45 centimeters
(18 inches) long
One lionfish can eat 5,000 fish in a year.
They can live up to 15 years.
Lionfish females can lay more than two million eggs per year.
Lionfish spines have venom, a kind of poison.
present invasion zone
expected invasion zone
North
America
South
America
Pacific
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
Lionfish have invaded the East Coast, the Caribbean, and the Gulf of Mexico.
They may spread south toward Brazil.
Lionfish can damage coral reefs.
before lionfish invasion
after lionfish invasion
Lionfish hunt in coral reefs.
In some areas, lionfish have eaten nine out of 10 local fish.
Lionfish can easily eat more than 2/3 of their own body weight at one time.
