feeding dwarf lion help please

izzie · 02/24/2007, 09:57 PM

I cant get my dwarf lion to eat. He came in 65F water so he is kinda stressed. His eyes are merky so i would really like to get him eating. How can i do this. I tried feeding him live fresh water feeder goldfish and he would go for them but would not make a big enough attempt to catch them. Just nip and miss. They would move befor he could eat them. Then i tried the wooden stick with the fish on the end. I could put it right in his face and he would not eat. What can i do to get him eating. And how can i fix the merky eyes. I was told to get him eating feeders then to feed them befor with garlic soaked food. Anyone have any ideas to even get him to eat befor he dies. Thanks.
Izzie

boxfishpooalot · 02/24/2007, 10:21 PM

This is a tough one, but ill give you a bump.

The cloudy eyes are a bacterial infection due to enviromental stress. If he can eat the eyes will recover. But I suspect he has a hard time eating because his vision is dimmed.

Only sugestion I got is to put the lionfish inside a small container inside the tank with a feeder goldfish. That way his visibility will be enhanced cause the goldfish can not go too far.

You may want to try a mollie from freshwater because they can live much longer in saltwater.

JENnKerry · 02/25/2007, 08:21 AM

First off, how long have you had him? If you just got him then it might be a little too soon to get him eating anything other than live foods. You should never feed them goldfish, as they are not good for them. I would start him on live ghost shrimp, then try weaning him onto frozen foods. There are a couple of good threads in the aggressive tank and fish only forum on feeding lions.

LobsterOfJustice · 02/25/2007, 08:30 AM

He might just not be hungry enough. They can go a while without eating. I feed mine about twice a week. I started with live FW guppies and ghost shrimp. After a few weeks he would hit anything that went into the water, so now I just throw in silversides, krill, and chunks of fish and squid.

Describe the cloudy eyes. These creatures are active at dusk/night, so their vision is different from ours. If it looks like the lens of the eye is green or teal this is probably normal. Rabbitfish, which are also active in periods of less than full daylight also have this. My parents say they both look like they have cataracts.

izzie · 02/25/2007, 10:45 AM

The eyes are a milky blury not a green blurry. Its like there is a cloud over them. One is worse then the other.
Izzie

izzie · 02/25/2007, 01:38 PM

ok today he isnt moving that much he will sit in one spot for awhile then move to another. His eyes are starting to clear but still not clear. Not eating anything yet. Any idea on how to get him to eat. thanks.
Izzie

LobsterOfJustice · 02/25/2007, 06:11 PM

How long have you had him?

scunan · 02/25/2007, 06:27 PM

The lion fish will just sit in one spot for a while and then move to another. That is what the one my friend has does all the time.

phoenix3717 · 02/25/2007, 07:18 PM

i had a lion that didn't eat for a good 5 days. quarantined him then put in a few guppies....now he's a glutton and will eat till his mouth is full

02/24/2007, 09:57 PM	#1
izzie Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Regina Sk Canada Posts: 209	feeding dwarf lion help please I cant get my dwarf lion to eat. He came in 65F water so he is kinda stressed. His eyes are merky so i would really like to get him eating. How can i do this. I tried feeding him live fresh water feeder goldfish and he would go for them but would not make a big enough attempt to catch them. Just nip and miss. They would move befor he could eat them. Then i tried the wooden stick with the fish on the end. I could put it right in his face and he would not eat. What can i do to get him eating. And how can i fix the merky eyes. I was told to get him eating feeders then to feed them befor with garlic soaked food. Anyone have any ideas to even get him to eat befor he dies. Thanks. Izzie

02/24/2007, 10:21 PM	#2
boxfishpooalot Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: canada, Grande Praire, Ab Posts: 5,824	This is a tough one, but ill give you a bump. The cloudy eyes are a bacterial infection due to enviromental stress. If he can eat the eyes will recover. But I suspect he has a hard time eating because his vision is dimmed. Only sugestion I got is to put the lionfish inside a small container inside the tank with a feeder goldfish. That way his visibility will be enhanced cause the goldfish can not go too far. You may want to try a mollie from freshwater because they can live much longer in saltwater. __________________ Its a good idea to have a refrence sample for alk test kits. 1.1350 grams of baking soda in 1gallon of distilled water=10dkh. Check your alkalinity test kit! Algae is Mother Natures phosphate remover Current Tank Info: 220 galon mixed reef.

02/25/2007, 08:21 AM	#3
JENnKerry Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Jersey Posts: 7,384	First off, how long have you had him? If you just got him then it might be a little too soon to get him eating anything other than live foods. You should never feed them goldfish, as they are not good for them. I would start him on live ghost shrimp, then try weaning him onto frozen foods. There are a couple of good threads in the aggressive tank and fish only forum on feeding lions. __________________ We Don't Have a Signature..... Current Tank Info: 125 Gallon Reef

02/25/2007, 08:30 AM	#4
LobsterOfJustice Recovering Detritophobe Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Cary, NC Posts: 7,443	He might just not be hungry enough. They can go a while without eating. I feed mine about twice a week. I started with live FW guppies and ghost shrimp. After a few weeks he would hit anything that went into the water, so now I just throw in silversides, krill, and chunks of fish and squid. Describe the cloudy eyes. These creatures are active at dusk/night, so their vision is different from ours. If it looks like the lens of the eye is green or teal this is probably normal. Rabbitfish, which are also active in periods of less than full daylight also have this. My parents say they both look like they have cataracts. __________________ If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right. I remember when zoanthids were called things like "green" and "orange" and not "reverse gorilla nipple." Current Tank Info: 180g reef with all the bells and whistles

02/25/2007, 06:11 PM	#7
LobsterOfJustice Recovering Detritophobe Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Cary, NC Posts: 7,443	How long have you had him? __________________ If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right. I remember when zoanthids were called things like "green" and "orange" and not "reverse gorilla nipple." Current Tank Info: 180g reef with all the bells and whistles

02/25/2007, 10:45 AM	#5
izzie Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Regina Sk Canada Posts: 209	The eyes are a milky blury not a green blurry. Its like there is a cloud over them. One is worse then the other. Izzie

02/25/2007, 01:38 PM	#6
izzie Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Regina Sk Canada Posts: 209	ok today he isnt moving that much he will sit in one spot for awhile then move to another. His eyes are starting to clear but still not clear. Not eating anything yet. Any idea on how to get him to eat. thanks. Izzie

02/25/2007, 06:27 PM	#8
scunan Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Maine Posts: 298	The lion fish will just sit in one spot for a while and then move to another. That is what the one my friend has does all the time.

02/25/2007, 07:18 PM	#9
phoenix3717 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Santa Clara, CA Posts: 45	i had a lion that didn't eat for a good 5 days. quarantined him then put in a few guppies....now he's a glutton and will eat till his mouth is full