b'Once in a body of water, preferably warm,lionfish are a prime threat to other fish, andto some extent, humans who hunt them. Theyre capable of blowing jets of water at other prey to confuse them before attacking head on. They also release venom through their fin rays when attacked. Their stings often result in pain, nausea, breathing difficulties, numbness and morethough fatalities are rare (and Muller claims they dont sting humans intentionally). And, since they can eat up to 20 fish a day, their effect on habitats is notable. Their stomachs can expand 30 times normal size while eating, says Stacy Frank, Co-Founder of Lionfish University, a non-profit group dedicated to preserving ocean reefs and native fish populations. They are the buffet busters of the reef and will eat anything 2/3rds their size or less that will fit in their mouths. Research has shown that just one lionfish can reduce native reef creatures by 80-90% in just weeks.JV Hart & Stacy Frank, Lionfish University Founders, Bushra Raza, Hoboken, NJ Mayor Ravi Bhalla, and Jon Vesey5'