LIONFIsh

GENERAL FEATURESThe most venomous fish until recent years when stonefish stole the title. Likely introduced along the Atlantic coast through aquarium releases.Lionfish are an invasive species in the Western Atlantic and are likely to cause economic and environmental harm Originate from the Indo-Pacific Regio Indiscriminate predators that consume more than 70 species of fish and many invertebrate species such as shrimp and crabHas 11 dorsal fin spines, 7 anal fin spines, and its pectoral fins are pointed. The dorsal, anal and caudal fins are covered with large variable spots and bandsEat up to 30 times their own stomach volume Found with more than 30 fish in their stomach

Fast breedingLionfish become capable of reproduction in less than a year - it takes our native fish 3-5 years!Reproduction can occur about every 4 days throughout the yearIn the Caribbean, a single female lionfish can spawn over 2 million eggs per yearLionfish grow rapidly, outgrowing native species with whom they compete for food and spaceLionfish are relatively resistant to parasites

Scientific classificationKingdom:AnimaliaPhylum:ChordataClass:ActinopterygiiOrder:ScorpaeniformesFamily:ScorpaenidaeSubfamily:PteroinaeGenus:PteroisOken, 1817

Life Cycle Male lionfish will mate with several females. After the fish spawn, they rise to the top of the water column and release gelatinous balls of eggs each containing about 2,000 fertilized eggs. The egg balls dissolve after about 24 hours, releasing the individual eggs which hatch in about 36 hours. Even though thousands of eggs hatch, very few young fry will survive to maturity. The young fry immediately begin feeding on the available plankton or newly hatched brine shrimp. The young are almost transparent. They develop the beautiful colors and patterns of the adult lionfish as they mature. Their lifespan in the wild is unknown but they live approximately ten years in captivity.

Male lionfish will mate with several females. After the fish spawn, they rise to the top of the water column and release gelatinous balls of eggs each containing about 2,000 fertilized eggs. The egg balls dissolve after about 24 hours, releasing the individual eggs which hatch in about 36 hours. Even though thousands of eggs hatch, very few young fry will survive to maturity. The young fry immediately begin feeding on the available plankton or newly hatched brine shrimp. The young are almost transparent. They develop the beautiful colors and patterns of the adult lionfish as they mature. Their lifespan in the wild is unknown but they live approximately ten years in captivity. a single male will form a group of between 3 and 8 with a number of females, and it will become particularly aggressiveReproduction

Lionfish seem to prefer still waters shielded from current, in quieter and darker parts of reef and wrecks, where they hover almost motionless with their head titled slightly downward. They are also known to exist in bays, estuaries and harbours.

HabitatLionfish Sting