Red Lionfish
The red lionfish (or Pterois volitans) is a venomous reef fish native to the Indo-Pacific region, including the Red Sea, Indian Ocean, and western Pacific. Due to aquarium releases, it has become a well-established invasive species in the western Atlantic, Caribbean Sea, and parts of the Gulf of Mexico, where it threatens native marine ecosystems. Red lionfish typically inhabit coral reefs, rocky outcrops, lagoons, and seagrass beds.
The fish is easily recognised by its white and red body stripes, fan-like pectoral fins, and long venomous dorsal spines.
Adults measure 25cm to 32cm in length and weigh 1.2kg to 1.5kg, with males being slightly larger than females but otherwise no apparent difference between the sexes.
Pterois volitans
Habitat needs
Space is stored as a minimum plus an amount per additional adult; the game's help adds that juveniles don't count. Plan a mixed habitat in the habitat planner.
Dislikes snow.
Terrain
| Terrain | Minimum | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| Sand | 30% | 80% |
| Soil | 0% | 50% |
| Rock | 20% | 70% |
| Fine Sand (Sand) | 25% | 80% |
Share of the habitat's terrain.
Shares a cohabitation group with 12
Indo pacific reef group lionfish
Cohabitation groups are the game's own sets of species for mixed habitats. Check space, terrain and temperature for a group in the habitat planner.
Barriers with resistance grade 2 or higher 14
- 1-Way Glass grade 2 · $1
- Chain Link grade 2 · $1 · climbable
- Corrugated grade 2 · $1
- Rope Netting grade 2 · $2 · climbable
- Glass grade 3 · $2
- Wire Netting grade 3 · $2 · climbable
- Wood Logs grade 3 · $2 · climbable
- Acrylic grade 4 · $3
- Steel Mesh grade 4 · $3 · climbable
- Thick Glass grade 4 · $3
- Brick grade 5 · $4
- Concrete grade 5 · $4
- Gabion grade 5 · $4 · climbable
- Electric grade 6 · $0.80
At least 1 m high. No water barrier. Grades are the ones the game's barrier tooltips state.
Enrichment it uses 2
- Bubble Blower - Airstone Toy · score 100 · $100
- Blood Scent Marker Toy · score 50 · $100
Enrichment target: toys 100 + 10 per additional adult; feeders 5 + 3 per additional adult.
Food, life and breeding
- Food
- Krill + Small Whole Fish
- Food / drink amount
- 1 / 10
- Food cost, grade 1 / 2 / 3
- $199 / $278 / $278
- Feeders
- Aquatic Feeder - Flakes, Suspended Bait
- Lifespan
- 10–20 yr
- Mature / prime / old / elderly
- 1 yr / 3 yr / 6 yr / 9 yr
- Gestation / between births
- 0 yr / 0.5 yr
- Litter
- 1–5
- Fertility
- 0.5
- Mating system
- Promiscuous
- Breeds in
- All seasons
- Dominance
- Male dominance based on size
- Wild population
- Unknown
- Guests flee if it escapes
- No
- Cohabits with (trophic override)
- Humphead Wrasse, Blackspotted Puffer, Dolphinfish, Giant Grouper, Javanese Cownose Ray, Ocellated Eagle Ray, Sailfin Snapper, Blacktip Reef Shark, Great Hammerhead, Indo-Pacific Leopard Shark, Ocean Sunfish, Sand Tiger Shark, Schooling Bannerfish, Longfin Batfish, Blue and Gold Fusilier, Indo-Pacific Sergeant, Palette Surgeonfish, Indian Ocean Oriental Sweetlips, Yellow Tang, Bluespine Unicornfish, Golden Trevally, Pacific Bluefin Tuna, Pacific Sardine, Common Rudd, Brown Trout, Giant Gourami, Koi, Clown Loach, African Tigerfish
Red lionfish are solitary but will gather in temporary harems during breeding events.
Overview
- Scientific name
- Pterois volitans
- Class
- Actinopterygii
- Conservation status
- Least Concern
- Biome
- Estuarine, Reef
- Continent
- Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean
- Cohabitation groups
- Indo pacific reef group lionfish
- Content
- Base game