A Spider Shrimp is not safe around a Lionfish. Neither is a human. The beautiful, feathery spines of the Lionfish contain a cocktail mix of toxins, making it one of the most dangerous creatures in the sea.
Long known as a denizen of foreign waters, Lionfish have recently been found in the Florida Keys and as far north as South Carolina. This is not good news, because the Lionfish is a highly efficient predator of commercially valuable species — shrimp, baby grouper – you name it – he’ll gulp them down. And you certainly don’t want to step on one: Lionfish venom can cause a heart attack, so having them around some of our best beaches is troubling.
There are people like the Lionfish. Lovely to look at, but you don’t want them close enough to touch you.
Beware.