Blackfoot lionfish (Parapterois heterura) care guide

Group
Marine fish
Other names
Blackfoot firefish, Blue-fin lionfish, Gurnard lionfish
Family
Scorpaenidae (scorpionfishes and lionfishes)
Origin
Natal (south-east Africa) and the central Indo-Pacific (Japan, Indonesia, New Guinea, Australia); soft sand or mud bottoms at 40–300 m.
Water
saltwater
Maximum size
23 cm
Temperature
20–25°C
pH
8.1–8.4
Hardness
Salinity SG 1.023–1.026
Minimum tank
250 litres
Care level
expert
Temperament
semi_aggressive
Reef safe
with_caution

Care

A deep-water lionfish of soft bottoms: give a sandy area where it can partly bury itself and dim lighting. The 250-litre minimum is our estimate. The list gives 23 cm; the article gives 38 cm as the maximum, with adults often about 11 cm. Because it lives deep, cooler water may suit it; the 20–25 °C range here is our estimate, and pH 8.1–8.4 and SG 1.023–1.026 are general marine guidance, not species-specific. Safety: the fin spines are venomous. A sting is extremely painful and can cause swelling, nausea and breathing difficulty. Use long-handled tools and a net or container, never bare hands, when working in the tank; if stung, immerse the wound in water as hot as can be tolerated and seek medical help. Sedentary and mainly nocturnal. It flashes its brightly coloured blue-and-black pectoral fins to startle predators and to corner prey. The IUCN lists it as Least Concern. Sources: Wikipedia, List of marine aquarium fish species (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Listofmarineaquariumfishspecies); Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parapteroisheterura). Checked October 2026.

Diet

Eats small fish and bottom-living invertebrates. Offer frozen prawn, krill, mysis and fish pieces, usually after lights out at first.

Breeding

Not covered in our sources; not bred in home aquaria.

Compatibility and tank mates

Reef safe with caution: it leaves corals alone but will eat shrimps, crabs and any fish small enough to swallow. Keep with calm, larger fish; avoid active, boisterous feeders that take all the food.

Last updated 8 October 2026. Community-edited care guide on Aquatic-Auctions.

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