Lionfish predator? (video)

[Roombaguy]

Couple of guys posted this video on the Facebook Cayman Lionfish culling group.
Seems that snapper may be ally in the lionfish hunt.

YouTube - SNAPPER FISH EATS LIONFISH GRAND CAYMAN

 

[Dirty-Dog]

That's great. But I see one problem. The Lionfish was dead. My understanding is that their venom detoxifies fairly quickly after death, at which point I suspect most predators would be happy to eat them.

The trick is going to be finding something that will eat them without divers killing them first.

 

[Roombaguy]

That's great. But I see one problem. The Lionfish was dead. My understanding is that their venom detoxifies fairly quickly after death, at which point I suspect most predators would be happy to eat them.

The trick is going to be finding something that will eat them without divers killing them first.

The way I see it is that some fish will develop a taste for these lionfish if enough are fed to them. Many of the guys that kill these now simply let the carcass float away with the hope that something will like it an eat it. Anyway, it cant hurt to try.

Cheers

M.

 

[Dirty-Dog]

No, it certainly can't hurt to try. But there is a big difference between getting a predator to eat one dead, and eating one alive. I saw a big grouper snatch one up once, and promptly spit it out. Presumably it didn't care for being stung.

 

[Blazinator]

Someone needs to come up with some kind of underwater flamethrower like an underwater welders acetylene torch, then you can burn the stingers off the Lionfish and he can become lunch for any fish (pre-BBQ'd).

Of course, no Lionfish would allow you to come near it with a loud hissing torch, but its an idea. Maybe catch it first, then fry his ***. At least then you could handle him to make him lunch for yourself.

 

[Dirty-Dog]

Or, alternatively, you can carry anything from a foldspear to a speargun to a souped-up BBQ fork and kill them. Once dead, the venom apparently detoxifies quickly and, as you say, they can become lunch for any fish. Or diver.

 

[heydn62]

Saw these guys hanging out together last week on Airmchair Reef in Grand Cayman. Thought they made an interesting couple. The snapper definitely seemed curious.