ReefPicker
← Livestock checker
Volitans Lionfish
Lionfish

Volitans Lionfish

Pterois volitans

The classic red lionfish — the one everybody pictures — with banner-like pectoral fins and bold red-and-white banding that make it a genuine centrepiece. It is an ambush predator that swallows whole any fish or shrimp small enough to fit, which in its case means most of the tank: tankmates have to be chosen by size, not by temperament. Its dorsal, pelvic and anal spines are venomous, and the sting is severe enough that every hand in the tank has to be a deliberate one, however tame the fish becomes. It also grows big and lives long, so this is a decade-long commitment to a large, meat-fed system rather than an impulse centrepiece.

Temperament
Semi-aggressive
Max size
15"
Min tank
120 gal
Reef-safe
Reef safe
Diet
Carnivore
Zone
Mid-water, Rockwork, Caves
Keep just one per tank — two will fight.
Something look wrong? Report an error

Tankmates

How Volitans 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 ClownfishVolitans Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Percula Clownfish.Maroon ClownfishVolitans Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Maroon Clownfish.Purple Queen AnthiasVolitans Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Purple Queen Anthias.Banggai CardinalfishVolitans Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Banggai Cardinalfish.Radiant WrasseVolitans Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Radiant Wrasse.Pajama CardinalfishVolitans Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Pajama Cardinalfish.Green ChromisVolitans Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Green Chromis.Blue DamselVolitans Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Blue Damsel.Yellowtail DamselVolitans Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Yellowtail Damsel.Flame AngelfishVolitans Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Flame Angelfish.Coral Beauty AngelfishVolitans Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Coral Beauty Angelfish.Lemonpeel AngelfishVolitans Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Lemonpeel Angelfish.Bicolor AngelfishVolitans Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Bicolor Angelfish.Red Saddleback ClownfishVolitans Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Red Saddleback Clownfish.Helfrich's FirefishVolitans Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Helfrich's Firefish.Red Sea ClownfishVolitans Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Red Sea Clownfish.Yasha GobyVolitans Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Yasha Goby.Tailspot BlennyVolitans Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Tailspot Blenny.Kole TangVolitans Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Kole Tang.McCosker's Flasher WrasseVolitans Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller McCosker's Flasher Wrasse.

Keep an eye on these

Usually fine, but worth watching in a smaller tank.

Yellow TangVolitans Lionfish and Yellow Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Sailfin TangVolitans Lionfish and Sailfin Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Purple TangVolitans Lionfish and Purple Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Powder Blue TangVolitans Lionfish and Powder Blue Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Convict TangVolitans Lionfish and Convict Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Achilles TangVolitans Lionfish and Achilles Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Naso TangVolitans Lionfish and Naso Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Scopas TangVolitans Lionfish and Scopas Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Mimic TangVolitans Lionfish and Mimic Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Powder Brown TangVolitans Lionfish and Powder Brown Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Square AnthiasVolitans Lionfish and Square Anthias both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Zebra Dwarf LionfishVolitans Lionfish and Zebra Dwarf Lionfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Blue-Throat TriggerfishVolitans Lionfish and Blue-Throat Triggerfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Crosshatch TriggerfishVolitans Lionfish and Crosshatch Triggerfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Niger TriggerfishVolitans Lionfish and Niger Triggerfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Dogface PufferVolitans Lionfish and Dogface Puffer both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Porcupine PufferVolitans Lionfish and Porcupine Puffer both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Double Saddle ButterflyfishVolitans Lionfish and Double Saddle Butterflyfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Threadfin ButterflyfishVolitans Lionfish and Threadfin Butterflyfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Majestic AngelfishVolitans Lionfish and Majestic Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.