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Lionfish by the Numbers

1.EAT THEM TO BEAT THEM.

2.Lionfish reach adult size in approximately two years.

3.The largest record lionfish measured a little over 47.7 cm or 19.5 inches and was speared near Islamorada, Florida.

4.In lab studies, lionfish die when water temperatures reach 50 degrees Fahrenheit or 10 degrees Celsius.

5.Lionfish have been visually sighted down to depths of 1,000 feet or 305 meters.

6.Female lionfish are sexually mature and will release eggs when they reach seven to eight inches in length or at approximately one year old.

7.A female lionfish can release between 12,000 and 15,000 unfertilized eggs every four days year round, or approximately two million eggs per year, in warm Caribbean waters.

8.A lionfish’s stomach can expand to up to thirty times its normal volume.

9.A lionfish can eat prey that is just over half its own body size if it can get its mouth around the prey.

10.Lionfish are known to eat just about every marine creature in their range, including over seventy different fish, invertebrates, and mollusks.

11.A single lionfish may reduce the number of juvenile native fish on any given reef by approximately 79 percent in just five weeks.

12.Lionfish have eighteen venomous spines that are capable of easily penetrating human skin and delivering a very painful sting. Thirteen of these spines are located along the spine in the dorsal fins; there is one short spine in the leading edge of each of the pelvic fins, and there are three short spines in the leading edge of the anal fin. The venom is a protein-based combination of a neuromuscular toxin and a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine. The venom can be denatured (or rendered inert) by applying heat or freezing.

13.Recommended first aid for lionfish stings and envenomation include surfacing safely from a dive, removing any broken spines, and disinfecting the wound, then applying non-scalding hot water for thirty to ninety minutes. Monitor for signs of allergic reaction or shock and react accordingly. Seek medical treatment immediately.

14.There have been zero known human fatalities due to a lionfish envenomation.

15.Yes, you can eat lionfish. They are not poisonous!