Sharpnose Puffers - Population Explosion

[Illumita]

I just returned from my third trip to Roatan and was a bit worried by the sudden population increase of Sharpnose Puffers. In previous trips, I had seen a handful on each dive, but this time, there were so many that at any given time, I could not count how many were in sight. I also found a large number of them nearly dead on the bottom or washed up on shore. I'm wondering if this is a sign of ecological deterioration or a natural phenomenon.

 

[Cajuncru Diver]

We noticed the same thing...also we found huge schools of Blue tangs, lots of Bermuda chub, and a lot more Creole Wrasse.......all in all fish life on the reef is rebounding ----I think it may be a measure of success of the conservation efforts of the Marine Sancturary designation and the armed patrols putting some stop to the poaching....just a thought.

 

[billmosel]

I just got back from Xcalak Mexico on the southen tip of the Yucatan. I found the same thing with the puffers. The DM also said that it was very unusual and did not have a reason for the population explosion.

 

[Bay Island Diver]

That is something i have been noticing and keep meaning to try and find out more. Interestingly over the summer these little fellas all seemed to have some sort of disease, wart like bumps all over their body, now the bumps have gone and the population seems to have quadrupled.

Maybe someone fed them after midnight, probably those pesky marine park managers!

 

[Bay Island Diver]

I posted the question on Coral List, here are the first answers that was posted in reply:

Hi Will,

#1
My guess is that sharpnose puffers have the same type of recruitment as Bill Gladfelter and I observed for balloonfish (Diodon holocanthus) many years ago in St. Croix. The larvae are pelagic for a long larval life, up to a year. During this interval; they slowly gather into huge schools of many thousands of individuals (about 3cm long) which then recruit en mass to whatever coastal region is favorable within the time frame of development. The area then becomes completely flooded with recruits which gradually disperse and are preyed upon. You could call this a sort of 17-year locust type of recruitment.

#2
I saw your posting on croal list concerning the Sharpnose puffer. I'm a biologist for Hol Chan Marine Reserve, Ambergris Caye Belize
and we have noticed the same thing here. At fist we we thought it was an isolated case but it now seems that it is occuring all over he MBRS region. We reported it here in Belize first and then a partner in Mexico reported it from Akumal down to Xcalak and we have seen it here all over from north south here. the cause for it is still on known. I have been leasing with various reef scientist and some are suggestong that it may be a bloom in recruitment, but a definite cause is yet to be identified.

Have ou seen any dead. Both in Belize and in Mexico we have notice that they were dying bu the hundreds however that has stoped now. We have also noticed some legions on some of them i have attached a brief report that Gaby Rodriguez did in Mexico, i've also cc her on this email. We have also notice several baby turtle washing up dead with 3-4 sharpnose puffer in their stomach.

We are monitoring to se if the numbers will decline in the next couple months.

 

[Illumita]

Thanks to Bay Island Diver for posing the question through the appropriate channels! It's good to know that scientists are trying to figure out the cause. I wish that I could say that I wasn't worried, but the sheer increase of population in just the past 3-4 months is really alarming. I also noticed that there were a lot less bigger fish, like snappers around, and that was also kind of worrying. I did see a bunch of the Sharpnose Puffers dead in the water and out, and one of the DMs I dove with mentioned that he had seen a lot of them with warts on their bodies. Please post if you come upon further info, and I'll do the same.

 

[robint]

we also noticed the HUGE amounts of sharpnose puffers in Roatan but we didn't know if it was normal for there or not. There were so many that at times it looks like backscatter in the photos! I had to push them out of the way numerous times just to look at something as they liked my mask for some reason. One diver told us he had one sit on top of his camera housing between the buttons and not move for the whole dive. Very friendly, those little buggers!

I had read somewhere that during the rainy season, there is more plankton in the water, which attracts more small critters which eat plankton.... could be related to that. I know if California, the cold water upwellings bring in all kinds of critters and though the water is colder, you see more unusual critters.

robin

 

[rob@diveinutila.com]

Just bringing this thread back to life once again. We're seeing more than ever before - today they were like the stars in a clear night sky. On the reef off the reef in the water column literally everywhere! Just like everyone, we've been seeing an increase in their population but the word "explosion" fits what we're seeing this year even more than before. If I had to estimate I would have said 100,000s in one small area (a 50 minute "drift" dive with no current). This morning most between 40ft to 60ft but really everywhere.

It has to be a change in the ecology of the reef - something missing that used to eat them or eat their eggs or maybe something pelagic that ate the larval stage that isn't around any more? Of course the decline in snapper & grouper must be an influence and maybe that's all it takes?

Maybe someone with more knowledge of sharp nose puffers can offer some insight...

 

[octopuppy]

Last time we were there about a year ago the population seemed much lower than it had been the previous year. I assumed the decline was lionfish related. Must be cyclical. I know Doc over at CCV was keeping an eye on this. Might ping him over there.

 

[Doc]

Last time we were there about a year ago the population seemed much lower than it had been the previous year. I assumed the decline was lionfish related. Must be cyclical. I know Doc over at CCV was keeping an eye on this. Might ping him over there.

I believe he is RTBmeDiver on ScubaBoard.

He did just send a Lionfish behavior update, likely he will post it here.

Sharpnose Puffer puffing: