Lionfish The critter corner

Lionfish

Lionfish in Tiran Island – Red Sea
by Mauro Mainardi

 

One of the most widely recognized fish in our oceans is the Lionfish. Whether it’s through the aquarium trade or the highly publicized invasion they have made into nonnative waters, Lionfish have taken the spotlight from many fish in recent years.
Along with climate change and the invasion of humans into the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea, Lionfish rank as one of the most destructive forces to enter these waters. How these fish began their onslaught is not known for certain, but it is widely believed that fish no longer wanted as pets or lost during hurricanes were released into the ocean and began reproducing at alarming rates.
There are currently 12 recognized species of Lionfish, all of which are characterized by distinct warning coloration, showy pectoral fins, and venomous spiky fin rays. The two species that contribute most to the destruction of habitat are the Red lionfish, Pterois volitans and the Devil firefish, Pterois miles. These two species have been described by researchers as two of the most aggressively invasive species on the planet.

By reproducing like crazy, eating massive quantities of native species and not having to deal with natural predators, these two species wreak havoc on natural ecosystems. Lionfish can live up to 15 years and lay upwards of 15,000 eggs every few days. They can consume up to 30 times their own stomach volume and their prey is generally juvenile predators, grazers and cleaners. The prey they consume greatly reduces the populations of other fish necessary to assure the biodiversity that maintains the health native reef systems. With no natural predators, their numbers can escalate exponentially in a few short years potentially causing the extinction of native plants and animals, reducing biodiversity, and drastically altering habitats.
In an effort to slow this process, humans have begun to intervene. Many unique and also controversial methods are being employed to slow the spread of these fish. Some of these methods include local encouragement to kill all Lionfish on site in addition to tournaments being developed for sport that involve as many people as possible. Cook books have been developed specifically on how to prepare Lionfish and they are now marketed as a delicacy in many communities facing issues from the invasion. In addition, to assure no method is left untried, locals are also trying to train local predators such as sharks and groupers to eat this unfamiliar prey.

It is unfortunate that Lionfish get so much bad press. They are inherently beautiful and their populations remain in check in their native Indo-Pacific habitat. Unfortunately, it is not well known what keeps this population in check. Lionfish do seem to have natural predators including Morey eels and large Groupers that have been observed feeding on them but it is not known to what extent this takes place. Predators of larvae and juvenile lionfish remain unknown. It is thought that further study of these predators may prove to be the primary limiting factor of lionfish populations and could potentially lead to measures of control in areas where they are invasive.
It’s important to know, Lionfish are not all that bad if they are found where they are supposed to be. If you see one, take time to ask your dive guide if you were supposed to see one and base your level of excitement on that. You may feel better having a Lionfish dinner that evening.

WORDS by John Fifer / www.reefid.org

Bookmark the permalink.

Comments are closed.