So I caught a lionfish

[nuttyd]

So this Saturday I was out snorkeling for stone crabs and happened upon the smallest volitan lionfish i have ever seen. I have had before and know they will eat anything that fits in their mouth, but this guy is way smaller than any fish I have. Was considering adding him to the aquarium until he gets big enough to be a threat to the other smaller fish.

 

[SALTYwaterDOG]

Nice find vary cool!!

 

[GimpyFin]

Cool catch. IMO, I don't like to take chances, so I'd only keep it in an aggressive tank or maybe just a lionfish tank. You'd be surprised what they can fit in their mouths.

 

[nuttyd]

Never surprised anymore. Have caught plenty to eat and always open the stomachs to see what they have. This guy has a body that's only 3/4" long. Smallest fish I have is maybe 2-1/2".

 

[GimpyFin]

Yeah, he'd probably be ok for a little while being that tiny. A guy that bought my old tank a little while back mentioned that he put a small-medium sized one in his 75G reef tank. (Surprisingly...) he came home one day and several of his fish were eaten.

 

[MondoBongo]

Never surprised anymore. Have caught plenty to eat and always open the stomachs to see what they have. This guy has a body that's only 3/4" long. Smallest fish I have is maybe 2-1/2".

out of curiosity, what are you typically finding in their gut?

he's super cute. on my list of fish to get one day when i can set up a FOWLR along side my reef.

 

[bat21]

I shot a lionfish with a speargun and ate him for dinner in Dominica. They really are taking over the caribbean. It's crazy how many I saw. My guide speared a dozen while I was fumbling around trying to get one. They sell the meat to local supermarkets.

Everyone do your part and buy lionfish meat! It actually is delicious. White, flaky, easy to cook. Perfect for any kind of fish dish.

 

[Dmorty217]

I shot a lionfish with a speargun and ate him for dinner in Dominica. They really are taking over the caribbean. It's crazy how many I saw. My guide speared a dozen while I was fumbling around trying to get one. They sell the meat to local supermarkets.

Everyone do your part and buy lionfish meat! It actually is delicious. White, flaky, easy to cook. Perfect for any kind of fish dish.

This was going to be my suggestion, not much meat there...

 

[nuttyd]

They are quite tasty. Some like as sashimi too but it is very mild for sashimi for my taste. Awesome for a ceviche.
They usually have a whole bunch of baby tropicals like angels or wrasses mixed with baby shrimp and lobsters. They eat anything and everything that moves. Also have to be careful filleting grouper now. Have had a couple that have had lionfish in their stomach.

 

[bat21]

They are quite tasty. Some like as sashimi too but it is very mild for sashimi for my taste. Awesome for a ceviche.
They usually have a whole bunch of baby tropicals like angels or wrasses mixed with baby shrimp and lobsters. They eat anything and everything that moves. Also have to be careful filleting grouper now. Have had a couple that have had lionfish in their stomach.

That grouper probably had quite a stomach ache!

 

[carrots]

He's a keeper...In a few months you'll be buying him his own tank and trying to catch him a mate ;-)

 

[nuttyd]

Nah. No room for another tank at the moment. Few months will be looking for another to supplement how much meat goes into the frying pan.

 

[jbvdhp]

I wish we had cool stuff to catch here in so cal. Are we have to catch are mackerel, garibaldi, and leopard sharks (well amongst other stuff) but none of the tropical ones. I miss FL.


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[MondoBongo]

I wish we had cool stuff to catch here in so cal. Are we have to catch are mackerel, garibaldi, and leopard sharks (well amongst other stuff) but none of the tropical ones. I miss FL.


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you should try living in Pittsburgh. if i'm real lucky sometimes i can pull an old boot or partially burnt tire out of the river. :lol:

 

[nuttyd]

Yeah, it would be hard to leave Florida unless it was to somewhere else thats tropical. Kind of spoiled here with the ocean.