how to keep a lion?

[Max]

Well, yes and no . From what I understand they aren't all that much more poison than a wasp or bee. I've also heard that they hurt a whole lot more though. You have to sort of pop them with your hand or arm in order the be stung. The have a bone in their fins that's more or less like a hypodermic needle and the pressure of a hit causes it to squirt poison into you.
Congratulations on the engagement ! If you guys plan on having little fry of your own in the next decade or so make sure that any lion fish you have is out of the reach of little fingers.

 

[yamanjazz]

thanks for the feedback. hehehe if there are going to be little fingers around they will be kept WELL away from the tank

 

[FloridaBoy]

Yeah, like Max said they can be painful, the poison is broken down by soaking in hot water. They are not really dangerous unless you have an alergic reaction. The folks at NOAA seem to think they are dangerous, the way they are spearing them up and down the east coast by the dozens.
There is a large breeding population of pterois volitans from NY down to FL.
I know they are invasive and I regret they were introduced, but I hate to see the lions destroyed, they are a gorgeous fish and deserve better. No matter; even NOAA admits they are here to stay.

 

[yamanjazz]

i can understand their concern and they must know alot more about the eco system of that area than i do. but i would think is would be kinda cool to have lions around

 

[carpenterwrasse]

they are only deadly if your are allergic to thiet toxins and that is the same as if you were allergic to a bee sting from what i have read or heard

 

[yamanjazz]

is there anyone who has been stung by a lionfish?

 

[a7oneal]

Not stung, but I missed my fuzzy dwarf lion by about 2'' (PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT YOU'RE DOING!!!!).... Everything I've read says the stings are quite painful and throb. The hot water breaks some sort of bonds either within just the venom or within proteins in the body associated with the venom (or something like that... I'm not sure). If you are allergic, the consequences can be very serious, I'm sure... I think if I ever got stung, I would seek medical attention for sure.


One note I want to make.... I used to love to watch my little one track down "prey"... frozen food on a feeding stick... and it used to "wave" the dorsal spines, even when it was sitting still.

I wanted to get a fu manchu lion, but my roommate had a curious feline....

In any case, once they start feeding, they aren't too difficult to keep provided they have their space and appropriate tankmates. Just don't overfeed.... they don't know when to stop, so you need to know!

 

[FloridaBoy]

Closest I have ever come would be stepping on a common Florida saltwater catfish; also known as "Oscar the Terrible." These things are a pretty common marine pest fish, usually encountered while fishing in the surf or inlets here. They are often caught/left to die on the dock, and when I was a youngster I sure stepped my share of them. The rigid spines contain a powerful venom, and easily puncture a tennis shoe. When this spine punctures your skin it hurts, in fact that is a huge understatement; it hurt so bad the first time, I cried like a baby and almost collapsed on the dock. The venom lasts for hours, and throbbing/swelling are pretty normal. With no hot water available, we usually wrapped it in a tobacco poultice and bit down on a rag for an hour. My dad used to carry a pouch of tobacco in his tackle box just for this purpose. I have heard the lionfish compared to the pain of a wasp sting...which I have also had my share of. But these catfish made a wasp sting feel like a picnic. Now I'm not sure how that compares to the lionfish, but if it's anywhere close I don't ever want to feel it!

 

[yamanjazz]

thanks guys i have decided to buy a lionfish and ive ordered one from our lfs. i am hoping it will arrive on wednesday, but in Cyprus we add 2weeks to the date the lfs gives us. they are terrible when it comes to dates i just hope i dont have to start an "ive just been stung by my lionfish HELP!!!!" thread. thanks again to all you guys

 

[OrionGirl]

Just to consider--lion moods are pretty obvious. They start swimming eagerly near the surface, head up, when they think they are getting fed. When startled, they display--head down, fins spread wide. Aggression is the same posture, but angled directly at their target, and swimming towards it. I've had 2 close calls--once, euthanizing a 9 inch lion that had TB, and moving an 8 inch lion from one tank to another in a bowl. The rest of the time, avoiding an angry lion was just a matter of paying attention to him, and knowing when to back off.