Lionfish not eating

Question
Hi,
I have a lionfish, it's quite big, about 10inches from head to >tail. I got him in March this year. It's in a 600litre reef tank, tank mates are yellow tang, cream angel, coral beauty, tomato clown, puffer fish and 4 ghost ribbon eels. All the fish came together with the whole set up. It was a great feeder, took chopped up fresh prawns, then a few months ago, it shopped eating for about 1.5 month (I kept trying to feed it) and then started feeding again.
>Then about 2 months ago, he stopped feeding again, only this time it's been longer and it swims away when I try to feed it. I even tried giving it live feeder fish but it's simply not interested. It looks fine, a bit thinner, but its' eyes are bright and flares its' fins when I move in front of it, other times it snaps at other fish when they are feeding but won't eat even when the food is right in front of him. I even put some scallop and prawns at the end of a skewer and tap its mouth with it and it still won't eat it. I've tried soaking the food in garlic before I feed it and it still won't eat.
In the past when it was taking food, it would look up to the water surface and wait for the food to drop but now it just hides in crevices or amongst coral.
I'm worried that it may starve to death and I don't want to loose it. Would you have any suggestions to get it to start eating again?
Thanks,
Cindy

Answer
Hi Cindy,
 That is a tough one.  I took care of some lionfish several years ago and feeding was never a problem.  They would come to the surface and open their mouths waiting for food.  All I can suggest is that you be persistent.  

 I assume that the water quality in the tank is good?

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
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