Except for the Hawaiian green Lionfish, almost all species are red, orange, black, and white colors. Lionfish live worldwide in warm tropical waters and have several venomous spines. When snorkeling or scuba diving, all Lionfish should be avoided. All Lionfish are in the scorpionfish family, and the green Lionfish are the only species that live near the Hawaiian islands.
Hawaii has many unique fish species because the land is so far away from any other landmasses and surrounded by the deep ocean. Some Hawaii fish have evolved to look very different from their other fish cousins. The green Lionfish only live in Hawaii in shallow waters and still have some red Lionfish characteristics.
You do not want to touch them; however, they are hard to see because they blend into the coral and ledges. The green Lionfish often hide out during the day under a shallow-water shelf, and they hunt food at night by ambushing small reef fish. Lionfish do not like to swim, so when threatened, they point their venomous spines to detour any bothersome marine life.
Remember…Touch ONLY with your eyes!
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