Lionfish question...

[Pelagicsal]

I don't know how to tell the difference between the two species, if it is possible by color, but I doubt it.
I do know that they, like many fish, have great color-change abilities. I've seen the same lionfish change colors dramatically - black, red, pale - during pursuit. Sometimes with a head shot, part or all of the body will go almost completely white, as if the color-control organs / senses were damaged.

The white tips on the pectoral fins seem to increase with maturity, in my observation...

A good place to learn more is Invasive Lionfish: A Guide to Control and Management
Invasive Lionfish: A Guide to Control and Management

Thanks for the vote of confidence, Joe!

 

[Jai Bar]

using that old saying "THE ONLY GOOD LIONFISH IS A DEAD ONE OR ONE ON YOUR DINNER PLATE". Along with the mosquito, tsete fly, fire ant, funnel web spider, this planet could do without them. I can olty imagine what south pacific dive sites would be like without the lion fish.

Here in Red Sea they are just fine, people like lionfish- actually I do meet divers coming here wanting to see and take photos of lionfish.

I like lionfish, when I go night diving I always invite a few lionfish to come along with me.

I understand and respect the fact that they have invaded your region and population growing uncontrolled and that they need to be hunted, but that doesn't mean these magnificent fish don't have place in our part of the world.

Sent from my GT-I9000

 

[cvchief]

I understand and respect the fact that they have invaded your region and population growing uncontrolled, but that doesn't mean these magnificent fish don't have place in our world.

Sent from my GT-I9000

Well, sure. Your ocean, our table.

 

[BrewingDiver]

The Dive Masters I have talked about this in the Philippines tell me that Stonefish eat the little ones but that once they get big nothing eats them. That squares with my observation there where that I never saw small ones, only big ones of several different varieties. I don't dive as much as I used to but have only seen red ones in Coz. I would be very interested to see photos of other colors in Coz as I thought they all (red ones) came from one aquarium in Florida.

Dave Dillehay
Aldora Divers

Here is one I took just before dusk off Blue Angel shore in May. Very black indeed.

 

[robint]

My husband and I were just talking about this. We DO think there are 2 varieties of Lionfish in the Caribbean. One is more black/white with a shovel face, the other is like what we saw in Palau with red/black/white and rounded face.

Cozumel, in 25' deep water near SCC resort

Roatan just last month

another Roatan, same fish... yes, he was almost touching it when he took this

robin

 

[JFS]

I believe there is only one species of lion fish here as Dave mentioned. The male lion fish do go darker when they are mating and the females will tend to get lighter in color. Color changes are also affected by their diet. They all taste the same anyway.....

 

[robint]

Does the difference in FACE shapes have something to do with their sex?

 

[mikeycanuk]

Not in Coz but elsewhere I've noticed some have a paddle or leaf shape on some of the spines. Sorry no pics


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[tracydr]

When we dove in Africa, there were black and red ones. I don't remember seeing any as black as that one picture.
As destructive as they are, I still think they are a beautiful fish. And, its a good thing they taste good as that will help keep the numbers in check.

 

[BrewingDiver]

They do taste good, very good, but finding them on the menu is difficult. We had some at La Perlita and I hope it catches on. Otherwise I doubt it will make a dent.