[Javman]

Hello, I am new to salt water aquariums, I have kept freshwater tanks for some years. I have a 60 gal tank and have been really wanting a lion fish for a salt water tank. Just a few questions should I get live sand or regular sand, any coral (dead or alive) can i have any other organisms? or any advise would be appreciated.

Thanks

[Sikkob]

Go with live sand, since you are looking at a fish only tank I would get dead sps coral within a couple months it will actually be live rock and help support the bio in the tank as well as grow algea.

When you say organisms do you mean other fish and crabs? If that was your question then the answer is yes. I had a dwarf lion with a powder blue tang. A very important rule is never feed it fresh water food, feed it silver sides, shrimp and squid. There is a chart somewhere within the forums and many online to see compatibility...there are also different types of lions as well.

[Javman]

actually looking at a larger lion fish, so what about live rock?

[e_baer]

Yes, get live rock! If you have a 60 gal tank, get 60 lbs of rock, and 60 lbs of sand as well. I have a question regarding a dwarf lion. I have an antennata lion and I jsut got it 2 days ago. I am trying to feed it small guppies, but it is not taking them. Is this possibly because it is still acclimating? I know im not supposed to feed it freshwater, but it is only until the store gets a new order of ghost shrimp.

[blind1993]

try giving them feeder goldfish

[e_baer]

alright, ill try.....how long do you think it can go without eating? Im not trying to starve it, im just wonderign when I should start being panicy about it.

[crabyman]

Starve him!!!!! The only way you will wean that lion off of live foods is to starve him. You'd be surprised how long they can go without eating and be just fine. In the wild they usually get a meal every 3 days or so, so don't worry. Starve him for a few days, get a long kabab stick and try enticing him to eat frozen silversides or krill. You said you were trying to give him feeder guppies though and he would not eat? Be worried there may be something wrong with him not to gobble those up. Hope this helps.

[e_baer]

Well, I had 2 lions, but one had died before I posted any of these messages. That is what made me ask about the eating, I was thinking maybe the lion died because of starvation. I still have one Antennata lion. I was doing some research and it says they like to feed at night and they dont go after fish as much as shrimp. So, I tried to feed at night(when the lights were off for a good hour or so) and still nothing. I am getting saltwater ghost shrimp tomorrow in the mail. I jujst hope this does the trick. PS: I got my money back from the lion that died, and I got a fuzzy dwarf. Are there any live saltwater feeder fish that I can get somewhere that I can keep in a seperate 10g tank or something? Or should I just stick the the shrimp? I know fuzzys like the fish more than shrimp.

[crabyman]

Believe me it takes awhile before they get used to the dead fish kabob. I was beggining to think mine never would, but then one day he smacked it and ever since as soon as he sees it coming he's a the top of the tank. As far as yours not eating live foods like i said before THATS NOT GOOD! I hope he comes around because mine devored anything still kicking when i first bought him but wouldn't touch anything dead. Something tells me your going to be bringing him back for a refund to sorry to say. Quaratine that dwarf!!! Don't ad him with the other, lionfish are very disease resistant but it sounds like yours might have something. Good luck....lionfish are the K"s of saltwater in my opinion.

[e_baer]

Well, The lion is still alive. anmd I get the live saltwater feeder shrimp today. So hopefully hell be eating weithin a few hours of now. Thanks for all your help!

[e_baer]

bad news....the shrimp didnt come with the other things i had ordered. The shrimp are on backorder. The good news is, I got some rosie reds, and the lions gobbled them right up. I think Im set now with everything. Thanks for all yours guys's help. (yes, that was bad grammer)