The lionfish is a carnivore that feeds on other fish for food. It is red-and-white striped, with long pectoral fins. Lionfish normally have eighteen long needle-like dorsal fins. They use their long dorsal fins for defense against other fish or predators. Because the lionfish are carnivores, they rely on camouflage to seek and catch prey with ease (National Geographic). Lionfish also have a sting, that is extremely painful, that is used to catch their prey.
Lionfish have spread to many regions around the United States, but the way they have gotten to the U.S. is unknown.
Lionfish are a threat to
the native fish and the environment in the US Atlantic coastal waters (). Because lionfish are not native to the Atlantic Coast, the lionfish could cause extinctions of the native fish.