Skip to content
Illustration of Devil firefish
fishing forecast

devil firefish

Pterois miles · full profile

location

Sample location: choose yours to see the forecast for where you fish.

period

Loading the forecast…

the species

everything about the devil firefish

how to recognize it

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.

Also called: peixe-leão-diabo, peixe-leão, devil firefish

don't confuse with:

We don't have tips on season, bait or technique for this species yet.

Where to look: Shallow coastal waters, on muddy bottoms and near reefs, 0 to 85 m.

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.

rules for the devil firefish

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.

how much it weighs without taking it out of the water

estimated weight

—

how we calculate

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%.

more about 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.

Family: Scorpaenidae · predator

similar species

sources and references (2)

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.

  1. scientific FishBase: Pterois miles (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
  2. scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Pterois milesNames by country and language.