Fuzzy dwarf lionfish

Care at a glance

The fuzzy dwarf lionfish is the small, hairy version of the lionfish: broad fan-shaped pectoral fins, plenty of skin flaps and a length of at most seventeen centimetres. It is the calmest and hardiest of the dwarf lionfish and the best choice for anyone keeping one for the first time.

It is slow and spends the day upside down under an overhang, but anything that fits in its mouth, from shrimp to small gobies, is food at night. The dorsal spines are venomous; take care during maintenance. Wean it patiently onto frozen food such as mysis and pieces of fish or shrimp and feed a few times a week, not every day.

Good to know

• Venomous spines — handle with care
• Preys on shrimp and snails
• Active at night

Best not combined with

• Firefish gobyNemateleotris magnifica
• Neon gobyElacatinus oceanops
• Cleaner shrimpLysmata amboinensis
• Fire shrimpLysmata debelius
• Sexy shrimpThor amboinensis

Related species

• Green clown gobyGobiodon histrio
• Four-stripe damselfishDascyllus melanurus
• Azure damselfishChrysiptera hemicyanea
• Springer’s damselfishChrysiptera springeri
• Cherub angelfish (argi)Centropyge argi
• Miniatus grouper (coral hind)Cephalopholis miniata