New Lionfish at SEA LIFE Michigan Aquarium

As the Detroit football team gears up for their Sunday game, SEA LIFE Michigan is showing their pride for the home team by welcoming five Lions of their own to the aquarium—Lionfish, that is.

Five lionfish, also known by their species name Pterois Volitans, were introduced to the Shipwreck area at SEA LIFE Michigan Aquarium in Auburn Hills this week.

“We have nicknamed some of the lionfish and one of them, unsurprisingly, is ‘Megatron,’” said SEA LIFE Michigan Curator Kelli Cadenas. “While they are cool looking creatures, Lionfish are a very invasive species that is causing destruction to the marine ecosystem in the Atlantic Ocean, so bringing some here is helping worldwide conservation efforts which fits perfectly with our breed, rescue, protect mission.”

Invasive lionfish are out-breeding, out-competing and out-living native fish stocks and other marine species throughout the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean. Not only does the overpopulation of the lionfish threaten the ecosystem of these specific oceans and their inhabitants, but the native marine species that lionfish are decimating are important for ecological, commercial, traditional and recreational reasons as well.