Odd lionfish behavior

Thought you guys might be interested in a lionfish behavior I've never seen before.

I've ruled out aggression. Indeed lions do put their heads down, but they also throw their spines forward. This guy is acting "submissive".

I can't rule out parasites, as pumping the gills and frequent yawning can be a sign of that. But it still doesn't match, if you watch the video you can see it's different. Not to say he doesn't have parasites and sometimes they want to be cleaned just for that reason.

There is a thing lions can get called lock jaw, where the mouth periodically locks open, partially open, or closed. This lion is doing it voluntary. I move away from the tank or motion towards him, and he'll stop.

What it resembles to me in cleaning behavior... or wanting to be cleaned behavior..... and he only does it for me! I've never heard of a fish asking for cleaning from a person, so I can't say that's what it is, but that's what it resembles. He doesn't do it when he's alone.... I've video taped him. He won't do it for the husband or kids. If I just continue to stare at him he just opens his gills wider... it's crazy.

It occurs about 50 secs in if you get tired of him bouncing around, begging for food.

I'm going to get a cleaner wrasse and put him in a floating critter keeper to see if the lion asks to be cleaned from it. If he does, I'm going to QT it and put it in. Yes, the lion will consume it in time, I'm sure. But you can tell by the way he creeps around that he's use to eating bottom dwelling critters. If he doesn't recognize it as a cleaner at all, I won't put it in.

That's a QT tank, BTW.... this guy is going to the 210g once he's conditioned. Wait until I get him under some nice T5s instead of a clip on house bulb! He'll POP!

 

I'll be darned. That sure is what that behavior looks like. Very interesting. Thanks for sharing.

 

Lord only knows what he is trying to tell you!

Beautiful specimen. He looks so healthy.

Do they commonly allow cleaner shrimp or cleaner fish to do their thing?

I think they are a lot smarter then most people give them credit for and in the right environment when they are not stressed and healthy they display many behavior that you do not see in the average system.

The fact that they can tell one person from another amazes me.
If my clownfish see me remove the blue container from the shelf about 30 feet away they go nuts (their favorite flake food). Of course being a fish nerd I have tried to trick them with other colored containers or different shapes but they know difference.

 

very interesting stuff. thank you for sharing

 

Inorite! Can you think of anything else it would be?

And why only me! I am the only one who feeds and QTing is kind of my deal. Hubby is a looky-loo at this point when I'm conditioning them. But bless him... he keeps my tank topped off and my house full of ghost shrimp But ALL the fish respond to me a little more as I am the one who feeds the preds.

I've never seen one with his spines so submissive unless they were clamped and dying! He HAS to be telling me he means no harm, can I please get the parasites out of his gills.

He's a little roughed up from shipment, there's a couple cracked filaments and unsheathed spines. I have to watch him closely for cooties. I cannot loose this fish. He's exceptional in person.

 

I don't know. But you see those pics of the shrimp climbing around in an eels mouth. A fish will have a better chance with this guy than a shrimp. If he let's it clean it at all, I bet he'll let it do it until he's tired of the session and then eat it when he's hungry. He doesn't know another won't come around the next day. I'd get some cool pics O.O

This guy is a BEAST. I've never seen one quite like it. It has filaments of a juvie but bigger than anything I've seen for an antennata. He could go with my volitans... but that fish is my mysterious icky fish. I don't think I will ever capture his color. He just glows this pink/red.

 

Awesome looking fish, what kind of lionfish is that? I'm sorry I'm a noob when it comes to lionfish. I just know that eventually Id like to get one.

 

That's a P.antennata.

And that was taken with the ole iPhone, so quality not the greatest

 

I've seen lions living in the same tank as cleaner wrasses and they do let them clean them. So far, 2yrs and cleaner's still not lunch.

BTW, post a cleaning vid once u get it all set-up ;p

 

Food. Anyone got some spare food?