Fun Scorpion Fish Facts For Kids

Found in large numbers in the deep waters up to 2624.67 ft (800 m) below sea level of the Indo-Pacific oceans is scorpion fish (common name - scorpionfish). Coral reefs, sand, rocks, and stones at the water bed are an ideal habitat for scorpionfish to breed, where they can camouflage against these natural elements to hide and hunt. The scorpionfish family has over 200 known species, like lionfish, stonefish, leaf scorpionfish, and flasher scorpionfish.

Scorpionfish are feathery finned fishes that have sharp spines filled with venom that is used to prey and keep predators away. They are multicolored in yellow, brown, or flashy red and orange. These fishes feed on other fish, crabs, snails, other scorpionfish, and coral reefs; while their predators are larger fish like sharks, rays, sea lions, and snappers. These predators seem neutral to scorpionfish's venom, unlike other aquatic fishes. Scorpion Fish stings do not lead to human death if you come into contact with the fish. People even enjoy eating cooked scorpionfish after the spines with venom are removed and cleaned carefully. Read on to know more about scorpion fish.

If you are fascinated by fish, then read our fun facts on codfish and skate fish too once you're done with this one.

What type of animal is a scorpion fish?

Scorpionfish is a marine fish found in the ocean.

What class of animal does a scorpion fish belong to?

Scorpionfish belong to the Actinopterygii class of the Animalia family.

How many scorpion fish are there in the world?

The exact number of scorpionfishes in the world is not known. The order Scorpaeniformes, family Scorpaenidae, has over 200 species of scorpionfish worldwide. Some of the most known species include lionfish, stonefish, turkey fish, stingfish, dragonfish, and firefish.

Where does a scorpion fish live? 

Scorpionfishes live in the oceans, temperate waters, and tropical seas and are found in the Indo-Pacific Ocean. Some of them also live in freshwater.

What is a scorpion fish's habitat? 

Scorpionfish live deep in tropical and temperate oceans near coral reefs and aquatic plants. Coral reefs provide a perfect hiding place for them to avoid large predators like sharks, rays, and snappers.

Who do scorpion fish live with?

Scorpionfish live solitarily, which means they live alone and only come together for mating and reproduction.

How long does a scorpion fish live?

The average lifespan of a scorpion fish is 15 years but can live up to 20-30 years in captivity.

How do they reproduce?

Scorpionfish are oviparous, meaning both male and female species release their eggs and sperms into the water. Female scorpionfish release between 2,000-15,000 eggs in the water. After fertilization, the eggs float at the water surface, safe from egg-eating water animals. The eggs hatch within just two to three days and remain there until they get bigger to swim in deep ocean waters.

Most female scorpionfish reach the age of sexual maturity at around three to four years, while male scorpionfish mature after two to three years of birth.

What is their conservation status?

The conservation status of almost all species of the scorpionfish is Not Evaluated Least Concern under the IUCN Red List since they are found in plenty worldwide. Only a select few are listed as Data Deficient.

What do scorpion fish look like?

Scorpion Fish or Scorpaenidae are brightly colored ugly-looking fish with warts or blister-like protruding skin to add to their camouflage. They are yellow or brown; some scorpionfish like the Lionfish are bright red or orange-colored. Having a flat body with ridges and sharp spines on the head, scorpion fish have well-developed ray fins, between 11-17 dorsal spines, and 11-25 pectoral fins.

Stonefish and rockfish are scorpionfish species whose skin is spotted with color, helping them camouflage in with stones, rocks, and sand at the ocean beds, enabling them to prey.

The bony scorpionfish have venomous spines in their dorsal, pelvic, anal, and pectoral fins, helping them capture the prey with their sting to leave it unconscious. Although flat, scorpionfish have a huge mouth and can engulf the prey wholly.

Lionfish with curved or cycloid scales on its body is said to be one of the most distinguished featured species, with elongated pectoral fins and separated dorsal spines. They have white strip-like bands or patterns all over the body. Their bright red or maroon color is attractive. Lionfish have venomous tentacles above their eyes and below the mouth to paralyze their prey.

How cute are they?

Some species of scorpionfish are beautiful with colorful patterns and fins. Scorpionfish can look scary to most people and so cannot really be referred to as cute.

How do they communicate?

Scorpionfish, like most animals, use intraspecific communication, meaning they communicate with their species. Scorpionfish can communicate through motion and noises, using the muscles to vibrate against the swim bladder, an internal organ that helps the fish maintain buoyancy.

Communication between scorpionfish is a beautiful process. Both males and females swim around each other until the female releases the eggs if she is impressed by the male.

Interestingly, some studies have shown that certain species of scorpion fish flap their fins, like lionfish, and can change the fin color to lure their prey.

How big is a scorpion fish? 

The average size of the scorpionfish is about 8-20 in (15-51 cm). Females usually grow larger than males. Scorpionfish are small creatures but can be deadlier than most large aquatic animals found in oceans. Baby scorpionfish can be as small as 1 in (2.5 cm) when it is born.

How fast can a scorpion fish swim?

Scorpionfish remain motionless most of the time, waiting to hunt the prey. The fish can swiftly move, lunge and swim towards the prey or when they sense danger. They can reach speeds of up to 60 mph (96.5 kph).

How much does a scorpion fish weigh?

Scorpionfish can weigh between 3-3.4 lb (1.3-1.5 kg). They are small and lightweight creatures.

What are their male and female names of the species?

Scorpionfishes do not have separate gender names. They are referred to as male scorpionfish and female scorpionfish.

What would you call a baby scorpion fish?

Baby scorpionfish are called larvae. Once they have grown up, they can be called young or juvenile scorpionfish.

What do they eat? 

Scorpionfish are carnivores. They prey on snails, and other fish, including their kind. They mainly like crunchy crustaceans like crabs, prawns, and lobsters. Scorpionfish also feed on coral reefs. Most scorpionfish are nocturnal, meaning they hunt in the night and rest in the daytime. They are the hide and hunt kind, camouflaging in reefs and sands, waiting for the prey to get closer to attack. The case reverses when it comes to lionfish, one of the scorpionfish species. They hunt during the day and bravely ambush the prey before engulfing them.

Scorpionfish blow a jet of water towards the prey, disorienting them and quickly sucking the prey's head. Venom from the fins is then released into the prey, and it is swallowed as a whole.

Are they dangerous?

Scorpionfish are sure dangerous. Their bodies are covered with spines that release venom as a defense against predators. Although they do not mean to harm humans, these fishes can cause significant harm and leave you paralyzed if touched.

Would they make a good pet?

Ideally, it is not good to pet the venomous scorpionfish since their sting is deadly.

Some aquarists who are fascinated with fish do pet scorpionfishes in lifesize aquariums with artificial coral reefs, rocks, and hiding places to provide an ideal habit for them to live. They can be fed prawns, squid, and other crustaceans.

Keeping scorpionfish in small aquariums can injure other fishes. Scorpionfish can be unintentionally harmful due to their deadly venom-filled dorsal spines.

Did you know...

One of the most exciting scorpion fish facts is that their growth rate decreases after sexual maturation. Male scorpionfish have a slower growth rate than female scorpionfish.

False scorpionfish belonging to the family Serranidae are mimic scorpion fish that look like Stonefish but do not have sharp spines. They use this ability to keep away from predators which do not attack true scorpionfishes.

Since they are at the waterbed, Scorpion Fish are covered with algae which adds to their camouflage. These fishes occasionally shed skin to get rid of debris and dirt.

Contact with Scorpion Fish

Coming into contact with a scorpionfish is common for people who like watersports such as snorkeling and deepsea diving. Scorpionfish have venomous spines and release venom as a defense if touched by humans.

A scorpion fish sting can be harmful, and you must take immediate action by reporting it to emergency helpline numbers. The sting symptoms can be swelling and rashes around the wound, severe pain, headaches, allergic reactions, breathlessness, increase in heart rate, muscle cramps, diarrhea, fatigue, nausea, and nervous breakdown. You must remain calm and immediately clean the area with fresh water to clear all debris. Then soak the stung area in hot water for 30-90 minutes. Use tweezers to remove spines if they are visible and wash the area with soap. Even though it may seem like the venom is neutralized, medical care is a must for a scorpionfish sting.

As deadly as they may seem, scorpionfish are eaten globally, especially in places around the Pacific and the Indian oceans. scorpionfishes are flaky and meaty and are the best kind for fish and chips. Lionfish is widely harvested in tropical regions and is known for its sweet, crunchy taste.

Are you ready to try them yet? Be sure to have scorpionfish cooked by chefs who are experts in dealing with such kinds of fish, and do not try cooking it yourself.

Are scorpion fish endangered?

Although the conservation status of most species of scorpionfish species is listed as Least Concern and Not Extinct, wildlife conservation organizations across the world are trying to gather further information about the species.

We cannot say how many scorpionfish are left globally, but some things affect their lives and habitat. Increased human activities like tourism can disturb the ideal habitat of scorpionfish with water pollution leading to the destruction of many fish species, which are the prey of scorpionfish. Climate change is significantly affecting and destroying coral reefs essential to scorpionfish.

Scorpionfish are a unique species that maintain balance in the water ecosystem. We must take the necessary steps to righten the harm caused to various aquatic wildlife to preserve this natural beauty.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other fish including swai fish, or herring.

You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one on our butterfly fish coloring pages.