Diving pics from today, I photographed my first Lionfish in atlantic waters!!!! PICS!

[streetjudge79]

I did a beach dive in Hollywood today to try out my new camera with strobe flash. I was about 2 minutes from the end of my dive when I could hear my buddy screaming my name under water, I looked over and he's pointing at something furiously... I swam over and was shocked to see this! I know people have been releasing them in our waters, but I have never actually witnessed one until today, he's about a 4 incher, baby, so this must be one of the spawn of a mating pair in the wild.

 

[streetjudge79]

Some other cool pics from today

 

[coralfragger101]

Aren't you supposed to shoot on sight?

Great pics. Bet you love the new cam.

 

[streetjudge79]

I did shoot, with my new sealife dc1000 elite! LOL....

 

[streetjudge79]

A few more pics

 

[Ocean Mang]

Which street to you go out from? Looks like some good structure at that location.

 

[gtroutt]

Great photos streetjudge! Yeah there's an open contract out on all Lionfish I think Wonder what will happen as they become more prevalent in our waters? I went on a snorkelling trip in the Keys recently and the captain was saying that there were a couple Lions spotted for the first time down there...he made it sound like the world was coming to an end.

 

[streetjudge79]

Thanks.. Yeah I heard about the open contract, I just don't have the heart to kill one . If anything , I'll go back and collect it for an aquarist. It's just to beautiful to kill. This was off Pershing street in Hollywood.

 

[nivram]

Nice pics. I think you can also just report the sightings to FWC or something like that and they'll collect them.

 

[bllfish]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15696601#post15696601 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gtroutt
Great photos streetjudge! Yeah there's an open contract out on all Lionfish I think Wonder what will happen as they become more prevalent in our waters? I went on a snorkelling trip in the Keys recently and the captain was saying that there were a couple Lions spotted for the first time down there...he made it sound like the world was coming to an end.

They are bad news. Can do a lot of damage to local species. Our reefs are in enough trouble without the added stress of non native predators.

 

[obzezzed350]

Id love to setup a lionfish only tank! Nice pics!

 

[Jgoal55]

yeah, your supposed to report sightings here: http://www.reef.org/lionfish

They are definitely doing a lot of damage and multiplying quickly. Ive seen a couple down in the keys. And in the Bahamas I saw at least 4 or 5 (assuming they were different ones each day, who knows?)

 

[MikePowell]

I heard about how they are killing reef fish on an NPR podcast.

 

[SWINGRRRR]

Re: Diving pics from today, I photographed my first Lionfish in atlantic waters!!!! PICS!

Re: Diving pics from today, I photographed my first Lionfish in atlantic waters!!!! PICS!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15696438#post15696438 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by streetjudge79
I could hear my buddy screaming my name under water

Much easier.

 

[ROB2005]

How far offshore were you?

 

[streetjudge79]

100 yards or so

 

[imarkspeed]

i have to admit it looks pretty cool but yea the whole fact of it eating to only nice fish we have in fl is not cool but i dont think it should be killed just taken out

 

[Paco]

There goes the neighborhood.

 

[streetjudge79]

Here's a question , if there are millions of lionfish in the pacific eating all the small fish there, how come it hasn't impacted them?
I'm not entirely convinced the Lions will harm the ecosystem here.
I may be wrong, but I don't think they will have the impact that all these experts are saying . But then again, I'm not an expert, lol. I'd like to go back to find that lion and just see what he goes after for a meal.. do a little scientific research.

 

[tcmfish]

The lions themselves will not harm the environment but it is the addition of another predator (especially one with venom (make it harder to be prey)) will negatively impact those lower on the food chain.

If they multiply rapidly they will prey on lots of juvenile fish and small fish, which will impact the ecosystem. There are situations where non-native species were either purposely or not purposely introduced which resulted in the eradication of other species.

Everything has an impact.