Swarovski Lion Fish – Pretty Crystal vs Poison Critter

Last week, I saw an article on Good Morning America about lionfish that made me think about the Swarovski Lion Fish.

 

 

The Swarovski Lion fish I’m accustomed to seeing is a retired crystal figurine.  It was designed by the well-known Martin Zendron.  The Swarovski Lion fish was released in 2002 and retired in 2005.  Swarovski placed the crystal lion fish in the “South Sea” theme group.  The attractive lion fish figurine featured light salmon shiny crystal fins.  The overall size is about 2.5″ in length.  The Swarovski Lion Fish originally retailed for $185 USD and is presently found in online auctions and in the secondary market for $150 – $200.

 

 

 

The poison critter that I am less familiar with is the live and venomous lionfish.  I had no idea they got so big! National Geographic states they are normally about 12″ long!  They have red and white zebra fins and elongated, flashy pectoral fins.  The poison is in the lionfish’s dorsal fins.  The lionfish sting is generally not fatal, but is extremely painful.  Also known as the turkey fish, dragon fish, or scorpion fish, their native area is the central and western Pacific oceans.  As reported on Good Morning America, these are making their way to US waters, and may potentially become “good eats”.

 

 

Hoping that this little bit of information about the poison critter behind the pretty crystal design has been as interesting to the many crystal fanatics as it was to me.  If you are looking have lionfish in  your aquarium (another popular use for the lionfish), check in a tropical fish store.  If you are looking to add the retired  Swarovski Lionfish to your crystal collection, visit the Crystal Exchange America web site in the “Sea Life” category.