Are they really that big of a problem?

[umbrellacorp]

I really like Lion Fish.. but i suppose this is really necessary? I didnt know people actually ate lion fish either.

<div class="gc_ifarem_title">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ox4liT09woI&feature=fvwrel</div><iframe style="width: 70%; height: 400px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Ox4liT09woI&feature=fvwrel"></iframe>

 

[combsatl]

Probably best in our aquariums or in the 'Indo-Pacific'...

 

[ripped tide]

They are beginning to become a huge problem all up and down the atlantic. When I was living in savannah, people were finding then off the coast of tybee island.

Small groups would organize lion fish round-ups.

I hear that they are pretty good eating. Some people call them turkey fish!

 

[tangaray]

I need one of those Lion Tamers to catch my red Coris Wrasse in my tank

 

[porpoiseaquatics]

I for one am opposed to this type of control. Why not do one of two things.....a catch, transfer and release program essentially re-homing them (they do this with coyote's, Canadian geese, brown bear, etc) or catch and put in the aquarium trade in order to reduce the price. I remember when they were $20 and now they're more like $80 or more.

 

[ripped tide]

The people who are doing this probably don't have enough funding to do catch and release. There are beginning to be too many found in unnatural areas to have that kind of demand in the aquarium trade. I think that eating them is the best alternative. Atleast they go to a good purpose. What's the difference from eating tuna?

 

[ripped tide]

I also feel that they should not be killed with out a use. It sucks that they have to be removed at all.

 

[morganatlanta]

In the last few years in Little Cayman, I've seen them go from seeing none on a trip, to seeing one a trip, to seeing a dozen a dive. The growth has just been explosive. They are predators without a natural predator. They must be displacing something else in the environment since there aren't a lot of open niches on a coral reef, and the extra predation must be impacting the prey species. Eventually, the ecosystem would adjust to their presence, but it would certainly be a different balance than was there before they arrived.

Edit: Once they are killed, groupers and sharks will eat them, so they don't really "go to waste", but that is yet another disruption of the natural ecosystem. The sharks start following divers hoping to get a free meal. I can tell you from experience this is a little disconcerting.

 

[falos]

The problem with lion fish in the Atlantic is that they have no natural predators to meals there numbers in check only fish I have herd eat them is goliath grouper and gag grouper
Also advanced aquariest has a post about people giting poisons from eating them kind of like blowfish just not as fatal

 

[porpoiseaquatics]

Amici;711781 wrote: The over abundance of this aquarium fish in the hobby is what lead to hobbyists releasing this fish in the Carribbean which caused this issue to begin with. Last time I saw a wholesaler sheet the basic lion breeds were pretty cheap so it may be inflation of overhead that your seeing.

Good luck explaining to the info pacific government why you are bringing and releasing thousands of predatory fish in their waters and not paying them to do so.

You really think that's the issue? Seriously? Let's look at simple numbers and conditions. The only waters viable for this fish would be southern GA, FL, S. AL, S. LA, S. MS and TX. How many people do you think that live along these coastal waters are saltwater fish keepers? Of those, then how many do you think had kept lionfish? And of those, how many do you think released them into these coastal waters?

As was discussed in the video clip, these fish have ended up in non-native waters due to weather related situations (ie: hurricanes) and not entirely due to fishkeepers releasing them back to the wild. Not that I don't believe that some have made their way by this method but I highly doubt that the numbers would support your opinion.

As for the second part about re-releasing back to their native waters....how do you think these people make a living? It's through the capture and selling of this fish along with thousands of others kept in the hobby. Fewer fish equals less revenue. Now what do you think they'd say?

 

[mockery]

porpoiseaquatics;711782 wrote: You really think that's the issue? Seriously? Let's look at simple numbers and conditions. The only waters viable for this fish would be southern GA, FL, S. AL, S. LA, S. MS and TX. How many people do you think that live along these coastal waters are saltwater fish keepers? Of those, then how many do you think had kept lionfish? And of those, how many do you think released them into these coastal waters?

As was discussed in the video clip, these fish have ended up in non-native waters due to weather related situations (ie: hurricanes) and not entirely due to fishkeepers releasing them back to the wild. Not that I don't believe that some have made their way by this method but I highly doubt that the numbers would support your opinion.

As for the second part about re-releasing back to their native waters....how do you think these people make a living? It's through the capture and selling of this fish along with thousands of others kept in the hobby. Fewer fish equals less revenue. Now what do you think they'd say?

Lion fish have been sited as far north at NY I believe.

 

[swfk44]

i new i shouldn't have watched it :boo:

 

[thanh386]

This is just the saltwater version of the snakeheads. Taking over everything

 

[porpoiseaquatics]

Thanh386;711792 wrote: This is just the saltwater version of the snakeheads. Taking over everything

In the 80's it was Parana (I know, spelled wrong but auto correct won't let me spell it any other way) fish and Caiman (alligators) that were sold through pet stores. I believe both were outlawed in a number of states. Lionfish will be next.

 

[swampchamp]

you can eat them unless they have worms.

 

[ichthyoid]

I saw dozens of volitan lionfish on Eleuthera-Bahamas while snorkeling with my family. I killed a couple near the home we rented, because I had children in the water and didn't want their vacation ruined.

They are totally out of control. The prices being charged for these in pet stores is ludicrous based on my direct observations/availability. You can catch them all over the Caribbean/Atlantic coast, at will.

They taste a lot like grouper, which is fine by me too.

FWIW- I love lions, just not the big one's now in the Atlantic. We always had the dwarfs, btw.

 

[todd_washowich]

I have killed over 40 in the ocean... and ate some of them as well. Tastes like CHICKEN!

Edit: Lionfish on stick!
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[swfk44]

:sad:

 

[sigshane]

What would be great, is if folks found a way to catch these without killing them, and selling them at a competitive price to local fish stores/reef keepers.

They always say that finding a niche in today's market is the tough part...well guess what? HERE is a marketable product that is potentially very profitable, and eco-friendly.

(I KNEW i shoulda bought a boat ;-P)

 

[combsatl]

*buys one from the guy in the video*

***.. my lion fish isn't moving.. Must have been delayed in shipping...

Edit: Whoops.. didn't realize you can't say W-T-F... oh well.