All fish / Scorpaenidae

Fu Manchu lionfish

Dendrochirus biocellatus

Also known as fu man chu lionfish, fu manchu lionfish, twinspot lionfish, two-eyed lionfish, ocellated lionfish, twospot turkeyfish, fumanchu lionfish, biocellatus lionfish, ミノカサゴ・ビオセラータ, ヒメヤマノカミ, 双斑短鳍蓑鲉, 双眼狮子鱼

A small, shy dwarf lionfish with reddish brown mottling, two large eye-like spots on the soft dorsal fin and long whisker-like tentacles on the snout that give it its name. Keepers value it as one of the smallest and most unusual lionfish, suited to a modest reef or predator tank with plenty of caves.

Care at a glance

Care level

Hard

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

10 cm

Temperature

24 to 27 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

120 litres

Keep as

Singly, or as a pair in a larger tank

Diet

Carnivore: live ghost shrimp at first, then weaned onto frozen mysis, krill, shrimp and chopped seafood

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 10 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Indo-West Pacific: East Africa and Mauritius to the Society Islands, north to Japan

Breeding

Pairs scatter buoyant egg masses in open water after evening courtship, and the larvae are planktonic. It has not been bred regularly in home aquariums.

Good to know

Venomous fin spines can cause very painful stings, so handle with care. It will eat any fish or shrimp small enough to swallow and is often reluctant to take non-living food, and it is nocturnal and hides a lot.