red lionfish
Pterois volitans · Scorpaenidae · predator
Exotic reef fish in the Atlantic, where it was introduced, with venomous spines that call for care when handling. It is native to the Pacific and the eastern Indian Ocean.
Also called: peixe-leão, pez león, red lionfish
- maximum
- 46 cm
- record/max.
- 1.4 kg
- depth
- 2–55 m
the right time
to be on the water
Choose the place and the species. The index, from 0 to 100, combines weather, sun, moon and tide with each fish's habits. Up to 28 days, with each day's confidence.
Reading the weather across 3 global models and 31 simulations…
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hour by hour
slide your finger or mouse over the chart to see each hoursee hour-by-hour table
why this index at —?
choose the day
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.
the fishing month at a glance
what's the best window for the crew?
Choose how many fishing days. We compare each stretch by its average index, discount days with a warning or closed season, and show the 3 best.
trend for the coming weeks
Line: the middle value of 31 simulations of the American GEFS model. Band: where 8 out of 10 fall. Narrow, firm trend; wide, high uncertainty.
everything about the red lionfish
who is the red lionfish
The lionfish belongs to the family Scorpaenidae, with a spindle-shaped body, very wide pectoral fins and large tentacles above the eyes. It reaches 45.7 cm and up to 1.4 kg. It is native to the Pacific and the eastern Indian Ocean, but was introduced into the western Atlantic, including Brazil, where it is exotic. It lives in lagoons and reefs, from murky areas near the coast down to 50 m deep. By day it hides and barely moves, and at night it hunts small fish, shrimp and crabs, cornering prey with its pectoral fins. The dorsal fin spines are venomous. It is commercially fished and sold 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 red lionfish; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- Juveniles are pelagic and travel long distances, which explains the wide distribution of the species.
identification
Spindle-shaped body with very wide pectoral fins, used to corner prey. It has large tentacles above the eyes and venomous spines on the dorsal fin. Its color varies with the environment: it is generally darker near the coast and nearly black in estuaries. The devil firefish (Pterois miles) is very similar and has many fine dark bands on the body and head.
where found
In Latin America it has been introduced to the Caribbean, Central America, Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela and Brazil, where it is exotic.
Habitat: Lagoons and reefs, from murky areas near the coast down to 50 m deep.
coast
when to fish
best time of day
Nighttime. It hides and barely moves by day, and hunts at night.
rules for the red lionfish
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
Conservation: Not on the Brazilian national list (Ministerial Ordinance GM/MMA No. 1.667/2026).
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 dorsal fin spines are venomous: hold the fish with a thick cloth or pliers, never with a bare hand. If stung, seek medical care. Treatment uses heat and corticosteroids, applied by professionals.
in the kitchen
It is a popular table fish, but care is needed with the venomous spines when cleaning it.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00692, b = 3.1; 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 volitans (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 volitansNames by country and language.
- official Portaria GM/MMA nº 1.667, de 27 de abril de 2026: Lista Nacional Oficial de Espécies da Fauna Ameaçadas de Extinção (peixes e invertebrados aquáticos)The species is not on the list. Checked in the DOU of April 28, 2026.
similar species
where each number comes from
The weather comes from three independent global models, cross-checked hour by hour: when they agree, confidence goes up; when they diverge, the band between them shows on the chart. Beyond 16 days, we use the GEFS ensemble of 31 simulations: if 20 of the 31 predict rain, the chance of rain is 65%. Sun and moon are calculated astronomically, with no uncertainty.
The index adds up, weighted for each species: time of day (species curve anchored to real sunrise and sunset), moon (transits, rise and set, phase), pressure (3 h trend and 24 h swing), water temperature (in rivers, estimated from air temperature; at sea, estimated by an ocean model), wind, rain, clouds, tide and the month in the species' cycle.
sources for this lookup
how accurate the forecast is
Accuracy measured in the reference project (4 regions, 93 days, forecast vs. observed): maximum temperature is off by 0.6 °C on average the next day and 1.7 °C at 7 days; rain of 5 mm or more is detected 76% of the time the next day and 57% at 7 days. Detection isn't everything: the false alarm rate isn't published here yet, and 93 days in 4 regions is still a small sample. We now also measure every day, at the app's destinations: