setting up a lionfish tank
setting up a lionfish tank
I'm planning to get a black volitan lionfish in the future, but I've been doing some research and I'm getting mixed messages about tank size. Some sites say 50 gallons is the minimum, while others claim it's 75 gallons. However, I stumbled upon a YouTube video of one thriving in a 29-gallon tank - it didn't look crowded at all. My main concern is the weight of a larger tank, specifically a 55-gallon one, on the second floor of my house. If I could get away with a 29-gallon tank, that would be ideal since it would significantly reduce the weight and electrical output.
Re: setting up a lionfish tank
I'd say a minimum of 75 gallons is necessary for these fish, considering they can grow over a foot in length, and housing one long-term in anything smaller just wouldn't be right, in my opinion a 29 gallon would be a really poor choice for a fish of that size.
Re: setting up a lionfish tank
You can keep just about any fish in any size tank, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's the right thing to do.
I had a friend who had a large green moray eel in a 55-gallon tank. The eel would swim in circles, hide under some huge rocks, and just kind of exist. My friend took great care of the water, so the eel was always healthy, but it was clear the tank was too small.
Eventually, the eel outgrew the tank, and my friend had to trade it to a pet store, where it was moved to a 125-gallon tank. I've seen this happen time and time again with large, predatory fish.
I've always been a fan of the Panther Grouper and the Red Emperor Snapper. When I had my saltwater setup, I could only afford a 38-gallon tank. I had to take my grouper back to the pet store when it got too big, but I kept my Snapper. Unfortunately, its growth was stunted, but it still lived a long life - over five years, I think.
The point is, you can keep a large fish in a small tank, but it's not going to be healthy for the fish in the long run. You'll either have to upgrade to a larger tank or find a new home for the fish. Most large, predatory fish grow quickly, and it's not always easy to care for them.
Personally, I wouldn't want to deal with removing a large Lionfish from my tank. I'd consider a Dwarf Lionfish instead - they're just as striking in color, but not as big.
Best Regards,
Ssjrr family
I had a friend who had a large green moray eel in a 55-gallon tank. The eel would swim in circles, hide under some huge rocks, and just kind of exist. My friend took great care of the water, so the eel was always healthy, but it was clear the tank was too small.
Eventually, the eel outgrew the tank, and my friend had to trade it to a pet store, where it was moved to a 125-gallon tank. I've seen this happen time and time again with large, predatory fish.
I've always been a fan of the Panther Grouper and the Red Emperor Snapper. When I had my saltwater setup, I could only afford a 38-gallon tank. I had to take my grouper back to the pet store when it got too big, but I kept my Snapper. Unfortunately, its growth was stunted, but it still lived a long life - over five years, I think.
The point is, you can keep a large fish in a small tank, but it's not going to be healthy for the fish in the long run. You'll either have to upgrade to a larger tank or find a new home for the fish. Most large, predatory fish grow quickly, and it's not always easy to care for them.
Personally, I wouldn't want to deal with removing a large Lionfish from my tank. I'd consider a Dwarf Lionfish instead - they're just as striking in color, but not as big.
Best Regards,
Ssjrr family
Re: setting up a lionfish tank
Volitan needs space to thrive. Minimum, I'd say an 18-inch width and depth for comfortable turning. 350 liters of water, ideally more if you can manage it.
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