goosehead scorpion fish

[sanchoy]

Has anyone heard of a goosehead scorpion fish? I saw one at the LFS and wanted to research it, however i come up blank on the net...

How big does this thing get?

 

[FMarini]

huh???
common names are pretty funny. this means nothing
So did this fish look like it had a goose head? did it looks like a scorpionfish, a lionfish, or one of the stingfish

 

[sanchoy]

I have no idea.. the LFS labeled it as goosehead scorpion fish. It was red with 2 large reflecting eyes. Really cool, however i did not buy on instinct because i know little about this fish. Nor, can i find anything on it.

 

[FMarini]

okay-- so that describes a fish. red w/ 2 large eyes. did it lie on the bottom
are you sure its wasnt a squirrelfish of some type

 

[TriggerFreak1]

i know what he's talking about, they are poisonous, are kinda hard to get onto frozen foods, normal for them to have cloudy eyes...

 

[namxas]

never heard of that one, i was thinking maybe it's an orange toadfish, but a search came up with Fish Base as listing goosehead scorp as Scorpaena bergii.

the specimen described was a 10 cm "possible" male from the Western Atlantic (Bermuda, New York to Florida (USA), Bahamas, and Mexico to northern South America).

there isn't a photo, but the drawing shows a hump under the dorsal, which makes the head appear smaller...maybe the profile is s'posed to look like a gooseneck? kinda reminds me of an exaggerated male dorsal hump of D. brachypterus.

i bet their care is similar to that of S. brasiliensis.

BTW, scorps are VENOMOUS, not POISONOUS. there's a big difference...

 

[Mentat]

Scorpaena bergii photo and description .

 

[namxas]

cool...pretty-looking scorp! the yellow supraorbital appendages really stand out. looks like the pic is posted from Mexico.

that's the same Fish Base entry i came up with.

 

[Mentat]

Had to look hard to find a decent pic of these guys, appears not a common Scorpion. Maybe Sanchoy can take a photo of one at LFS to try and verify it's a S. bergii.

 

[sanchoy]

I am almost positive this little guy is a scropion fish, however I am uncertain how big he will get thats why I refrained from purchasing him.

Another stop at the LFS, and the store employee told me that they should not get over 8 inches. But he was not sure. Wow, he said it with so much confidence also....

Well i am very tempted to buy. When i do i will post picture for proper ID.

 

[anbosu]

I saw a few scorps diving a few weeks ago that looked like they were in the 10-12" range, I didn't realize they could get that big.

 

[namxas]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15481894#post15481894 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sanchoy
Well i am very tempted to buy. When i do i will post picture for proper ID.

DON'T DO IT!!! the addiction is BAD...

 

[small alien]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15475858#post15475858 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by namxas
never heard of that one, i was thinking maybe it's an orange toadfish, but a search came up with Fish Base as listing goosehead scorp as Scorpaena bergii.

the specimen described was a 10 cm "possible" male from the Western Atlantic (Bermuda, New York to Florida (USA), Bahamas, and Mexico to northern South America).

there isn't a photo, but the drawing shows a hump under the dorsal, which makes the head appear smaller...maybe the profile is s'posed to look like a gooseneck? kinda reminds me of an exaggerated male dorsal hump of D. brachypterus.

i bet their care is similar to that of S. brasiliensis.

BTW, scorps are VENOMOUS, not POISONOUS. there's a big difference...

Don't leave us hanging, Greg. What's the difference?!?

 

[small alien]

Oh, I think I get it.

 

[namxas]

venomous: (of an animal) having a gland or glands for secreting venom; able to inflict a poisoned bite, sting, or wound.

poisonous: full of or containing poison: poisonous air; a poisonous substance.

so a scorp would be venomous because has venom glands and can deliver said venom via its spines. a boxfish is poisonous as it secretes a poisonous substance, but cannot deliver the toxin via injection.

 

[small alien]

Delicious. I had never considered the distinction. I like distinctions.

 

[FMarini]

Greg-
the easiest way to remember the difference between venom and poison is
venom must be injected to work, poisons can be ingested, and absorbed

but you are correct about having a specialized gland and a dedicated set of injectors to be venomous.

I have a nice chapter on scorpionfish venoms in the book; particularly composition, functions and the "anatomy of a sting"

 

[namxas]

can't wait to read it!

 

[welsher7]

are you referring to book that is already out or is this one in the works? If it is out what is it's title?

 

[namxas]

i believe Frank is shooting for a December-ish release. i feel silly, but its exact title escapes me ATM. i'm thrilled about it tho...a scorp-lover's bible.