What is happening with this lionfish?

[Pelonofear]

It is territorial dispute. The bannerfish is just protecting its territory. The odd movements of both lionfish are simply because they are trying to point the fin rays to the bannerfish, which knows better and goes for the rear, eventually winning the contest.

 

[Diver0001]

That bannerfish is a bully.

It's a big ocean and unlike human societies, in Nemo-land you have a few choices. You're venomous, poisonous, camouflaged, a coward, bully or bait.

In the ocean there are no diplomats, consultants looking for win/win compromises or anyone trying to "empathize".

One thing I'm pretty sure of though... that bannerfish had some cojones taking on a lion fish. Just imagine if your girl wanted you to take on the school-yard heavy weight and chase him away from her but the other guy was bigger and stronger than you, had dangerous spines and a muscle reflex 10,000 times better than yours .... Honestly now.... How many of you would have just let him eat the girl?

R..

 

[agilis]

It's the Chopin, a well known trigger for Bannerfish aggression. Were it the Military Polonaise playing in the background that damned Lionfish would have been shredded.

As a frequent Caribbean diver I detest Lionfish, even those filmed in their natural habitat. This one is doing its best to avoid the sharp rasping bites that all Butterfly fishes and their close relatives are able to deliver, though this ability is limited by the tiny mouth. The generic name for many fishes in this family is derived from the nature of their nasty little teeth.

Lionfish are slow swimmers and rely on their poisonous spines for defense, as this one is clearly demonstrating. The valiant Bannerfish is skillfully avoiding them while delivering as much punishment to the Lionfish as possible.

The Lionfish probably entered the Bannerfish's territory, and was too slow about departing. I hope the Bannerfish beat hell out of the intruder.

 

[Tigerman]

Pennantfish (aka bannerfish, coachman, etc) isnt really cleaners although they can act like it when juvenile. My bet is its just harassing the lionfish..

 

[DivemasterDennis]

I am of the opinion the lion fish is not well. Behavior and position in the water suggest it is ill, but not necessarily on deaths door, and the hasty retreat illustrates. Fiosh get sick and old just like aging divemasters.
DIvemasterDennis

 

[Mike]

If you watch closely there are 2 lion fish in the video and both act identically.

 

[b-dog]

I think that the problems of the lionfish in the Caribbean stem from the fact that lionfish are victimized in the the Indopacific and then when they were placed in the Caribbean they repeated the same pattern on victimization upon the the fish there.

 

[Doc]

It's the Chopin, a well known trigger for Bannerfish aggression. Were it the Military Polonaise playing in the background that damned Lionfish would have been shredded.

Occured to me, as well.

 

[simskiscuba]

Lionfish is having an existential crisis. ( To be or not to be?)
Bannerfish is being directive yet firm.

 

[toddthecat]

The runes written in the description of the video indicate cleaning. Not that it means much. Just because it's on the internet doesn't make it true