🐠 Fu Manchu Lionfish (Dendrochirus biocellatus)
Marine Not-Reef-Safe Venomous Dwarf Lionfish • Red, White & Black Striped Body With Fan-Like Pectoral Fins • Genuine Severe Feeding Difficulty — Please Read Before Buying • Advanced Marine Fish
 
⚠️ Important Information — Please Read First
We want to be genuinely direct on this one. This species has venomous spines on its dorsal, anal, and pelvic fins — a sting is genuinely extremely painful, similar to a bee sting but considerably more potent, and can cause severe localised pain, swelling, and nausea lasting hours to days. Never handle this species with bare hands; always use a container rather than a net. If stung, immerse the area in the hottest water you can tolerate without burning for 15-20 minutes to help break down the venom proteins, and seek medical attention, especially if you have any known allergies. We also want to be genuinely upfront that this species is documented as notoriously difficult to feed in captivity, with some specimens refusing food entirely — please confirm feeding history with our team before purchasing.
 
📋 The Fu Manchu Lionfish, also known as the Twinspot or Ocellated Lionfish, has a genuinely striking red, white, and black striped body, large fan-like pectoral fins, and tall, quill-like dorsal spines. Its genuinely unique feature — shared with no other lionfish species — is a pair of fleshy, moustache-like tentacles on its chin, the source of its common name.
Native to a genuinely wide range across the Indo-Pacific, from Mauritius and the Maldives to French Polynesia, this species inhabits coral reefs and rocky areas at depths of roughly 1 to 50 metres, and is genuinely not frequently available in the trade.
A genuinely fascinating documented hunting behaviour: this species snaps its dorsal spines and shakes its head from side to side as it approaches prey, possibly to distract or even attract it within striking range. We want to be upfront: this species is not reef safe, and will genuinely eat small fish and ornamental shrimp. It should be the only lionfish in the tank, and never exposed to copper-based medications.
 
🔴⚪ Highlights
🎨 Red, White & Black Striped Body: A genuinely striking, distinctive lionfish
🥸 Genuinely Unique Chin Tentacles: A feature no other lionfish species possesses
⚠️ Genuinely Venomous: Please read our safety disclosure above
⚠️ Genuine Severe Feeding Difficulty: Documented risk of refusing food, please confirm history first
⚠️ Not Reef Safe: Will eat small fish and ornamental shrimp