Scorpionfish Ambush!

[Divin'Papaw]

Anyone who dives regularly in South Florida or the Caribbean has seen scorpionfish. If you haven't, you're not paying close enough attention! I see them on almost every dive. However, this is the first time I was ever lucky enough to see one strike.

This was on the deck of the Ana Cecilia off of Palm Beach. This guy or gal appears to have snagged some sort of worm or larvae that was drifting past. This was at the end of a minute long video where I watched this fish work its way slowly along the wreck. Given that you rarely see them moving, I kept my GoPro on him/her just in case. Glad I did! The strike happens so quickly that I wasn't exactly sure what had happened until I went back and reviewed the video.

Enjoy!

 

[AfterDark]

Up north we have a similar fish we call them goosefish or monkfish. Some get quite large, saw one on a night dive that looked to be 3 feet long.

 

[RyanT]

Very cool Jim, thanks for sharing!

 

[tarponchik]

Up north we have a similar fish we call them goosefish or monkfish. Some get quite large, saw one on a night dive that looked to be 3 feet long.

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Looks more like a toadfish.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Looks more like a toadfish.

I don't think so. It's just a younger, smaller scorpionfish. I'm no expert but I'm just about positive. The tailfin, the eyes, the pectoral fins, the mouth. They all say scorpionfish to me. But I'm always open to correction! I'm no ichthyologist.

Addition: Dug out my reef guide. I believe it is a spotted scorpionfish. Page 408 of the 4th edition.

 

[RyanT]

Definitely a scorpionfish. Toadfish have a flatter head, more upturned eyes, and a distinct fringe around their mouth.

 

[Ana]

Up north we have a similar fish we call them goosefish or monkfish. Some get quite large, saw one on a night dive that looked to be 3 feet long.

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Two creatures, the monkfish is different to the scorpion fish.
That one in your photo tastes a little like lobster, the one from @JimBlay at least in my hometown is typically use for soups and to make broth for other dishes.

 

[arew+4]

Monkfish, is rather lobster like in texture and flavor, was not aware people ate scorpion fish at all. Islanders eat all the pretty fish, always makes me a little sad when I see a stoplight parrotfish, or queen trigger in a store on ice.

 

[AfterDark]

Two creatures, the monkfish is different to the scorpion fish.
That one in your photo tastes a little like lobster, the one from @JimBlay at least in my hometown is typically use for soups and to make broth for other dishes.

Are you sure they are not related? I think monkfish, goosefish, toad fish are all related, not sure if the scorpionfish is however but it looks and hunts similarly.

 

[tarponchik]

I don't think so. It's just a younger, smaller scorpionfish. I'm no expert but I'm just about positive. The tailfin, the eyes, the pectoral fins, the mouth. They all say scorpionfish to me. But I'm always open to correction! I'm no ichthyologist.

Addition: Dug out my reef guide. I believe it is a spotted scorpionfish. Page 408 of the 4th edition.

I referred to the fish posted by @AfterDark, not yours.