TankBud

Fu Manchu lionfish

Dendrochirus biocellatus

Also known as Twinspot lionfish, Ocellated lionfish, Twospot turkeyfish, Fu Manchu dwarf lionfish

SaltwaterFish

Fu Manchu lionfish (Dendrochirus biocellatus)
Philippe Bourjon · CC BY-SA 3.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–81°F
24–27°C
pH
8.0–8.4
Adult size
5.1 in
13 cm
Minimum tank
29 gal
110 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Own kind
One per tank
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Difficult
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Reef safe
Reef safe with caution
Family
Scorpaenidae
Origin
Native to the Indo-Pacific, living in caves and under ledges on coral reefs where it hides during the day.

Overview

Keep a single Fu Manchu in a quiet tank of at least 110 litres with many caves and ledges, at 24 to 27 C and pH 8.0 to 8.4. It is coral safe but eats small fish, shrimp and crabs, so avoid tiny tankmates and ornamental shrimp. Getting it to eat is the challenge: it usually starts on live saltwater shrimp at dusk and needs weaning onto thawed foods with patience. Keep it away from fast, greedy tankmates that will outcompete it at feeding time.

In the wild

The Fu Manchu is a small dwarf lionfish named for the pair of fleshy whiskers on its chin that look like a drooping moustache. It is patterned in red, brown and cream and has two false eyespots on the rear dorsal fin. Secretive and nocturnal, it clings upside down inside caves and comes out only in dim light to hunt.

Good to know

Dendrochirus biocellatus stays around 13 cm, making it one of the smaller lionfish, and carries the same venomous spines as its larger relatives. The two ocelli on the soft dorsal fin, the source of the name biocellatus, may act as false eyes to confuse predators. It is notoriously shy and often refuses to feed in a busy community tank.

Did you know

The Fu Manchu is so shy and nocturnal that owners often go days without seeing it, catching only a glimpse of its moustache-like chin whiskers poking out of a cave at night.

Common questions

What size tank does a Fu Manchu lionfish need?

A Fu Manchu lionfish needs at least 29 gal (110 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a Fu Manchu lionfish need?

A Fu Manchu lionfish is comfortable at 75–81°F (24–27°C) with a pH of 8.0–8.4.

How big does a Fu Manchu lionfish get?

An adult Fu Manchu lionfish reaches about 5.1 in (13 cm).

Related species