Hey guys, just a few questions here. My are lionfish so hated around the world? We were in the Virgin Islands last summer and we saw several people advertising lion fish killing. I've done some research that says they are destroying our reefs and becoming too invasive. Just curious to hear other thoughts on this. Thanks
Why are lionfish so disliked?
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jcdeng
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they are very successful predators, they will kill all the small reef fishes that is vital to coral reefs and with no natural predators that can control their population in our part of the ocean. If we don't do something about their numbers sooner or later all the divers will see when they go diving are gonna be coral skeletons and lionfish and no other fishes around.
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Because they have been introduced into habitats where they are not normally found (by people who most likely purchased them and then decided they didn't want them any longer, and simply dumped it in the ocean.) The lionfish out-compete the native fishes for food. In addition they are a new predator eating anything they can fit in their big mouths. We now have Lionfish off the shores of New Jersey.
Invasive lionfish is the problem.
They've also been found as far as 5.5km up river, in estuary habitat.. So adaptable, eat anything that fits in their large mouth, few if any natural predators...
Besides coral reef destruction, they also have a negative impact on commercial fishing species, like in the Atlantic
They've also been found as far as 5.5km up river, in estuary habitat.. So adaptable, eat anything that fits in their large mouth, few if any natural predators...
Besides coral reef destruction, they also have a negative impact on commercial fishing species, like in the Atlantic
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tj w
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Everything I've read has been documented as well. What I don't understand is why they don't ban selling these fish everywhere? I know u can't buy them in Florida but what about other places. Doesn't seem like there's a logical solution to curving their destruction. They are beautiful fish, but are destroying the earths reefs
Duke4Life
Just a crazy eel guy, LMAS
Banned in Florida must be something they've done in the last 13 years. No telling how many were sold and released back in the day.
aaron23
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i've been diving out in Puerto rico, mexico and belize. lion fish are extremely invasive invading the reefs and killing all of the small fishes. They are ALL OVER the place. there is no predator for lion fish and they populate to ridiculous proportions.
I'm going to grand cayman in 2 weeks. I'm going to get to HUNT and try lion fish for the first time YUM! I heard its good since its a white fish. you just need to know how to prepare it.
I'm going to grand cayman in 2 weeks. I'm going to get to HUNT and try lion fish for the first time YUM! I heard its good since its a white fish. you just need to know how to prepare it.
Oceansize
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Diving in 2003, lionfish were a rare, special sight and you were stoked to see one. By 2009, divemasters across the Caribbean were being instructed to take spearguns and kill on sight.
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Renee
A lot of people don't have the facts, don't care to find the facts and don't listen if you tell them the facts. People hate lions due to ignorance.
There is only one super problematic and concerning lionfish out there.... it's the invasive Pterois volitans/miles. It's not the NON-invasive P. volitans/miles. Those are awesome fish and are very successful living in their natural environment. It eats things. Things eat it. Life is good for all.
When you tell people they are wrong and they know you have a lion, they think you lying and are just a lionfish sympathizer.
But you know what, we lionfish owners just have to "take one for the team". If generating a little misplaced hate helps remove the invasive ones and helps prevent new ones from bring introduced, well, it's what we have to do. I'm sorry if someone was not nice to you somewhere. I have seen many threads on forums and Facebook filled with nasty comments, when all someone was trying to do was receive help for a sick fish or just to share their pets like everyone one else gets to. Correct them and then if they don't listen, at least you know it is them that is looking stupid.
There is only one super problematic and concerning lionfish out there.... it's the invasive Pterois volitans/miles. It's not the NON-invasive P. volitans/miles. Those are awesome fish and are very successful living in their natural environment. It eats things. Things eat it. Life is good for all.
When you tell people they are wrong and they know you have a lion, they think you lying and are just a lionfish sympathizer.
But you know what, we lionfish owners just have to "take one for the team". If generating a little misplaced hate helps remove the invasive ones and helps prevent new ones from bring introduced, well, it's what we have to do. I'm sorry if someone was not nice to you somewhere. I have seen many threads on forums and Facebook filled with nasty comments, when all someone was trying to do was receive help for a sick fish or just to share their pets like everyone one else gets to. Correct them and then if they don't listen, at least you know it is them that is looking stupid.
Lionfish, in their natural South Pacific habitat, are amazing, beautiful fish, cunningly using their magnificent fins to corner prey in crevices on the reef.
Lionfish, in the home aquarium, are an incredible display, their flowing fins and graceful movements bringing tranquility to the mind.
Lionfish, introduced into the waters of Florida, the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean, are a plague of epic proportions. Whether they were introduced by irresponsible fish-keepers astonished at how quickly they grew big enough to devour all the other pretties in their home aquariums, or whether they were introduced when Hurricane Andrew flattened some of the importers' facilities along the Florida coast, they're there now, and they're taking over. Big time.
Some of the first folks to notice were commercial black sea-bass fishermen, who wondered where all the juvenile bass had disappeared to . . .
Local dive groups now hold "lionfish rodeos", competitions to see who can remove the most / largest lions from Caribbean reefs. Folks are encouraged to eat lionfish in the Western Atlantic, and you know what? It's pretty darned tasty stuff. (I've had it in a ceviche prepared by an amazing chef.)
_Nobody_ has - or should have - a problem with lions in the South Pacific, and nobody should have a problem with lions maintained by _responsible_ aquarists. Not all aquarists are responsible, though, nor do we have a reputation for responsibility, so there's an uphill battle to be waged. Back in the early 80's, I can remember being saddened by finding a magnificent adult blue-ring angelfish ... dried out on a beach in South Hampton, New York. Things like that shouldn't happen - and making sure they don't should be part of the responsibility we accept when we fill a box in our home with salt water.
~Bruce
Lionfish, in the home aquarium, are an incredible display, their flowing fins and graceful movements bringing tranquility to the mind.
Lionfish, introduced into the waters of Florida, the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean, are a plague of epic proportions. Whether they were introduced by irresponsible fish-keepers astonished at how quickly they grew big enough to devour all the other pretties in their home aquariums, or whether they were introduced when Hurricane Andrew flattened some of the importers' facilities along the Florida coast, they're there now, and they're taking over. Big time.
Some of the first folks to notice were commercial black sea-bass fishermen, who wondered where all the juvenile bass had disappeared to . . .
Local dive groups now hold "lionfish rodeos", competitions to see who can remove the most / largest lions from Caribbean reefs. Folks are encouraged to eat lionfish in the Western Atlantic, and you know what? It's pretty darned tasty stuff. (I've had it in a ceviche prepared by an amazing chef.)
_Nobody_ has - or should have - a problem with lions in the South Pacific, and nobody should have a problem with lions maintained by _responsible_ aquarists. Not all aquarists are responsible, though, nor do we have a reputation for responsibility, so there's an uphill battle to be waged. Back in the early 80's, I can remember being saddened by finding a magnificent adult blue-ring angelfish ... dried out on a beach in South Hampton, New York. Things like that shouldn't happen - and making sure they don't should be part of the responsibility we accept when we fill a box in our home with salt water.
~Bruce
FeliciaLynn
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I would like to reiterate what the last two people have said. Also, there is absolutely no reason to hate the lionfish itself. Its the people who made the severely irresponsible decision to release non-native marine species into their local waters that created the problem. Lionfish are not some big bad evil out to destroy the worlds reef. They are a beautiful fish that has adapted to live successfully in their native habitat. It is people who created this issue, and people who should take the blame. However, does that mean that we should ban all lionfish from being owned in the aquarium hobby? Absolutely not! Why punish everyone for a couple irresponsible people?
Also, as Renee said, there are only two species of lionfish that are currently the issue as an invasive species in the carribbean. That's the P. Volitan and P. Miles lionfish. There are numerous other lionfish species that are not currently invasive and there is no reason to remove those fish from the aquarium trade. I currently have three different species of lionfish, and non of them are invasive. I don't deserve hate and rude comments for keeping beautiful fish that are not even an issue.
What we do need to focus on is a way to lower the invasive populations in the Caribbean and also to educate hobbyists so that people do not release non-native species into their local waters. This could happen with any fish, invert, coral, etc that doesn't have a natural predator in a place that it is released. Don't blame the lionfish! We need to be using this as a push to educate ourselves and others instead of being nasty about lionfish and people who keep lionfish responsibly.
Also, as Renee said, there are only two species of lionfish that are currently the issue as an invasive species in the carribbean. That's the P. Volitan and P. Miles lionfish. There are numerous other lionfish species that are not currently invasive and there is no reason to remove those fish from the aquarium trade. I currently have three different species of lionfish, and non of them are invasive. I don't deserve hate and rude comments for keeping beautiful fish that are not even an issue.
What we do need to focus on is a way to lower the invasive populations in the Caribbean and also to educate hobbyists so that people do not release non-native species into their local waters. This could happen with any fish, invert, coral, etc that doesn't have a natural predator in a place that it is released. Don't blame the lionfish! We need to be using this as a push to educate ourselves and others instead of being nasty about lionfish and people who keep lionfish responsibly.
FeliciaLynn
Active Member
I eat fish all the time. Seafood is my favorite meat. That doesn't mean I hate the fish though. We can hunt them and eat them for food to help reduce the population without hating the fish.
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tj w
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I totally understand and respect ur response and stance on this issue. However I was not putting anyone on blast and also wasn't trying to step on toes. Also please don't apologize to someone not being nice to me... Really don't understand what got this turned into a heated debate. I was curious and wanted to get some other opinions about lionfish in the trade and in our oceans.
jetmaker
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I have a friend that dives and he's done been on 2 lionfish kills and is fixing to go on another he said there are places now in the ocean you don't see many small fish anymore because of these.
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tj w
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I think it's everyone's responsibility to educate people about these guys and let them know the dangers of letting these fish loose in an un natural environment. I for one love diving on the reefs and would hate to see us losing so many of the smaller reef fish species. As well as the environmental impact it has as well
FeliciaLynn
Active Member
If people would like to be properly informed/educated about the ongoing lionfish issue, this is a really great resource:
http://masna.org/masna-programs/lionfish-education/
http://masna.org/masna-programs/lionfish-education/
