Red Lionfish

Don’t be fooled by their bright colours and graceful movement these fish are the most Dangerous you can find in our tropical tanks

These venomous fish are native to Indo-Pacific waters, however they can now be found in the Atlantic Ocean too where they are an invasive species. Lionfish like their on land namesake are fantastic hunters and have adapted many techniques to catch their food.

They use specialized bilateral swim bladder muscles to provide precise control of location in the water column, allowing the fish to alter its centre of gravity to better attack prey. The lionfish then spreads its large pectoral fins and swallows its prey in a single motion. They are able to blow jets of water while approaching prey to distort and confuse their victim.

Lionfish can often be seen swimming upside down they have high control over their swim bladder and easily switch between up right and inverted swimming. Common fish such as goldfish may only swim upside down if they are having an issue with their swim bladder. They can easily be spotted with their strong red and white patterns. If you look closely at the tips of their fins you will see they are very sharp. Each spike is able to inject venom into any predators who think they look a tasty treat.