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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.
ams511: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.
Y'all ever dived off of North Carolina? Off of Morehead City, anyway - not that cold off shore. The Gulf Stream pumps warm water up there year 'round. On the other hand, waters are cooler closer in, and lionfish haven't been found in shallow water, I don't think. The fish would have followed the Gulf Stream up, like many native tropicals do, and/or been released by hobbyists locally.
pataussiediver:I don't think the issue is safety when talking about lionfish. We have them in abundance on the GBR, you just keep out of their way and don't touch.
It could have effects further on down the food chain though I suspect, if they get out of control in your neck of the woods.
I've been stuck by them in aquariums, but the venom in captive fish is weaker. Still, not all that bad. The ones spotted have all been in the Pterois genus, possibly volitans speice, which are no deadlier than bee stings - depending on an individual's hypersensity to such. They are in the same family as deadly Stonefish, but not nearly as dangerous.
I think the primary problem is that they will prey on juviniles and other small fishes which have no natural instinct to avoid them. Indeed, I expect that many native fishes will see the feathery fins as vegatation, and actually try to hide in the predators fins.