devil firefish
Pterois miles
Lionfish native to the Indian Ocean and exotic in the Caribbean and Venezuela, with strongly venomous spines that call for great care.
Also called: peixe-leão-diabo, peixe-leão, devil firefish
- maximum
- 43 cm
- record/max.
- 0.8 kg
- depth
- 0–85 m
who is the devil firefish
The devil firefish belongs to the family Scorpaenidae and reaches 43 cm and up to 788 g. It is native to the Indian Ocean, from the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea to Indonesia, but was introduced into Caribbean and Central American waters. In Latin America it occurs in the Bahamas, Belize, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Puerto Rico and Venezuela, where it is exotic. It lives in coastal waters and on muddy bottoms near reefs, from 0 to 85 m. Its spines carry strong venom and can kill a person. It is commercially fished and valued for aquariums.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the devil firefish; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Similar to the lionfish (Pterois volitans), with a body of reddish to brown or gray tone. It has many fine dark bands on the body and head, and this band pattern is its most striking trait. The tentacles above the eyes may have faint bands, and the cheek has a row of small spines. The middle fins have small spots.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
In Latin America it has been introduced to the Bahamas, Belize, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Puerto Rico and Venezuela. It is native to the Indian Ocean, from the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea to Indonesia.
Habitat: Shallow coastal waters, on muddy bottoms and near reefs, 0 to 85 m.
rules for the devil firefish
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
The spines are highly venomous and can kill a person. Handle with pliers or a thick cloth, never with a bare hand. If someone is stung, seek medical care immediately.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01047, b = 3.04; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Pterois miles (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Pterois milesNames by country and language.
