🐠 Volitans Lionfish (Pterois volitans)
Marine Reef-Safe Venomous Predator • Deep Maroon-Red & Cream Banded Body With Dramatic Fan-Like Fins • Genuine Venomous Spines — Please Read Before Buying • Intermediate to Advanced Marine Fish
 
⚠️ Important Information — Please Read First
We want to be genuinely upfront on this one. The dorsal, pelvic, and anal fin spines of this species are genuinely venomous, delivering a sting comparable to a severe bee sting, and individuals sensitive to stings should seek medical attention immediately. If stung, remove any broken spines and immerse the affected area in the hottest water you can tolerate (not scalding) for around 30 minutes, followed by medical attention. Please exercise real caution during all tank maintenance and feeding.
 
📋 The Volitans Lionfish, also known as the Red Lionfish, Turkeyfish, or Butterfly Cod, has a genuinely dramatic appearance — a boldly banded body in alternating deep maroon-red and cream stripes, with massive, fan-like pectoral fins and elongated, venomous dorsal spines trailing above.
Native to the Indo-Pacific, including the Red Sea and Indian Ocean, this species has genuinely become one of the most notorious invasive marine species in history, having spread throughout the Western Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico since being introduced off Florida in the 1980s, likely through aquarium releases.
This is a genuinely sedentary ambush predator that spends much of its time motionless, perched on ledges, before striking with lightning speed. It's fully reef safe with corals, but will genuinely consume any fish or crustacean small enough to fit in its cavernous mouth, so ornamental shrimp and small tank mates are not safe alongside it. We want to be honest that newly introduced specimens often require live feeder shrimp or fish to begin eating, though most can genuinely be weaned onto frozen silversides, krill, and squid with patience.
 
🔴⚪ Highlights
🎨 Maroon-Red & Cream Banded Body: A genuinely dramatic, iconic predatory fish
⚠️ Genuine Venomous Spines: Please read our sting-treatment disclosure above
🌿 Reef Safe With Corals: Will genuinely consume fish and crustaceans small enough to fit in its mouth
🐢 Genuinely Sedentary Ambush Predator: A dramatic, lightning-fast feeding strike
💪 Genuinely Hardy: One of the most popular and adaptable lionfish in the hobby