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Antennata Lionfish
Lionfish

Antennata Lionfish

Pterois antennata

The Antennata or Spotfin Lionfish is the elegant middleweight of the group — quill-like dorsal spines, spotted pectoral fans, and a fraction of the bulk a volitans grows into. It hunts from cover after dark and swallows prey whole, so ornamental shrimp and any fish it can fit in its mouth are food rather than tankmates. The dorsal, pelvic and anal spines are venomous and sting like a bee, only harder, which makes routine maintenance a deliberate act. The honest catch is the first few weeks: new arrivals frequently refuse frozen food and need live shrimp to start eating, and weaning them over can take months.

Temperament
Semi-aggressive
Max size
7.9"
Min tank
50 gal
Reef-safe
Reef safe
Diet
Carnivore
Zone
Mid-water, Rockwork, Caves
Keep just one per tank — two will fight.
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Tankmates

How Antennata Lionfish gets on with the rest of the reef, checked pair by pair by the same engine as the live pre-flight.

Best kept apart

A real clash — aggression, predation or a same-genus fight.

Percula ClownfishAntennata Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Percula Clownfish.Banggai CardinalfishAntennata Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Banggai Cardinalfish.Pajama CardinalfishAntennata Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Pajama Cardinalfish.Green ChromisAntennata Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Green Chromis.Blue DamselAntennata Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Blue Damsel.Yellowtail DamselAntennata Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Yellowtail Damsel.Helfrich's FirefishAntennata Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Helfrich's Firefish.Yasha GobyAntennata Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Yasha Goby.Tailspot BlennyAntennata Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Tailspot Blenny.McCosker's Flasher WrasseAntennata Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller McCosker's Flasher Wrasse.Sixline WrasseAntennata Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Sixline Wrasse.Lubbock's Fairy WrasseAntennata Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Lubbock's Fairy Wrasse.Royal GrammaAntennata Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Royal Gramma.Chalk BassAntennata Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Chalk Bass.Orchid DottybackAntennata Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Orchid Dottyback.Springer's DottybackAntennata Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Springer's Dottyback.Purple DottybackAntennata Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Purple Dottyback.Mandarin DragonetAntennata Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Mandarin Dragonet.Purple FirefishAntennata Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Purple Firefish.FirefishAntennata Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Firefish.

Keep an eye on these

Usually fine, but worth watching in a smaller tank.

Maroon ClownfishAntennata Lionfish and Maroon Clownfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Flame AngelfishAntennata Lionfish and Flame Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Coral Beauty AngelfishAntennata Lionfish and Coral Beauty Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Lemonpeel AngelfishAntennata Lionfish and Lemonpeel Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Bicolor AngelfishAntennata Lionfish and Bicolor Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Red Saddleback ClownfishAntennata Lionfish and Red Saddleback Clownfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Yellow TangAntennata Lionfish and Yellow Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Red Sea ClownfishAntennata Lionfish and Red Sea Clownfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Sailfin TangAntennata Lionfish and Sailfin Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Purple TangAntennata Lionfish and Purple Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Powder Blue TangAntennata Lionfish and Powder Blue Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Matted FilefishAntennata Lionfish and Matted Filefish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Convict TangAntennata Lionfish and Convict Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Clark's ClownfishAntennata Lionfish and Clark's Clownfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Tomato ClownfishAntennata Lionfish and Tomato Clownfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Canary BlennyAntennata Lionfish and Canary Blenny both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Forktail BlennyAntennata Lionfish and Forktail Blenny both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Achilles TangAntennata Lionfish and Achilles Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Naso TangAntennata Lionfish and Naso Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Scopas TangAntennata Lionfish and Scopas Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.