Lionfish

Lionfish are one of the most spectacular of all fish species able to be kept in home aquariums. But lionfish may not be the best fish for a saltwater aquarium beginner. They are very hardy, but also large and aggressive. They are also quite expensive so a mistake with them will cost you. You will want to have extensive marine aquarium experience before putting a lionfish in your tank.

Lionfish show good resistance to disease and are active at night. Their spines, while pretty, are also venomous and can cause problems if you have an allergy to them. You should never touch the lionfish, particularly when it is displaying aggressive behavior. This may pose a problem when cleaning inside the aquarium. Generally they will move into a safe hiding place, so as long as you don’t make any sudden moves to startle the lionfish into aggressive behavior you should be OK.

Lionfish are carnivorous predators and as such love to eat live fish. They require a good variety of food.  Remember that any small fish in the tank will be considered prey so you should not keep small species with them unless you intend for the lionfish to eat them.  Feeder guppies and minnows are popular lionfish foods that you can purchase from fish stores. Crabs and shrimp also work well.

Lionfish enjoy a large tank of at least 75 gallons and their optimum temperature is 75-79 F. They can grow up to 12 inches but may be as small as half that.  Their lifespan is quite long, up to 10 years in captivity. In a saltwater aquarium, they will require coral overhangs for hiding and stalking prey.

Lionfish will add a true feel of the wild to your tank.  Some will have a problem feeding live prey to them. If this describes you then avoid the lionfish. For them it is natural behavior.