The Invasive Lionfish!!!

Here is a freshly collected lionfish. We collected it from Ponquogue Bridge, Hampton Bays, NY. It is about 2 cm in length. Lionfish are native to the Pacific, but have now established themselves in the Atlantic. We have been heavily involved in studying their spread. For more info, check this link. It is written by a co-worker of mine (http://www.advancedaqu​arist.com/2006/6/aafea​ture/view#)

Thanks for looking
Chris

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Great picture.

Well done! Great colors!

BlackSunshine wrote in post #8781803
Great picture.

Trique Daddi wrote in post #8782148
Well done! Great colors!

Thank you
Chris

Great photo! I had no idea they had come to the Atlantic!

That's an amazing fish. I'd love to see that in my aquarium.

CyberDyneSystems wrote in post #8792934
Great photo! I had no idea they had come to the Atlantic!

Thanks. Some places they are out of hand and destroying local ecosystems.

SJC from VT wrote in post #8795740
That's an amazing fish. I'd love to see that in my aquarium.

They are pretty cool fish. They look different as adults, this one is only about 2 cm. They "grow" into their fins as they get larger.

Thanks
Chris

Nice catch -- we have had several sightings off the NC the last few years

Wow , I had no idea they could survive the cold waters off NY and being that big, he must have just been hatched? I know what damage they are doing off Bermuda and the Bahamass but Hampton Bays WOW. Great photo btw

Myles

monty28428 wrote in post #8802347
Nice catch -- we have had several sightings off the NC the last few years

thank you. I was in NC a couple years ago and found a couple adults on a wreck.

mjc_ma wrote in post #8840395
Wow , I had no idea they could survive the cold waters off NY and being that big, he must have just been hatched? I know what damage they are doing off Bermuda and the Bahamass but Hampton Bays WOW. Great photo btw

Myles

Thank you. This one is only 2cm, so it is very small. They drift here on the gulf stream as post larval lionfish, and settle on the south shore. These little guys die as the water gets cold. They still do a lot of damage as they eat anything they can fit in their mouths. i wrote an article a couple years ago about how tropicals drift to Long Island every summer. You can find it here http://www.fishguyphot​os.com/tropical_visito​rs_article.htm

Chris

That is one cool looking fish, great catch!

Great capture.

very cool, i have a couple photos of one from cayman island but no where near as nice as this. awsome fish it's is a shame they have to be hunted in the cayman's but they are/will destroy the eco-system

3Rotor wrote in post #8841968
That is one cool looking fish, great catch!

Cyclop wrote in post #8842681
Great capture.

mfrank123 wrote in post #8843895
very cool, i have a couple photos of one from cayman island but no where near as nice as this. awsome fish it's is a shame they have to be hunted in the cayman's but they are/will destroy the eco-system

Thank you. There is a big push to eradicate them before they take over. Many places are trying to advertise them as a good seafood dish. I have actually had them both cooked and as sashimi and both were equally as tasty that would probably be the best way to deal with them. One thing man is good at is over fishing!

Chris

I used to have a few lionfish when I had a saltwater tank. I do a lot of fishing off the NJ coast and have seen a lot of tropical fish show up. The do ride the gulf stream up and in the summer, our waters warm into the 70's or warmer and they make it for a while until the water's cool..