Lionfish are the first exotic saltwater fish to establish themselves in Florida and U.S. eastern coast waters. They have venomous spikes and will sting in defense. They don't pose much threat to humans other than their sting, which can be very painful, but they do pose a threat to other fish in their new environment.

Scientists are still working to figure out how much of an impact lionfish will have, but one recent study suggests that lionfish could drastically reduce other small prey fish populations in some areas by as much as 80%. One lionfish was even seen eating 20 small fish in 30 minutes.

On top of their large appetite, other fish are not familiar with this new fish and so far, it has few known predators. It is near the top of the food chain in its native waters, the Indian and Pacific oceans, and now in their new environments. Below are some videos showing just how dominating this fish can be.

This is video of a lionfish eating a small fish. They are known for using their fanned out fins to corner their prey. Watch as it blocks the fish from escaping.

This video is pretty cool. You can see in slow motion how its jaw expands to eat its prey.

Watch this potential lionfish predator check out the lionfish. You can tell he's checkin' the fish out and may think he's going to have a tasty meal, but the lionfish wins this battle without even breaking a sweat.

To learn more about lionfish and how they have spread, check out my News Illustrated page on the back of the Outlook section on Sunday.