What do the Lionfish eat in Western Florida waters?

[tarponchik]

I find this paper interesting. They used DNA fingerprinting to ID the remnants in the stomachs of 50 Lionfish from Sarasota area taken in 2016, and turned out that LF mostly consumed small gobies (2 species, 44.7% of the prey by numbers found), Sand Divers (16.3%), Sand Perch (14.3%), and Bridle Cardinalfish (12.2%), while damselfishes and grunts were found in smaller quantities. And among the crustaceans, Velvet Shrimp remnants were found in 3 stomachs. They confirmed previous findings that "nocturnal, small, shallow-bodied, solitary fishes found resting on or just above reefs [are] the most vulnerable to lionfish predation."

 

[Steelyeyes]

I find this paper interesting. They used DNA fingerprinting to ID the remnants in the stomachs of 50 Lionfish from Sarasota area taken in 2016, and turned out that LF mostly consumed small gobies (2 species, 44.7% of the prey by numbers found), Sand Divers (16.3%), Sand Perch (14.3%), and Bridle Cardinalfish (12.2%), while damselfishes and grunts were found in smaller quantities. And among the crustaceans, Velvet Shrimp remnants were found in 3 stomachs. They confirmed previous findings that "nocturnal, small, shallow-bodied, solitary fishes found resting on or just above reefs [are] the most vulnerable to lionfish predation."

Interesting. I wonder if they're more vulnerable to becoming prey themselves after dark. Some people here on Bonaire hunt them at night.

 

[kelemvor]

I like the idea but they should seriously expand it before making conclusions. I get the impression they eat "whatever's in the fridge" and if you only study from one area...

 

[Lostdiver71]

Lionfish will eat whatever they can catch that will fit in their mouth!

 

[tarponchik]

Lionfish will eat whatever they can catch that will fit in their mouth!

A reasonable suggestion, so the paper clarifies what they can catch

 

[tarponchik]

Interesting. I wonder if they're more vulnerable to becoming prey themselves after dark. Some people here on Bonaire hunt them at night.

What stops these people from hunting LF in broad daylight?

 

[tursiops]

What stops these people from hunting LF in broad daylight?

The lionfish tend to hide and/or go deep in the daytime. They are easier to find at night, while they are shallower and out foraging.

 

[Steelyeyes]

What stops these people from hunting LF in broad daylight?

As was mentioned they are mostly deeper than recreational limits during the day. There are people here that are tech divers that spend quite a bit of time between 150 and 200 feet and manage to get quite a few lion fish there but not all of us have the interest in going down there.

 

[Jake 10]

They will eat almost any marine creature it can fit into its mouth, up to 2/3 of its own body size and include fish that are commercially important- juvenile snapper, grouper, flounder and other common “table fish;” recreationally important – juvenile billfish, mahi mahi, wahoo, jacks, tuna and other prized “game fish

 

[kelemvor]

You guys must have done a great job controlling them to necessitate that depth. In the Gulf of Mexico (Emerald Coast), they're abundant at recreational depths. The ones over here don't try to avoid spearos at all, they just sit around and die peacefully.