Fuzzy dwarf lionfish

Care at a glance

Overview

The fuzzy dwarf lionfish is a small, slow-swimming nano predator that suits a smaller FOWLR tank than the larger Pterois species need. It is best with a little experience.

Caring for the fuzzy dwarf lionfish

Give a fuzzy dwarf lionfish at least 50 gal (190 L). The tank can be modest in footprint but should be rich in live rock, with plenty of overhangs and shaded perches. Hold the water at 72 to 79°F (22 to 26°C) and a pH of 8.1 to 8.4.

It is usually shipped feeding on live foods, like other lionfish. Wean it onto fresh or frozen silversides, shrimp and krill with patient target feeding. Its low, slow metabolism means an adult only needs feeding every other day or so.

The fuzzy dwarf lionfish is one of the calmer lionfish toward tank mates, an ambush hunter rather than a roaming bully. It will still eat any fish or shrimp small enough to swallow, including gobies, small wrasses and ornamental shrimp. Choose robust, appropriately sized tank mates and skip crustaceans entirely. It never touches coral, but it is not reef safe for the tank's other inhabitants.

Its dorsal, pelvic and anal fins carry venomous spines, and the sting is far worse than its small size suggests. Avoid bare-handed contact, and treat any sting with hot water plus prompt medical attention.

Good to know

The fuzzy dwarf lionfish, Dendrochirus brachypterus, is a small scorpionfish in the family Scorpaenidae. Shorter, more rounded pectoral fins set it apart from the true Pterois lionfish. Fleshy, fuzzy-looking flaps of skin above its eyes and along its body give it the common name. All 13 dorsal spines are linked to venom glands.

In the wild

The fuzzy dwarf lionfish lives on coral and rubble reefs across the Indo-West Pacific. Its range runs from India and Sri Lanka east to Tonga, and north to southern Japan. It is typically found in shallow water among branching coral and rocky ledges. By day it tucks into a crevice, and it hunts small fish and crustaceans.

Common questions

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