Shortfin Lionfish

Maintenance difficulty:
   The Shortfin Lionfish or Dwarf Lionfish is easy to keep. Lionfish are among the hardiest of all marine fish. In the beginning though, make sure you have a reliable supplier of feeder fish.

Maintenance:
   Feed live fish in the beginning, gradually enticing them to eat frozen of fresh foods such as silversides and lancefish. Other crustaceans and seafoods can also be tried.

Habitat: Natural geographic location:
   Shortfin Lionfish or Dwarf Lionfish are found in the Indo-West Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to Samoa and Tonga, north to southern Japan, south to Lord Howe Island; Mariana Islands in Micronesia; the Arafura Sea and Australia. Common in reef flats and shallow lagoons, in areas with weed-covered rocks on sandy substrates. Adults often found on sponges and juveniles are sometimes found in small aggregations on remote bommies with 10 or so individuals. Nocturnal. Feeds on small crustaceans.

Foods:
   All kinds of small crustaceans comprise their diet in the wild. In the aquarium they can usually be enticed to eat small fish. It is not a good idea to feed them freshwater fish exclusively.

Social Behaviors:
   Sociable and peaceful, can be considered a community fish as long as the tankmates are not small enough to eat!

Sex: Sexual differences:
   Unknown.

Breeding/Reproduction:
   See general breeding techniques in the Breeding Marine Fish page.

Light: Recommended light levels:
   No special requirements.

Temperature:
   No special requirements. Normal temperatures for marine fish is between 74 and 79 degrees fahrenheit.

Length/Diameter of fish:
   Shortfin Lionfish or Dwarf Lionfish adults can grow to 17.0 cm (6.7 inches).

Minimum Tank Length/Size:
   A minimum 30 gallon aquarium is recommended.

Water Movement: Weak, Moderate, Strong
   No special requirements.

Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom
   Will swim anywhere their prey takes them.

Availability:
   This fish is generally readily available.