Lionfish on East Coast....?

[chickdiver]

With respect to fish being "non-native", does this preclude their becoming "naitve". What may be at work here is Darwinism in its purest form.

Consider the implications of global warming. Global warming effectively raises the temperature of the oceans. The increase in water temperatures may allow or even encourage fish to migrate from one area to another. Territorial boundaries change for many reasons.

Needless to say, we can't rule out the possibility that the fish were artificially introduced into the area.

Given that the Lionfish's native ahbitat is the WESTERN Pacific, I think we can safely say they were artificailly introduced to the East Coast.

 

[saying]

I remember hearing somewhere that they got into the Gulf Stream when some hurricane dumped some imported fish stock into the FL seas.

Just what I heard.

 

[DandyDon]

I wonder if this is a result of ballast dumping or some local knucklehead simply dumping his unwanted fish in the ocean.

Ballast dumping is the accepted cause of Zebra mussels in the Great Lakes, but I doubt that Lionfish can survive long enough in a ships ballast to be dumped half a world away. One report suggests that some escape from an Aquarium when it was hit by a hurricane, but I'll bet most were released by hobbyists.

I've had them in marine aquariums. Very pretty fish with feathery fins, as well as hardy and easy to keep - to a point. With their natural defenses, they're naturally fearless; stick your hand in the tank near one and they just look at it. Release a small fish from your cupped hand a few days in a row, and they'll expect food from the hand. Then, you can hand feed fishfood tablets.

The problem is that so many hobbyists will buy these cute little fish when they're 3-4 inches long, feed them frequently, and the next thing you know - you have a fish much too big for the aquarium, that no one else wants. What's the hobbyist going to do with a fish he's bonded with, but can't keep? Set him free...! I'd bet that's how many of them got introduced.

 

[Spectre]

While I don't know for sure about any sightings near shore; but I don't believe there have been. Of course near shore the temps tend to be quite a bit lower then offshore and that could explain the migration to deeper water; but I would be more apt to believe that the lower temperature would kill them.

*shrug* I dunno; but we're talking wrecks that are upwards of 25 miles offshore.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

I understand that there is one down here off off Boca, along with a few other non native species. My guess it that they were released by hobbyists. If it was a hurricane, there would be more non native species, fish and otherwise here also from that area of the world. I seriously doubt it was a hurricane. Hurricane Andrew moved a wreck sitting in 100ft of water 50miles north of the eye, imagine a 4 inch fish surviving in that turbulance.

 

[The Kraken]

Given that the Lionfish's native ahbitat is the WESTERN Pacific, I think we can safely say they were artificailly introduced to the East Coast.

"Never mind . . . .!"
("Rosanne Rosannadanna")

 

[PhotoTJ]

I'm sure that there is a Marine Biologist writing his or her thesis on this situation. Interesting that they have adapted to the colder water temps.

 

[pataussiediver]

Doesn't seem like the type of fish that might come in a ships ballast water.

 

[ams511]

I remember hearing somewhere that they got into the Gulf Stream when some hurricane dumped some imported fish stock into the FL seas.

Just what I heard.

I heard the same story. That during hurricane Andrew some of these fish got released in the Ocean and started a breeding colony. The only problem is that I never saw them in Florida when I dove there and wonder why they would migrate north. I know NC is a nice place but it is certainly not tropical.

 

[adshepard]

With respect to fish being "non-native", does this preclude their becoming "naitve". What may be at work here is Darwinism in its purest form.

Consider the implications of global warming. Global warming effectively raises the temperature of the oceans. The increase in water temperatures may allow or even encourage fish to migrate from one area to another. Territorial boundaries change for many reasons.

Needless to say, we can't rule out the possibility that the fish were artificially introduced into the area.

Just because I want to tick a few purists off here's a comment.

Whether man introduced it or it got sent this way by some other force it is all NATURAL! Man is part of nature. We are not any different than the bird that carries a seed hundreds of miles dropping it in a new habitat. Sure you can say we can think about what we're doing but us doing it is NATURAL.

Is it a good thing that lionfish are now here? In the long run who knows? Life on earth has changed millions of times over millions of years. Species come and go. Man won't be here forever and neither will anything else. At least not in their present form. Things change. That's life. That's nature.

DSDO

Alan