Lionfish off Hazard Ave, RI (8/12/06)

[RIOceanographer]

That looks like the same lionfish we saw last year but a little bigger.

This one wasn't bigger, I just got really close with the camera. It was probably only 4 cm long.

 

[divedivediver]

I can't believe this.....and...its been a long time since my undergraduate degree in Marine Sciences.....but isn't the lion fish originally from the Pacific? They must be breeding in Gulf Stream waters now....and pretty hardy to boot!

divedivediver

 

[Mr.X]

In one of your pictures a searobin(?) is having it's face eaten off by a starfish. Why is that happening? The fish in question doesn't look that long deceased. Was it gut hooked or something? Thanks. X

 

[Thalassamania]

Neat.

Sorry about John, that's why I call it Indian Rock rather than Hazard Ave<G>. Its all in the karma.

 

[ThatsSomeBadHatHarry]

In one of your pictures a searobin(?) is having it's face eaten off by a starfish. Why is that happening? The fish in question doesn't look that long deceased. Was it gut hooked or something? Thanks. X

yeah, thats a sea robin. recently deceased and dinner/playground for for the sea star. the fish looked whole, though i didn't roll it over or anything to check.

 

[ScubaSarus]

"This one wasn't bigger, I just got really close with the camera. It was probably only 4 cm long."

You suggesting the thing hasnt eaten all winter and may even be losing weight ?

 

[Mr.X]

yeah, thats a sea robin. recently deceased and dinner/playground for for the sea star. the fish looked whole, though i didn't roll it over or anything to check.

Thanks for info. I was just curious as the mouth was still open and I have rarely seen starfish (slow suckers) on fresh corpses. X

 

[RIOceanographer]

I can't believe this.....and...its been a long time since my undergraduate degree in Marine Sciences.....but isn't the lion fish originally from the Pacific? They must be breeding in Gulf Stream waters now....and pretty hardy to boot!

divedivediver

Yup you are correct, it is native to the Pacific but recently have started appearing off the Southeastern US coast. The most popular theory is that they got into the Atlantic after escaping an aquarium, but the truth is that we'll probably never know for certain how they got here. They are now pretty widespread off the southeastern US including the Carolinas.

If you sight any you should report them to:
paula.whitfield@noaa.gov

Here is the NOAA fact sheet on them.

http://uncw.edu/nurc/research/LionfishFactSheet.pdf

 

[RIOceanographer]

Thanks for info. I was just curious as the mouth was still open and I have rarely seen starfish (slow suckers) on fresh corpses. X

Don't underestimate starfish...... I saw one of those suckers chase down a mussel before it even had a chance to run. :11:

 

[sean22]

Last year, I posted that two of my buddies and I had spotted a juvenile Lionfish off of Narragansett RI. Well, today, it happened again at exactly the same site, but this time I had my camera so I can prove I am not just telling fish stories!

Unfortunately, not all went so well today. We started the day with Johnnyseko, ThatsSomeBadHatHarry and myself, but John slipped on the rocks on the hike down and dislocated his finger.

Chris that is really, really cool!