HID Lights blinding Fish?

[kidspot]

Don't HID lights emit large amounts of UV light? I'm thinking that's one of the primary reasons you are cautioned not to shine the light in your eyes . . . however water filters out UV fairly effectively, so the long term damage side would be minimized under water, but on land (in case you were going to try the whole shine the light in your eyes trick and see if you can blind yourself - lol)


Correct me if I'm wrong - but I have read of people using HID lights to treat skin problems because of the UV emitted.

Aloha, Tim

P.S. this is aside from the issues mentioned above ie. general light sensetivity etc..

 

[Uncle Pug]

Well... then try the shining an 18w HID in your eyes underwater. BTW... unless your arm is reeeeeally long you won't get enough water between the HID and your eyes to filter out much UV... better have a buddy shine the light in your eyes from the distance at which you would normally look at critters.

 

[ChrisA]

I hear people say that HID lights blind and permantly damage the eyes of fish and other reef creatures . Some say it doesn't and some say it does. Anyone know of any difinitive research one way or the other?

Brian

An HID light at 4 feet distance is not brighter then a little 2.5 watt halogen pen light at 6 inches.

I have seen proof (on video tape) that at least in one case a dive light was very harmfull to fish. It killed them outright. The eels at this one place learned that divers carried lights at night would hunt the fish that the diveres illuminated So shining a light on a fish would alow it to be eaten by something bigger. Actually it alowed some great video to be shot.

I've tried to "stun" lobster with my light. Hold it close to thier eyes at close range. (I'm not to concerned about harming them, after all my intent is to drop them into a pot of boiling water) But if the light does blind them, blind lobster seem to act just like un-blinded ones.