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Today on Animal Fact Files we’re discussing scorpionfish. Be sure to subscribe for more animal facts! Scorpionfish is the common name for any fish belonging to the Scorpaenidae family. They are also known as stonefish and rockfish, and the family includes the famous lionfish, as well. There are somewhere around 300 species of scorpionfish with new species being discovered even as recently as 2016 (Scorpaenodes barrybrowni). I guess I’m dating this episode by saying that but oh well! Scorpionfish as a whole are considered to be some of the most dangerous fish because many of them are venomous. Yes, this little thing is up there with box jellyfish in terms of things to watch out for in the ocean. In humans, scorpionfish venom can cause pain, swelling, redness, blisters, abnormal heart rate, headache, fainting, paralysis, and even death in some extreme cases. Of course, nature doesn’t make it easy for us because scorpionfish are some masters of disguise.

Some scorpionfish come in bright colors and blend in perfectly with vivid coral; others look drab and basically disappear when hiding among rocks; many of them have ruffy skin flaps that look like vegetation, and some even try to make themselves look even more foliage-like by slowly swaying in the water; even lionfish, who stand out fairly well during the day, have colors that make them nearly invisible at times of low light. Most of the time when people come in contact with a scorpionfish it is entirely on accident, and more often than not it’s because said person stepped on said fish. Ouch. If you do happen across a scorpionfish, it’s best just to give it some distance. Some species will display if they feel threatened by puffing up their venomous spines found along their dorsal, pelvic, and anal fins. Others will flash bright colors to try and scare away an opposer. If these tactics don’t work, they’ll usually swim away quick as they can, but I still wouldn’t want to cross fins with one. Apparently, some species of sharks, rays, and other larger fish are willing to, though, because they will hunt and eat scorpionfish. Must be… crunchy.

Scorpionfish live mainly in colder marine waters throughout the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans, though some are found in brackish and even freshwater. They inhabit coral reefs staying in crevices and between rocks or buried under the sand during the day and waiting for a meal to pass by at night. Scorpionfish are ambush predators and some of them don’t even have a swim bladder. When an unassuming fish swims close enough to the scorpionfish, the scorpionfish sucks up its prey whole in a vacuum-like fashion. We’ve discussed other animals on AFF that eat using this kind of suction system. Scorpionfish enjoy meals of fish, crustaceans, and marine gastropods. All their waiting around for meals to come to them seems easy enough, but their sedentary lifestyle can lead to parasitic invasion of their skin. Of course, scorpionfish seem to have covered all the bases of living as lazily as possible because they’ll just shed their skin if the parasites get too bad. In terms of nonchalance, these guys are akin to cats.

Venom aside, many people keep scorpionfish, especially the fancy looking lionfish, as pets. In captive care, scorpionfish may be able to live longer than a decade, but in the wild they won’t live as long. Different species of scorpion fish have different methods of breeding. Some have internal fertilization while others have males fertilizing eggs after they’ve been released into the water column. Some give birth to live young and others lay eggs. In the case of egg laying species, the eggs will float to the surface where they are less likely to have predator interference. They’ll hatch within of week and remain at the surface until they’re large enough to swim down to the reef where their parents live. The largest scorpion fish can grow to be three feet long (0.91m), though most species are less than two feet in length (0.61m). Have you ever seen a member of the Scorpaenidae family?

For more facts on scorpionfish, check out the links in the description. Please give this video a thumbs up if you enjoyed these facts, and we’ll see you next time on Animal Fact Files!