've had mine for about 2 years now, quite timid and polite during feeding and has never shown aggression towards other fish. I currently have it with a seahorse, an engineer goby and two filefish, one being a matted filefish with isn't that big but big enough so the lion doesn't see it as food. I've also had it with a green spotted mandarin since June which is definitely small enough to be eaten but I think the colors deter the lion, not sure though but so far so good

Oh and the seahorse often catches rides on the lion, pretty fun to watch and it sure freaks people out

fishoholic · #8 10-07-2009, 08:28 PM

Thanks everyone for the info.

sphelps I love your Fu manchu! The thought of a seahorse ridding around on him is awsome

I really like the looks of a fu manchu and my lfs is supposed to be getting one in soon, but I'm not sure I should get one. I started thinking about it when I was talking with some employees at a lfs about my really mean King angel, and I was telling them that between my king angel and my large grouper that I wouldn't be able to add anymore fish to that tank. My king attacks anyone that is remotely similar to her and the kind of fish (large wrasses and groupers) that she would leave alone, my miniatus grouper wouldn't aprove of. So the guy said why don't you get a lionfish, most fish know to leave them alone, and that got me thinking.....

I don't want to add one though if there is any chance that my king or grouper would hurt it.

sphelps · #9 10-07-2009, 08:43 PM

I don't think they would hurt it. Although my lion hasn't shown any aggression towards other fish I have seen it show defense. I had a puffer recently, which turned out to be quite aggressive, and I saw it go towards the lion but the lion immediately pointed his back spines towards the puffer and waived them around. The puffer quickly backed off and I never saw it go near the lion again. I don't think it's an aggressive fish but it can certainly defend itself. I would just sneak it in at night when it will be most comfortable.

The most important thing to consider is training the new fish on frozen. It would be best to train it to eat frozen outside of your display in its own tank since any other competitors will make this much more difficult. You usually need to feed live food for a while first before it will take frozen. I'm fortunate enough to have Colby at Bayside who takes the time to train these kinds of fish before I purchase them.

fishoholic · #10 10-07-2009, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sphelps

I don't think they would hurt it. Although my lion hasn't shown any aggression towards other fish I have seen it show defense. I had a puffer recently, which turned out to be quite aggressive, and I saw it go towards the lion but the lion immediately pointed his back spines towards the puffer and waived them around. The puffer quickly backed off and I never saw it go near the lion again. I don't think it's an aggressive fish but it can certainly defend itself. I would just sneak it in at night when it will be most comfortable.

The most important thing to consider is training the new fish on frozen. It would be best to train it to eat frozen outside of your display in its own tank since any other competitors will make this much more difficult. You usually need to feed live food for a while first before it will take frozen. I'm fortunate enough to have Colby at Bayside who takes the time to train these kinds of fish before I purchase them.

Thank-you that was what I wondering, if it would be able to defend itself in case my king or grouper tried anything. I have a small bursa trigger in that tank that the king and grouper completely leave alone not sure if it has anything to do with the spikes all over by his tail but maybe they realize that there are some fish you don't mess with. At least that was what I hoping, that the king would realize it's a lionfish that could sting him and that if the king tried anything that the lionfish would defend itself and I'm sure when the king realizes that, she will back down, or maybe she'll be smart enough to leave alone in the first place. Good idea to add him at night, if I get one I will do that.

Lucky for me I have Ken at Blue world who also takes the time to train his lionfish to eat frozen and Ken will hold the fu manchu for me until it is eating and doing well