The Amazing Aquarium Lionfishes

Marine Fishes from the Family Scorpaenidae Make Great Saltwater Pets

Mar 25, 2008

While some may be intimidated by the lionfishes, they actually are hardy saltwater fish appropriate for the beginning marine aquarist.

Commonly called Firefish, Scorpionfish, Rockfish, and Stonefish, the Lionfishes belong to the order Scorpaeniformes. There are 35 families, 300 genera, and more than 1,000 species of these very unique looking, beautiful fish. While they are an important food species, they are also coveted within the marine aquarium trade. Best of all, they are commonly available, relatively inexpensive and quite hardy. Be warned, they are capable of delivering a powerful sting. Nonetheless, the potential of being stung is far outweighed in most hobbyists’ minds by the positive attributes of this showy marine fish.

The lionfishes seen in the marine aquarium hobby are indigenous to the tropical Indo-Pacific, and the species most often seen in the home aquarium are from the subfamily Pteroinae and the genera Brachypterois, Pterois and Dendrochirus. Of these three genera, fishes from the genus Pterois are the true lionfishes. The species in the other genera are generally referred to as the dwarf lionfishes.

The lionfishes from the genus Pterois get their name from the Greek word “pteron” or “wing.” When they stretch out their pectoral fins, they most certainly do look like a winged creature. The Red Lionfish (P. volitans) is one of the most common in the hobby and an excellent choice for the beginning hobbyist with a 50-gallon plus aquarium (the Red Lionfish can grow to 15 inches). Although called a Red Lionfish, P. volitans is not always red. Red Lionfish living in estuaries, for example, are often black.

Lionfishes from the genus Dendrochirus and the genus Brachypterois are known commonly as the dwarf lionfishes, although fishes from the latter genus are rarely seen in the hobby. The dwarf lionfishes seldom exceed six inches in length and, generally speaking, have all the appeal of big lionfishes from the genus Pterois. Dwarf lionfishes are often less active than other lionfishes, but the trade off is that they can be housed in aquaria half the size. The Zebra Turkeyfish (Dendrochirus zebra)is a relatively common dwarf lionfish and is a good choice for the beginning aquarist looking for the dramatic impact of a lionfish in a much smaller tank (30 gallons and up).

Caring for Your Lionfish

Despite their differences in size, lionfishes from the genus Dendrochirus and the genus Pterois have very similar requirements (except for minimum tank size). Lionfishes are nocturnal, so it is best to not keep them in a brightly illuminated tank. If you are planning to keep a lionfish in a tank with bright lights, make sure the lionfish has a deep cave in which to retreat. Lionfishes are quite hearty, but you do need to provide them with heavy-duty filtration and excellent skimming—they are quite messy eaters. Without appropriate mechanical and biological filtration, a dive in alkaline reserve will be accompanied by plunging pH and the demise of your fishes.

Lionfishes are notorious for not taking to a captive diet at first. It may, in fact, be necessary to offer the specimen live shrimp, crabs or small fish at first. By feeding your new lionfish live food mixed with frozen food, you can get the fish interested in a captive diet. Then slowly add more frozen food and less live food at each feeding until the fish is weaned onto a captive diet. Take note that your lionfish will make a meal out of most anything in your tank that it can fit in its mouth. It is therefore best to keep lionfish with larger tankmates.

Additional Resources

The copyright of the article The Amazing Aquarium Lionfishes in Saltwater Fish is owned by Ret Talbot. Permission to republish The Amazing Aquarium Lionfishes in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.