Common lionfish
Red Sea marine life

Common lionfish

Spectacular fan-like fins striped red and white, beautiful but venomous.

All Red Sea marine life

About this species

One of the Red Sea's most photogenic predators. Lionfish hover almost motionless near reefs, fanning their venomous spines as a warning. The venom is rarely fatal to a healthy adult but causes intense pain and swelling for hours.

Where to find it

Reef walls and overhangs at most snorkel sites. Usually still, often near caves.

Safety for snorkelers

Common questions

Common lionfish: is it dangerous for snorkelers?+

Caution. Stay at least 1 metre away. The spines stick out wider than they look.

Common lionfish: where can you see it in Egypt?+

Reef walls and overhangs at most snorkel sites. Usually still, often near caves. These trips go where this species lives. It is a wild animal, so a sighting is possible and never promised.

Common lionfish: how big does it get?+

30–40 cm

More Red Sea species