How do I care for Lion Fish in a home aquarium?

What type of special care is involved in having a lion fish in a home aquarium (feeding, health, etc.)? What other species of fish can be kept in the same tank? Given their poisonous nature, how does one appropriately clean the tank?Thanks

The very popular Volitans lionfish is considered the ultimate lionfish by most marine aquarists, and other members of this genus, such as the Antennata and Radiata, lionfish are frequently found at local fish stores. As adult fish, they are considered medium sized (10-15" long with tail) and, while they are relatively inactive swimmers, they still must be housed in a fairly large aquarium (75 gallons or more). So, does this mean that people with smaller tanks can't enjoy lionfish? Certainly not. Another type of lionfish, the "dwarf lions," fills this niche and is commonly available. Dwarf fuzzy lions, dwarf lions, and Fu Man Chu lions stay reasonably small (under 8" long including tail) and do very well in tanks in the 30-50 gallon range.The size of the aquarium needed to house one or more lionfish will depend on the species of lionfish chosen. Members of the smaller dwarf lionfish can be kept in smaller tanks. Because these fish are sedentary and tend to hide in the rockwork or upside down in caves, smaller tanks (between 30-55 gallons) are suitable [Figure 2]. In general, members of the Pterois family (the mid-to-large bodied lions) require larger tanks in the range of 50-100+ gallons. Adult P. volitans can easily reach 15" in length and should not be kept in tanks smaller than 75 gallons. I have read many posts from people who have kept these fish in far smaller tanks, so my advice to them is to be prepared to provide a larger tank within a year or so, as this is the time required for these fish to reach adult size. Requirements for aquascaping can vary between species; almost all lionfish are dawn/dusk predators and will spend much of their time during the day lounging and hiding. The Antennata and Radiata lions will hide almost exclusively during daylight hours, so caves and covered rockwork are useful, while Volitans lions prefer open waters day and night. Dwarf lions initially will hide during the day; however, once acclimated they will spend much of the day light hours in open view. Juvenile fish of all lionfish species are quite timid and spend daylight hours hiding in the rockwork. The good news is that most lionfish will acclimate to tank life and your individual lighting schedule, so after a few months of hiding and lounging, they will begin to spend much of their time out in the open. According to Michaels (1998), lionfish are ideal candidates for reef aquariums. While I agree that these fish won't harm any corals, they limit tankmate selections [Figure 3]. If a reef tank has no fish equal to or smaller than the lionfish, no ornamental shrimp or crabs, then lionfish are acceptable. I would say that housing a lionfish in a reef is your decision, as I have seen both beautiful reef tanks with dwarf lionfish as occupants, as well as a reef tank with no other fish life than a Volitans lionfish.

Here's a site I like that tells all about their care...It's very informative. :)http://www.marineaquariumadvice.com/lionfish-pterois-volitans.htmlA note though...NEVER stick your hands in the tank. I had a friend stung by a lionfish at home and he almost died. Always use a long scrubbie on a stick that you would use for bathrooms or whatever to clean your tank. Just make sure the scrubbies don't have any cleaning chemicals on them...I'm pretty sure he bought this one when he got well...You could look for one like it in stores.https://www.housecalls-network.com/oscommerce/product_info.php?cPath=36_66&products_id=340

Average Size: To about 7 inches, with larger specimens reaching about 10 inches.Minimum Tank Size Suggested: 55 gallons, and with adequate shelter.Habitat: Bottom-dweller that prefers the quieter waters on the reef and plenty of shelter. you can find more at saltaquarium.about.com

A fish of this size and predatory nature must be kept in a large aquarium. An adult fish requires a tank of 75 gallons or more in order to thrive. Several specimens may be kept together provided they are housed in a roomy aquarium with plenty of territorial space per fish. Keep the aquarium well lit. It's no secret that Lionfish are voracious predators and thus need a constant supply of live foods. Chopped beefheart is readily accepted while favorite foods include live fish, fish meat, prawns and most all types of worms. When on the hunt, Lionfish will corner their prey using their large fins and then suck the victim down. It is recommended to keep Lionfish in water with a salinity of 1.027 and a temperature between 75-79 degrees F.

Why? Why ask why is the real answer, I guess. I once did ADL cares for a quadrapeligic guy, and he has a lion fish. Google the answer (not Yahoo) and go with that. I'm just aafter the points here.. You can separate the tank with plexiglass and keep oterh fish, but that is a lot like chaining a dog in a room full of cats so ha can't get at 'em. Cleaning the tank.....get you husband to do that, but make sure the life insurance policy is up to date and in your name......lol

The Lion Fish are such beautiful fish. We have 2 in the shop that I work in now, a red and a black, and we housed them in our 150 gal tank until just recently when the red lion fish ate our queen angel and 2 of our sand sifting gobys and we feed them daily with feeder goldfish. You are supposed to be able to keep them in a tank with pretty much any fish as long as they are as big as them or bigger, however I think it is a trial and error situation since he did eat some fish even though he was in a large environment and was fed well. We also had a clown tang in the tank at one time who insisted on bugging the lion fish and was stung several times before he died but he was the one messing with the lion the lion did not go after him. Since he ate the queen angel we moved both of them to a 40 gallon breeder tank where they are doing fine. As far as cleaning the tank...just make sure you know where he is at all times.