Picked up a 25 today

[Melonbob]

Got it out of the locals for $20. I'm thinking of filling er up, throwing in some rock and adding a lionfish. I noticed some of the species only call for a 30, so I'm hoping I can get away with it. I've always dug them....any opinions?

[UnderwaterWorld]

I think they get to big but I may be wrong

[kimoy]

get a fu man chu

[kyle]

i think that might be alittle small for a lionfish, unless you get a dwarf lionfish

[Doc]

Originally Posted by Melonbob

Got it out of the locals for $20. I'm thinking of filling er up, throwing in some rock and adding a lionfish. I noticed some of the species only call for a 30, so I'm hoping I can get away with it. I've always dug them....any opinions?

Dead-on my man. Lionfish do not need the room that an open ocean fish does (tangs, angelfish, etc). Lionfish tend to just hover around one spot and wait for food to come to them. Due to their lack of movement, they can fit in a much smaller tank than a free swimming fish of a comparable size. You can easily fit a radiata or antennata lionfish in a 25 gallon tank. You might even be able to fit a volitan in a 25 if it is the only inhabitant. I have done my homework on this one. Buy with confidence. All you need is a HOB filter with a filter sponge, a carbon media bag and 15% regular water changes (they are messy eaters), live rock and sand if you like. Just remember, corals are OK with these guys but forget about shrimp. Hell, forget about the corals and toss in a Batik star or a red general, a few feather dusters and a couple of urchins in with the lionfish. That tank would look awesome!

-Doc

[Melonbob]

Great Doc, I knew I'd need some room, but I figured they don't swim a whole hell of alot, and he will likely be the only fish

[fatman]

A Volitan in a large tank can easily reach 14 inches in length. However you will not get one to continue to grow in a tank that small. The big problem you will have with a large lion fish is filthy water as they love to eat and poop. Some people over rely on carbon with large fish populations. It is not a widely accepted practice and is done only by the few. I would definitely use a skimmer with all large fish , especially predator fish. I have kept lots of Volitans in the past, even before the widespread use of skimmers. Skimmers were pretty pathetic back in the seventies, powered by just wooden airstones. The typical tank had crushed coral for substrate and an undergravel filter, and no live rock. Volitans will accept some prretty dismal living conditions and survive, but that does not mean they should be subjected to that now that reefing has developed beyond those practices of years ago. I would recommend a skimmer, a deep sand bed, sand a good load of live rock and buy a young small lion fish. As the deep sand bed develops you will be able to remove more and more of the live rock supplying room for the Lionfish's growth. I would limit carbon to an as needed basis only just to provide water clarity, not as afiltering media for fish wastes in general. Use it for a few days at a time as needed. Another good alternative is a trickle filter or a bio wheel and no deep sand bed or live rock. Without corals you do not need to worry about the higher nitrate level you will have. You will mainly need to control the nitrates enough tp keep from having algae problems. Trickle filters and BioWheel filters are great for fish only tanks. They are the most effective nitrifying filters in use today. They are much better nitrifiers tan a deep sand bed or live rock. However nitrate levels are nearly always high with biowheels and trickle filters making tem a poor choice for atank with invertebrates and corals in aprticular. Still limit your carbon use to an as needed basis with either a biowheel or a trickle filter.

[Melonbob]

I have a 350 biowheel in my main tank already, I've been thinking of pulling it, but I pulled out the biowheel and have been using it to just run media through. I can use that, Add some sand, and add rock slowly, more as a decoration than anything. I like the idea of a star and urchin, I have a tuxedo in my main tank and just think he's awesome. Lighting?

[fatman]

Lion fish like little light preferably. If they have holes to go into to get away from bright lights they will do so. I have had Volitans that would hang out up side down under ledges to get away from the lights. They would be quite happy with room lighting and no overhead lighting.

[salt newbie01]

Go with a fu man chu - I think the fish would be happier! A lot of the volitans can get to the size of a basketball - so a 25 would be a little cramped IMO. The dwarf zebra lion are really cool looking but it is very hard to get them to eat prepared foods. It is easier to convert a fu man chu over to frozen foods. Which makes them a lot easier to care for. How about a frogfish/angler? They are SUPER cool to watch and don't get real big. Just an option - Good luck though with whatever you decide.