Lionfish are members of the subfamily Pteroinae, which places them within the family Scorpaenidae. Pteroinae includes five genera and about sixteen species. See some Lionfish species here.
Dwarf Lionfish
Scientific Name: Dendrochirus biocellatus
Minimum Tank Size: 30 Gallon
Care Level: Expert Only
Temperature: 72-78° F
pH: 8.1-8.4
Specific Gravity: 1.020-1.025
Max. Size: 3.9 inches
Diet: Carnivore, Live Shrimp, Meaty
Origin: Indo-Pacific
Coral Safe: Yes
Invertebrate Safe: Yes
Hawaiian lionfish
Scientific Name: Dendrochirus barberi
Minimum Tank Size: 30 Gallon
Care Level: Expert Only
Temperature : 72-78° F
pH: 8.1-8.4
Specific Gravity : 1.020-1.025
Max. Size: 6 inches
Diet: Carnivore, Live Shrimp, Meaty
Origin: Eastern Central Pacific
Coral Safe : Yes
Invertebrate Safe : Yes
Fuzzy Dwarf Lionfish, Shortfin Lion Fish
Scientific Name: Dendrochirus brachypterus
Minimum Tank Size: 30 Gallon
Care Level: Expert Only
Temperature : 72-78° F
pH: 8.1-8.4
Specific Gravity : 1.020-1.025
Max. Size: 5-6 inches
Diet: Carnivore, Live Shrimp, Meaty
Origin: Indo-Pacific
Coral Safe : Yes
Invertebrate Safe : Yes
The Fuzzy Dwarf Lionfish, is also called the Shortfin Lionfish or simply the Dwarf Lionfish. The Fuzzy Dwarf Lionfish is appropriately named because of its full fins
Zebra turkeyfish
Scientific Name: Dendrochirus zebra
Minimum Tank Size: 50 Gallon
Care Level: Expert Only
Temperature : 72-78° F
pH: 8.1-8.4
Specific Gravity : 1.020-1.025
Max. Size: 10 inches
Diet: Carnivore, Live Shrimp, Meaty
Origin: Eastern Asia, South Asia, Vanuatu
Coral Safe : Yes
Invertebrate Safe : Yes
Dendrochirus zebra is known as the Zebra Lionfish or Dwarf Lionfish. It has red, white, and black vertical stripes along the body; large, fan-like pectoral fins; and tall, quill-like dorsal fins.
Spotfin lionfish
Scientific Name: Pterois antennata
Minimum Tank Size: 50 Gallon
Care Level: Moderate
Temperature : 72-78° F
pH: 8.1-8.4
Specific Gravity : 1.020-1.025
Max. Size: 8 inches
Diet: Carnivore, Live Shrimp, Meaty
Origin: Tropical Indian and Western Pacific Oceans
Coral Safe : Yes
Invertebrate Safe : Yes
Antennata Lionfish is a very attractive fish marked in the typical striped lionfish pattern, with alternating red/brown and white vertical bands. The Antennata Lionfish, also known as the Ragged-finned Firefish or Spotfin Lionfish, Its most striking feature is its large, fan-like pectoral fins and tall, quill-like dorsal fins, lacking connective tissue, giving them a spiny look.
Clearfin lionfish
Scientific Name: Pterois radiata
Minimum Tank Size: 50 Gallon
Care Level: Moderate
Temperature : 72-78° F
pH: 8.1-8.4
Specific Gravity : 1.020-1.025
Max. Size: 10 inches
Diet: Carnivore, Live Shrimp, Meaty
Origin: Tropical Indian and Western Pacific Oceans
Coral Safe : Yes
Invertebrate Safe : Yes
The clearfin lionfish, tailbar lionfish, radiata lionfish, or radial firefish is a carnivorous, ray-finned fish with venomous spines that lives in the Indian and western Pacific Oceans. Radiata lions exhibit broad vertical body bands that are typically deep red/maroon/brown, sometimes by using a darkish green/black tint in their mind. These dark bands are separated by thin, stark white stripes. The reduced rays of the long pectoral fin are connected from a membrane near the body as much as regarding a quarter of the length, and the membranes in their second dorsal, anal and caudal fins lack color or markings, hence one of this fish’s common names: clearfin lionfish.
Soldier lionfish
Scientific Name: Pterois russelii
Minimum Tank Size: 50 Gallon
Care Level: Moderate
Temperature : 72-78° F
pH: 8.1-8.4
Specific Gravity : 1.020-1.025
Max. Size: 12 inches
Diet: Carnivore, Live Shrimp, Meaty
Origin: Indo-Pacific: Persian Gulf and East Africa to New Guinea, south to Western Australia.
Coral Safe : Yes
Invertebrate Safe : Yes
The soldier lionfish, plaintail turkeyfish, or Russell’s lionfish, Pterois russelli, is a lionfish species native to the Indo-Pacific Ocean from the eastern part of Africa to the Persian Gulf. They grow up to 30 cm in length.
The soldier lionfish can best be described as a volitans in a slightly smaller package, both in habits and care. It is often seen offered for sale under the incorrect common name red volitans.
P. russelii is most easily recognized by the lack of spots on its caudal and median fins, that also brings about one of its common names clearfin lionfish. Its white body is adorned with reddish-brown vertical bands, which are sparser and more widely spaced and than those of
P. volitans. Additionally, Russels lionfish lack the dark markings under its chin that the volitans has. Once you see a Russel’s, you won’t mistake them as P. volitans soon after.
Red lionfish
Scientific Name: Pterois volitans
Minimum Tank Size: 120 Gallon
Care Level: Easy
Temperature : 72-78° F
pH: 8.1-8.4
Specific Gravity : 1.020-1.025
Max. Size: 1.3 inches
Diet: Carnivore, Live Shrimp, Meaty
Origin: Caribbean, Indonesia, Vanuatu
Coral Safe : Yes
Invertebrate Safe : Yes
The Volitan Lionfish can be called the, Common Lionfish, Red Lionfish, Turkeyfish and Butterfly Cod. It’s color can vary depending on age and maturity of the fish, displaying a red to burgundy, white, and brown to black vertical stripes on the entire body. It also has large, fan-like pectoral fins, and tall, banded spines on the dorsal fin. The Volitan Lionfish is very similar to the Miles Lionfish with the exception of their origin as the Miles Lionfish species is restricted to the Indian Ocean: Red Sea, South Africa, and east to Sumatra. The Volitain Lionfish differs from the visually similar Miles Lionfish, as Miles have fewer spines on its dorsal and anal fins.
Thank you information from http://www.lionfishlair.com/careguides/lionfish.shtml