If you want to find a stunning and incredibly interesting fish to love and care for, then Dwarf Lionfish are one of the best options that you could choose – but they don’t exactly play well with others. If you’re hoping to put a community together, then you need to know what will be compatible with Dwarf Lionfish and what will not.
We’ve put together this guide to let you know the risks and dangers that can come from housing other species with a Dwarf Lionfish along with a list of the safest possible options that you could try.
Contents
Dwarf Lionfish Tank Mates – What You Should Know
Some aquarium fish are friendly, easygoing, and relatively harmless, allowing them to happily live alongside all kinds of different species. Lionfish are not these fish. Even the much smaller Dwarf Lionfish can be very dangerous to the other species in their tank, and they can also be vulnerable to harm themselves.
Can Dwarf Lionfish Have Tank Mates?
This is perhaps the most important question, and the answer is a little complicated. Dwarf Lionfish are happy to live alone and, ultimately, this is the only way that you can be certain that nobody is going to end up getting hurt.
They have complex temperaments, big appetites, and venomous spines, so there are a lot of risks to look out for.
However, that doesn’t mean that they cannot live in a safe and harmonious community under the right conditions, with a bit of luck, and with a good amount of knowledge and care.
Temperament and Aggression
Having compatible personalities is very important when you are building a community but, with a Dwarf Lionfish, this is easier said than done.
Dwarf Lionfish tend to have unpredictable personalities so they can be bashful and shy at times, but they can also be highly aggressive and violent towards relatively small and peaceful tank mates. Therefore, perhaps counterintuitively, they generally need to be housed with other predatory fish that are considered “aggressive” rather than fish that could be seen as prey.
You do need to find a balance, though, since fin-nipping aggressive fish can actually attack a Dwarf Lionfish’s incredible flowing fins, and aggressive fish with relatively weak skin can hurt themselves on a Lionfish’s spines.
Adult Size
For any aquarium containing a mix of different species, their relative size is a surprisingly important factor that you need to be aware of. When it comes to Dwarf Lionfish, you need to be on the lookout for fish that are considerably larger so that they are not likely to want to get into a fight, since a Lionfish’s spines will generally cause their opponents a lot more harm.
Smaller fish are almost never a good idea, since they will generally be viewed as food, and even fish that are a similar size can find themselves being bullied and seriously injured by an aggressive Lionfish.
Resource Competition
Something else that you need to be very careful with when you are putting together a community for a Dwarf Lionfish is the resources that are going to be available to each individual.
Since you will likely be housing multiple predators in the same tank, you need to make sure that they are not competing with one another for food or space because this can get ugly pretty quickly.
Parameters and Tank Conditions
The issue of having the right kind of tank and water parameters is usually the first thing that you look at when you’re deciding whether two fish can live together. At least in this regard, you can be pretty confident about whether or not another species is going to be a match.
Essentially, you can only house two fish in one tank if they can thrive in the same environment, which means that their water preferences, tank size requirements, and substrate and decoration needs have to be around the same.
While the different species do have slightly different needs, most Dwarf Lionfish like to live in:
- Temperature: 22.7 to 28.8 degrees Celsius (72-84 degrees Farhenheit)
- pH: 8 to 8.5
- Carbonate Hardness: 8-12 dKH
- Tank Size: 75+ gallons
The size of your tank is perhaps the biggest factor to consider here as the more space that your fish have the less likely they are to fight with one another.
Most Suitable Dwarf Lionfish Tank Mates
Now that we have a pretty good idea of the challenge that lies ahead of us in trying to find a good roommate for your Dwarf Lionfish, we can start to explore some of the options that are actually out there!
You also shouldn’t miss these other top posts in this category:
1. Other Dwarf Lionfish
- Scientific Name: Dendrochirus brachypterus
- More Tank Mates: Moray Eels, Large Puffers, Large Rabbitfish
- Size: Around 6 inches
- Level of Care: Moderate
- Originated: Indo-Pacific
One of the first fish to consider is another Dwarf Lionfish, and potentially a different type. There are a number of different kinds of Dwarf Lionfish, including the Fuzzy Dwarf, the Zebra Turkeyfish, and the Fu Manchu/Two Spot, and some can live in the same tank – though you need to proceed with caution.
You should only ever have one male of the same species in a tank, you will need to make sure that you have a lot of additional space for them to roam around in, and they should all be around the same size.
It is also important that you introduce Lionfish to each other very carefully and, if they do fight, then you will need to separate them immediately.
2. Triggerfish
- Scientific Name: Balistidae
- More Tank Mates: Groupers, Squirrelfish, Wrasses
- Size: Up to 20 inches in captivity
- Level of Care: Easy – Moderate
- Originated: Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean, and Oceania
One option that a lot of people look to is the Triggerfish, and there are lots of different varieties out there. There are Clown Triggerfish, Lagoon Triggerfish, Titan Triggerfish, Bluelined Triggerfish, and many more.
The main reason that these are a good tank mate to consider is because of their large size and aggressive personalities, which will keep your Dwarf Lionfish away. They do need a lot of space to roam around in, with a tank of at least 100 gallons. You will need to make sure they are well-fed and happy so that they do not feel tempted to take a nip on your Lion’s spines.
3. Foxface Rabbitfish
- Scientific Name: Siganus vulpinus
- More Tank Mates: Clownfish, Groupers, Parrotfish
- Size: 8 – 10 inches
- Level of Care: Easy – Moderate
- Originated: Western Pacific
There are a few types of larger rabbitfish that can hold their own in a tank with a Dwarf Lionfish, and the Foxface is certainly one of the more striking. They have distinctive long snouts and bright yellow bodies, which make them very attractive to look at, and they are a good size too.
While they are relatively peaceful, they do have their own venomous spines so they are not as vulnerable to aggression as other species can be, and they are known to live comfortably alongside a variety of tank mates.
4. Zebra Moray Eel
- Scientific Name: Gymnomuraena zebra
- More Tank Mates: Large Angelfish, Grunts, Puffers
- Size: 20 to 60 inches
- Level of Care: Moderate
- Originated: Indo-Pacific
A great way to make sure that another fish is going to get along with your Dwarf Lion is to choose someone that is likely to stay out of their way. Moray Eels of any kind are a relatively popular choice for housing with Lionfish since they are big and imposing but rarely cause any problems for their tank mates.
They are known to be very peaceful and spend a lot of their time relaxing in caves where they won’t bother your Lion and your Lion won’t bother them.
5. Long-spine Porcupinefish
- Scientific Name: Diodon holocanthus
- More Tank Mates: Tangs, Eels, Foxfish
- Size: 12 inches or more
- Level of Care: Moderate
- Originated: Atlantic
Another common choice for Lionfish tanks is any of the larger pufferfish species as they are feisty, strong-willed, and more than capable of defending themselves – which will prevent them from being targeted.
The Long-spine Porcupinefish (otherwise known as the Porcupine Puffer or the Freckled Porcupinefish) are intelligent and hardy, but surprisingly easygoing with their tank mates. Some individuals can be overly curious, which may cause a Lionfish to feel intimidated, but they do have pretty tough skin to defend against their spines.
6. Large Tangs
- Scientific Name: Acanthuridae
- More Tank Mates: Clownfish, Gobies, Cardinalfish
- Size: Up to 12 inches
- Level of Care: Moderate
- Originated: Indo-Pacific
Tangs are definitely a good option since they are not known to be fin-nippers, so your Lionfish’s spines will be safe. Tangs grow large enough to avoid becoming a target themselves, and they are known to be aggressive enough to hold their own. This combination can make for a relatively harmonious community.
There are a lot of varieties out there, like the Blue Tang, Yellow Tang, and Naso Tang, but most of those that grow to be larger than around 8 inches will make a compatible Dwarf Lionfish companion.
7. Large Wrasses
- Scientific Name: Labridae
- More Tank Mates: Betta fish, Ram Cichlids, Goldfish
- Size: 5 to 12 inches
- Level of Care: Varies
- Originated: Varies by species
Wrasses are one of the most varied and diverse groups of aquarium fish that you could choose from, but many of the larger individual species can potentially make for a good Lionfish tank mate. You want to look for a wrasse that grows to a decent adult size, like a Dusky Wrasse or an Eight-line Wrasse, and has a strong personality.
Most Thalassoma Wrasse are known to be active and bold enough to stand up to aggressive species, and they are fast swimmers that can stay away from your Lionfish if they get too feisty.
8. Lookdowns
- Scientific Name: Selene vomer
- More Tank Mates: Tangs, Puffers, Triggers
- Size: 12+ inches
- Level of Care: Moderate
- Originated: Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico
If you’re able to create enough space for them, Lookdowns are fantastic reef fish that are relatively compatible with others for their size. They like to roam around in groups of at least 5 but they are pretty peaceful with almost any larger tank mates.
They are big enough to be safe from your Lions and they are highly unlikely to view your Lions as food either, so many people have been able to get them to live safely alongside each other.
Summary
So, what tank mates could be suitable for a Dwarf Lionfish? Well, it’s a difficult question to answer. There will always be a certain element of risk when you are putting another fish in with a Dwarf Lionfish because they can be very aggressive and their venomous spines are a constant danger.
You want to find another fish that is confident and large enough to not be victimized by your Lion, but is also not going to try and take a bite out of them because this could end up hurting them both.
JJ has had a passion for learning about aquatic life since age 5. As an adult, he made his passion a career as a certified aquaculture dealer and aquarium content creator.