Lionfish

Photo: 808_Diver · CC BY-NC

Lionfish at Labas occupy the gorgonian fan habitat with remarkable fidelity, hovering almost invisibly among the polyps until small fish venture too close. Their venomous spines deter virtually all predators, allowing them to forage with impunity day and night across the reef face. In their native Indo-Pacific range they are a natural, balanced reef component that adds dramatic visual texture to the fan coral backdrop.