Lionfish problem SOLVED

[Zeagle Eagle]

Do lionfish produce many more eggs than grouper, lobster and conch? Also, Just producing eggs and sperm does not make an mature critter, when one looks at the survival rate of eggs to adulthood the playing field evens out quickly

A mature female Lion Fish may release a pair of egg balls about five times each month. Each pair of egg balls can contain as many eggs as a grouper can produce in an entire year. The playing field is not even close to even.

The Lion Fish are here to stay unless we can teach a higher level predator to include them in their diet.

 

[RTBDiver]

A mature female Lion Fish may release a pair of egg balls about five times each month. Each pair of egg balls can contain as many eggs as a grouper can produce in an entire year. The playing field is not even close to even.

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Can you inlude stats of the percentage estimated to make it to maturity? Thats all that really matters

 

[Zeagle Eagle]

Can you inlude stats of the percentage estimated to make it to maturity? Thats all that really matters

Here are some web sites with more info. On one site it said there was a 700% increase in the Lion Fish population between 2004 and 2008. You do the math. Another site said we would need to kill 27% of the population each month just to stay even.

I haven't found an exact stat as to the percentage that makes it to maturity. I don't think scientists know yet; but, it's a moot point anyway.
Lionfish Female Can Release 2 Million Eggs Yearly | Care2 Healthy Living

Pterois - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

There is no known way to control the population of Lion Fish yet. Even if every diver in the world killed one or two each time they dive. It wouldn't put a dent in the population and they can live at depths that most divers don't visit.

My personal opinion, unless we can find a Lion Fish predator we are in for one of the largest ecological disasters in history.

 

[Mike]

Can you inlude stats of the percentage estimated to make it to maturity? Thats all that really matters

I know the stats of that they've established themselves through the entire east coast of the United States and the entire Caribbean in less then 10 years.

 

[RTBDiver]

I haven't found an exact stat as to the percentage that makes it to maturity. I don't think scientists know yet; but, it's a moot point anyway.
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It is not a moot point when you use stats about how many eggs can be produced. Unless there are stats about reaching maturity then your egg and population stats are moot as well.

 

[LiquidDivingAdventure]

Reading a bit about the lion fish reproductive cycle, the number of eggs they spawn and how often, you would just want to say good luck to ever getting rid of them. In the Caymans they are enticing the groupers and other fish to recognize the lion fish as prey and are getting those groupers to become natural hunters. Seems to be working a bit. I watched a grouper make short work of a lion fish.

 

[Mike]

Reading a bit about the lion fish reproductive cycle, the number of eggs they spawn and how often, you would just want to say good luck to ever getting rid of them. In the Caymans they are enticing the groupers and other fish to recognize the lion fish as prey and are getting those groupers to become natural hunters. Seems to be working a bit. I watched a grouper make short work of a lion fish.

This has also been going on all over for a long time. Are they actually making groupers natural hunters or just teaching groupers to associate divers with a hand out? I've been watching this for a long time and have yet to see any evidence that any marine animal has caught on and been taught anything yet, but there are a ton of posts online about suddenly very curious and aggressive groupers, eels etc...

 

[LiquidDivingAdventure]

They started feeding the groupers fresh speared, still twitching lion fish, then moved on to lion fish that had been scooted their way. I watched groupers eat both freshly speared and those just sort of rounded up. Not sure of the success rate but they were trying their best.

 

[Zeagle Eagle]

It is not a moot point when you use stats about how many eggs can be produced. Unless there are stats about reaching maturity then your egg and population stats are moot as well.

I have no idea what you are talking about? They are not my stats. I am not using them. You asked for maturity stats and I kindly looked them up for you. If you don't want to do the math or read the articles I provided then our whole conversation is moot.

 

[Zeagle Eagle]

They started feeding the groupers fresh speared, still twitching lion fish, then moved on to lion fish that had been scooted their way. I watched groupers eat both freshly speared and those just sort of rounded up. Not sure of the success rate but they were trying their best.

Yea, I saw some info on that too. I haven't seen them actually hunt the lion fish yet; but, it's a start in the right direction. I have fed a few to morays and they seem to like them.

I also read something about a guy that is rearing grouper in a tank and live feeding the grouper lion fish. First he wants to see if it can be done. I mean the hunting part and then he would like to release them on a reef and hopefully the other grouper would see that and do the same. I don't know if that is a viable option.

Hey check out my Junior diver holding a Lion Fish in COZ. Cozumel Lion Fish - YouTube