Lionfish at Punt Tunich today

[Firefyter]

I was out with Jose from Blue Angel this morning and we found another lionfish at Punta Tunich. It was just hanging around under a coral head. It wasn't very big but it looked like it had a pretty full belly. We didn't have a bag with us but Jose is going to go back and get it. Pretty fish I just wish it was someplace else

It looks like these things are really starting to move in.....

 

[geokr]

I was out with Jose from Blue Angel this morning and we found another lionfish at Punta Tunich. It was just hanging around under a coral head. It wasn't very big but it looked like it had a pretty full belly. We didn't have a bag with us but Jose is going to go back and get it. Pretty fish I just wish it was someplace else

It looks like these things are really starting to move in.....

Time to break out the Hawaiian slings and declare open season.

 

[sharky60]

Time to break out the Hawaiian slings and declare open season.

Have sling, will travel.

 

[sealskin98]

I was out with Jose from Blue Angel this morning and we found another lionfish at Punta Tunich. It was just hanging around under a coral head. It wasn't very big but it looked like it had a pretty full belly. We didn't have a bag with us but Jose is going to go back and get it. Pretty fish I just wish it was someplace else

It looks like these things are really starting to move in.....

Tomas...you cad! You didn't axe me to go this time!

Oh well, couldn't have gone anyways. Step-daughter and Son-in-law are going to be at FA tomorrow....Ya might run by and find them and say that I said to tell them "HI".

That would really freak them out.

Have sling, will travel.

Sharky...you bad.

I'm still waiting for the Wanted Posters to come out with a ReeeWard on them.

I think in my profile picture on the horse I kinda look a little like Steve McQueen...don't you?

 

[erincherie]

I guess I'm just not "in the know", but what's wrong with lionfish?

 

[ggunn]

I guess I'm just not "in the know", but what's wrong with lionfish?

Incoming!!!

 

[macado]

I guess I'm just not "in the know", but what's wrong with lionfish?

I'm sure you'll get a hundred more answers but...

The Lionfish is not native to Cozumel or anywhere in the Atlantic or Carribean. It's from the Pacific and was originally released by irresponsible aquarium owners. The fish has no nature predators so it breeds aggressively and in a short time has spread all the way down the US coast to the Carribean. It has venomous spines which while not usually deadly to humans can be extremely painful.

The Lionfish is also carnivorous and will eat/kill many of the local fish in Cozumel which have no natural defense.

Lionfish Decimating Tropical Fish Populations, Threatening Coral Reefs
Lionfish - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[1KWIK_69]

I guess I'm just not "in the know", but what's wrong with lionfish?

They are EVIL Pacific fish that are not indiginous to the Atlantic. They eat juvanile reef fish in the Atlantic at an alarming rate and have no known predators to thin the heard like they have in the Pacific. Some really stupid people apparently released their pet Lionfish near Miami. Rumor has it that Hurricane Andrew actually knocked over the aquarium with them in it, and washed them into the ocean. They've been spreading all over the caribean ever since.

 

[sharky60]

They are EVIL Pacific fish that are not indiginous to the Atlantic. They eat juvanile reef fish in the Atlantic at an alarming rate and have no known predators to thin the heard like they have in the Pacific. Some really stupid people apparently released their pet Lionfish near Miami. Rumor has it that Hurricane Andrew actually knocked over the aquarium with them in it, and washed them into the ocean. They've been spreading all over the caribean ever since.

"Evil" might be a little strong. It is a beautiful fish that in it's proper enviroment (the Pacific rim), has a place and is a great find for divers.

Whether from Hurricane Andrew or some mis-guided individual tired of their aquarium fish. It was first spotted on the east coast and in the Bahamas around 2004, my wife saw one while we were diving in Grand Bahama Island in the spring of 2004 and the DM and I tried to convince her she was mistaken...turns out we were. :shocked2:

It has now spread as far north as New England and obviously as far west as Coz., I don't read a lot of the other Caribbean forums so, I'm not sure how far and reaching the infestation has taken a hold on the Caribbean and Atlantic.

Has anyone heard of them being in the Caymans, Dominica or off Hispaniola? Surly they had to come through there to make it to Coz. If not, then I would surmise that the Cozumel lionfish are from a completely different source, possibly an aquarium release on the Yucatan.

Some good news is that scientists are finding that some eels and larger grouper are eating them, when it was first belived they had no natural preditors at all.

 

[1KWIK_69]

"Evil" might be a little strong. It is a beautiful fish that in it's proper enviroment (the Pacific rim), has a place and is a great find for divers.

Whether from Hurricane Andrew or some mis-guided individual tired of their aquarium fish. It was first spotted on the east coast and in the Bahamas around 2004, my wife saw one while we were diving in Grand Bahama Island in the spring of 2004 and the DM and I tried to convince her she was mistaken...turns out we were. :shocked2:

It has now spread as far north as New England and obviously as far west as Coz., I don't read a lot of the other Caribbean forums so, I'm not sure how far and reaching the infestation has taken a hold on the Caribbean and Atlantic.

Has anyone heard of them being in the Caymans, Dominica or off Hispaniola? Surly they had to come through there to make it to Coz. If not, then I would surmise that the Cozumel lionfish are from a completely different source, possibly an aquarium release on the Yucatan.

Some good news is that scientists are finding that some eels and larger grouper are eating them, when it was first belived they had no natural preditors at all.

They started showing up in small numbers in the Caymans about the same time as Cozumel from what I read on onother forum.