HELP!! Lionfish problem!

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mwfishkeeper1

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Sep 10, 2007
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(sorry if this may be a bit long)
I have a lionfish in a 20 gal tank along with the following:
-wolf eel
-koran angel
-yellow tang
-spiny puffer
I've only had the angel for a few weeks and everything has seemed to be going pretty fine except about a week ago i noticed that it broke a tip of one of it's spines. at the time i didn't think too much of it, but after being away for the weekend i noticed that all of the spines are now completely gone!!!! i dont think he poked anything as nothing is dead, but i couldnt find the spines in the tank on the bottom either... I'm really worrying about the fish as i love it and really dont want anything bad to happen. is this normal at all? did he just break them on rock? Oh, and what will happen if i leave all of these fish in this small tank? this is my first real fishtank and i dont have the money to buy a new tank yet... Thanks a bunch guys!!!
 
the minimum recommended tank size for any one of those fish it at least 50 gallons. wile young and small some can stay in the tank but you need to start thinking about returning them soon. if you leave them in the biolad will get to be to much for the tank and the water quality (or lack their of) could kill them. they would also become more stressed and prone to desises and parasites (stress is probably to blame for your fish loosing its spines). if those things don't kill them the more aggressive spices in the tank might kill the others. im sure their are other issues that arise when tanks are VERY overstocked that i haven't mentioned. im new to aquariums too though so wait for a second opinion.
 
What is the water quality with that kind of bioload on a nano tank? Did you cycle it? How long has it been set up?

The tank is at least 2x too small for any of those fish as an adult, it would be beyond cruel to keep them in there as adults. As MG said there is a good chance that stress is the cause of the loss of spines.

If you can't afford a large tank...and I mean large for that stocking, at least 125g I'd look at trading them with the LFS or another fishkeeper.
 
Get a tank about 7 times the size of your current, your problems will go away. You cannot have that kind of stocking list on anything near a 20g tank.
 
i think thats got to be the most overstocked tank ive heard of there mate....all these fish need a big tank.....worth trying to pick a second hand tank up big enough to house them.
 
get a much much much larger tank, or take the fish back.

On that same note... please do research on your fish before you attempt to house them. I think that everyone will agree that what you are doing right now, is not only ignorant, but cruel as well.

Please take them back, or take the time to research there needs, and supply them with what they need.
 
joander123 said:
get a much much much larger tank, or take the fish back.

On that same note... please do research on your fish before you attempt to house them. I think that everyone will agree that what you are doing right now, is not only ignorant, but cruel as well.

Please take them back, or take the time to research there needs, and supply them with what they need.
Click to expand...
:grinyes: enough said
 
None, of these fish will live in this tank for very long. If you're fish are even fair sized juveniles they would be packed in there like anchovies. I'm going to close this thread now. Please, read the other poster's advice most of it is quite pertinant.
cheers
Max
 
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