Who Gives A Fish Forums

Hey everyone, so I'm thinking of getting my first lionfish and I've got a few questions.
1. If I've got a big enough tank, can I keep more than one lionfish in it?
2. I'm looking at tanks from 50 to 90 gallons, but specifically, would 75 gallons be enough for one lionfish?
3. I'd really like to feed it live food only, I like watching them hunt and all that. I don't wanna do frozen or pellets, I wanna feed it fish too, not just shrimp, thanks!

Dwarf lions are perfectly fine in a 50g tank, and a 75g would be more than enough. If you're thinking of keeping multiple lions, I'd say it's doable, but stick to different species. Three dwarfs could work in a 50g, while a 75g could handle one of the larger species, like a radiata. Keep in mind, lionfish aren't super active, so they won't be constantly on the hunt for food. For dwarf species, consider the zebras, fu Manchu, or the fuzzy. As for tankmates, just remember to choose fish that are at least 2/3s the lion's size - anything they can't swallow.

That's gonna be awesome when it's all set up, I'd love to see it. Lionfish are really something special, their appearance is just so unique and gorgeous.

So I really appreciate the info from the first reply, it's been super helpful. But I gotta address the last question. So, you want to feed it live fish? Honestly, I'm not sure that's the best idea. I mean, think about it - you'll have to go to the pet store all the time to get live food, which is just a hassle. And if you ever want to switch to frozen food, it's gonna be tough to get them to eat it. Plus, it's gonna cost a pretty penny to keep buying live food all the time. And to be honest, I'm not sure it's the kindest thing to do. I get that it's cool to watch them hunt, but is it really worth it?

I've had the pleasure of keeping both dwarf and volitans lionfish, and I gotta say, skip the live fish idea. They'll happily chase down a frozen silverside, no need to splurge on live food. Not only will you save some cash, but it's a more humane approach too. I've had great experiences with my lionfish, especially the dwarf fuzzy, which was a total model citizen alongside some pretty small tankmates like royal grammas and gobies.

I'm also considering a dwarf lion and I've come across some concerns about keeping Angels as tankmates. Apparently, Angels can be a bit aggressive and might even bite holes in the lionfish's fins, which doesn't sound great.