Lionfish handling questions

[SnowHeart]

In four months or so (after a move), I'm planning on setting up a 90g saltwater and, if so, am debating whether to setup a friendly community aquarium or a more aggressive tank with a snowflake eel and lionfish. With respect to the lionfish, I was wondering if people had any tips and suggestions on how to handle (or, rather, avoid touching) these guys while doing work in the tank (aquascaping, cleaning, adding rock or coral, etc.). I know they're actually pretty docile as to humans, but accidental envenomations do happen. Are the elbow-length gloves people wear sufficient to protect you from the spines? What else could you do (other than be very careful and very watchful) to avoid getting poked? How do you handle them if they need to be put into quarantine (i.e., can you use a net or do you need something special)?

[5xevy]

Never owned a lionfish but have thought about it often. These may help you:

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/lions&rels.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/cav1i2/lionfish/keeping_lionfishes.htm

You may want to PM Germanman as I know he has/had one.

[Catpicklesdog]

If you need to net one use a large net to encompass the whole of the fish, turn the net over and let the fish disentangle itself. Whilst working on the tank my suggestion would be to get a sheet of perspex or something similar that is as deep and as wide as your tank and use it as a screen so that the fish can't get past it.

[SnowHeart]

Thanks guys; that's very helpful. The screen makes a lot of sense -- I'll have to think of a way to setup the rock to allow that.

[SnowHeart]

P.S., Yankees suck! :grinyes: (Boston, here.)

[Germanman]

lion fish are thought to sting a lot...but i have found this is only the case in harassment or when the keeper/person trying to clean the aquarium isnt watching what they are doing. i have worked with at least 7 different types of lions and they all stayed away from me. key is no fast movements dont corner them and chase them from where u wana clean with a rod or net not your hand. they do well with eels as well. good luck hope this helped. also u can get aqua gloves if your really scared about being stung as long as the gloves are PVC reinforced ull be safe. only people i know that have been stung were not paying attention, didnt see the lionfish(always find it before sticking in ur hand) teased it or were under the influence of alcohol or drugs and thought it was nice to pet the pretty fish..lol.:) i used to pet a lionfish, it would turn over to have its belly rubbed(wouldnt recommend it though), they can be like dogs and are very passive if not scared by you.

[SnowHeart]

Germanman, thank you for the informative reply! My plan (obviously) is to have all the serious aquascaping done in advance of adding any fish but there's always stuff that comes up where a hand has to be in the tank. Nice to know I shouldn't worry about it too much as long as I'm paying attention. If I get a lionfish, I may get the gloves anyway until I'm more comfortable.

(By the way, great web page.)

[Germanman]

glad i could help. nice to get some compliments and some help out there on return form my absence. best of luck to u...and that reminds me i need to update that blog.