As lionfish populations grow, they put additional stress on coral reefs. For example, lionfish eat herbivores, and herbivores eat algae from coral reefs. Without herbivores, algal growth goes unchecked, which can be detrimental to the health of coral reefs.
The lionfish are eating other consumers, so the native consumer populations are dwindling. This decrease can have a ripple effect. Larger predatory animals may not have enough food to eat because the native species are decreasing.
