Lionfish
A Lionfish is any of several species of venomous marine fish in the genera Pterois, Parapterois, Brachypterois, Ebosia or Dendrochirus, of the family Scorpaenidae. The lionfish is also known as the Turkey Fish, Dragon Fish, Scorpion or Fire Fish.[1] They are notable for their extremely long and separated spines, and have a generally striped appearance, red, green, navy green, brown, orange, yellow, black, maroon, or white.
Pterois antennata or Broadbarred firefish is a fish of the genus Pterois. Found in the tropical Indian Ocean and Western Pacific, it grows to a maximum of 20 cm and packs a venomous sting. Typical habitat is lagoons and reefs, where it hides during the day and hunts shrimp and crab during the night.
Parapterois is a genus of lionfish, a group of venomous fish in the scorpionfish family. There are two species, P. heterura and P. macrura. P. heterura is occasionally known as the blackfoot lionfish. The other species, P. macrura, is poorly known; this fish has only been mentioned in a handful of scientific papers and has remained obscure. These fish originate from marine environments in the Indian Ocean or near it. These venomous fish are occasionally seen as aquarium fish.
The Fu Manchu Lionfish, also known as the Twinspot Lionfish, or Ocellated Lionfish, has red, white, and black vertical stripes along the body. It has large, fan-like pectoral fins, and tall, quill-like dorsal fins. It is unique from other Lionfish because of the two, feeler-like appendages on the chin.
A 30 gallon or larger aquarium with numerous hiding places is suitable. It will hide while acclimating to its new environment. The top spines are venomous, causing reactions similar to a bee sting, only stronger. The Fu Manchu Lionfish diet consists of meaty foods such as live shrimp (including ornamental shrimp), live fish, and sometimes, crustacean flesh.
The Dwarf fuzzy lionfish is probably the best of the dwarf lions that a hobbyist can keep in an aquarium, mainly because they are hardy, disease resistant, readily weaned onto prepared foods, and are actively swimming lionfish. These fish have a unique fuzzy texture to their scales and possess semi-circular pectoral fins that are decorated with stripes and patterns. The fin rays are short and connected with solid webbing. During the day, D. brachypterus tend to hang upside down in caves or on soft corals. During the dawn/dusk periods, dwarf fuzzy lionfish become very active and swim about in search of food. After a few months in captivity, all of my dwarf fuzzy lionfish have learned to swim towards me whenever I walked into the room, and they continue to swim and beg for food while I'm present.
The Clearfin Lionfish, Tailbar Lionfish, Radiata Lionfish or Radial Firefish Pterois radiata, is a carnivorous ray-finned fish with venomous spines that lives in the Indian and western Pacific oceans.
It is the only lionfish species with blank spines. But it can also be recognized by the pair of horizontal white stripes on its tail.
The red lionfish (Pterois volitans) is a venomous coral reef fish from the Indian and western Pacific Oceans. The red lionfish is also found off the east coast of the United States, and was likely first introduced off the Florida coast in the early to mid-1990s. By the summer of 2001, it was found along the Atlantic coast of the United States from Florida to Long Island, New York. The Caribbean is also suffering from an invasion, especially around the Bahamas.
Red lionfish have distinctive red, maroon, or brown and white stripes; fleshy tentacles above the eyes and below the mouth; fan-like pectoral fin; and long separated dorsal spines. Adults can grow as large as 17 inches (43 cm), while juveniles may be as small as an inch or less. All of the spines on a lionfish are venomous, creating a danger primarily to divers and fishermen if stung. Although there have been no known fatalities caused by lionfish stings, they are reportedly extremely painful.
The Zebra turkeyfish or Zebra lionfish, Dendrochirus zebra, is a carnivorous ray-finned fish with venomous spines that lives in the Indian and western Pacific oceans. This member of the scorpion fish family has thirteen venomous spines along its back, used to defend itself. These fish are slow-moving and peaceful, but can be dangerous. They have a habit of resting in places hidden from light such as under a rock or a piece of coral. They are immune to each other's poison. They are solitary fish that aren't afraid of anything, as they have no natural predators.