They are mostly found in warm, tropical waters within a variety of habitats, from rocky bottoms to coral and artificial reefs, and can be seen at depths of up to 300 feet (91 meters). Ocean currents and hurricanes have since aided in the spread from Florida's Atlantic Coast to the Bahamas, throughout the Caribbean Sea and into the Gulf of Mexico. While no one can pinpoint exactly how the alien invasion occurred beyond the species' native Indo-Pacific region, the population explosion is likely to have begun off of the Atlantic Coast in the mid-1980s when an aquarium owner dumped unwanted lionfish into the wild, according to National Geographic. When it's not occupying people's saltwater tanks, for example, the popular ornamental yet carnivorous fish has somehow managed to infiltrate tropical waters worldwide, where it has been busy greatly reducing not only native fish populations, but also wreaking havoc on delicate reef ecosystems. Robin Riggs, Aquarium of the PacificĪlthough the lionfish ( Pterois volitans) is visibly gorgeous, there's much more to this mysterious creature (also referred to as turkeyfish and firefish) than its striking maroon, brown and white stripes, elegant fan-like fins and delicate floating tentacles. The lionfish ( Pterois volitans) is also called a zebrafish, firefish, turkeyfish, tastyfish or butterfly-cod and is characterized by intense coloration and venomous spiky pectoral fins.
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