Venomous reef fish of the Indo-Pacific with bold red, brown or black and white stripes and long, fan-like fins tipped with venomous spines. Probably released from aquariums, two species have become a major invasive pest in the western Atlantic, the Caribbean and the Mediterranean.
Quick answers
What is it?Fish
Carnivore?Yes
Dangerous?Yes
Stings cause severe pain and can be fatal, mostly to young children, the elderly or people allergic to the venom; they are rarely fatal to healthy adults.
Domesticated?No
Awake when?Night
Mostly nocturnal, active from nightfall through the night.
Hibernates?No
Kept as a pet?Sometimes
Popular aquarium fish, though they need an experienced keeper and are often sold to beginners who struggle with them.
Do people eat it?Yes
Edible if prepared correctly; divers in Florida and Texas are encouraged to catch them for food to fight the invasion.
At a glance
Found inOceans
HabitatCoast
ColoursRed, White, Brown
SizeSmall
LengthUp to 47 cm (red lionfish)
LegsNone
Covered inScales
Lives alone
Lives for10–15 years
Can swim
Lays eggs
In the wild
- Where it lives
- Native to the Indian Ocean and western Pacific. Invasive along the US East Coast, in the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean and off Brazil.
- What it eats
- Mostly crustaceans such as shrimps and crabs, plus small fish, swallowed whole in a single motion.
Did you know
Its spines are venomous, and in the Atlantic few local fish recognise it as prey.
A female can lay about 2 million eggs a year.
Moray eels, barracuda and large groupers have been seen eating lionfish.
Often confused with
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