To kill or not to kill lionfish in the Caribbean and Florida?

[Compressor]

What is the natural enemy of Lion Fish in the Pacific? Would that be invasive in the Atlantic Ocean?
Thanks

 

[Dirty-Dog]

What is the natural enemy of Lion Fish in the Pacific? Would that be invasive in the Atlantic Ocean?
Thanks

Sharks, cornetfish, grouper, large eels, frogfish and other scorpionfish are all known to kill and eat Lion Fish in the Indo-Pacific. So it's as much a matter of the Atlantic/Caribbean analogs learning to recognize them as prey as anything else. And there is evidence that this is happening, in part because of divers feeding the damned things to the local critters.

 

[boulderjohn]

I recently spent 3 weeks diving in Palau, which is located in the western Pacific, the natural home of the lionfish. In the nearly 40 dives I did during that time, I saw exactly 2 lionfish, and they were both very small. Whatever is eating them there is dong a fine job. Another primary difference I noted there was that grouper are protected, and on some dives I saw more large grouper than I have probably seen in years of diving at other sites.

 

[ResortDiver850]

I wonder how the Lion Fish's predators cope with the venom?

 

[HalcyonDaze]

I wonder how the Lion Fish's predators cope with the venom?

Two thoughts on that. One is that going by two hunts filmed a few years ago in the Caymans (a successful predation by a Nassau grouper and an unsuccessful one by a green moray), the predators seemed to be attempting to force the lionfish up into the water column where they could hit it from an angle not covered by the spines.

When it comes to bigger predators like sharks, they may be resilient enough to not really be seriously injured. It comes down to whether the payoff from the meal is worth the extra-spicy flavoring.

 

[Snoweman]

What is the natural enemy of Lion Fish in the Pacific? Would that be invasive in the Atlantic Ocean?
Thanks

I think it was a "Blue Planet" video I was watching when they were trailing a lionfish. It looked like it was at night when a worm from below with some vicious fangs snagged and drug the lion fish into its hole. It all happened in a flash. I really don't want that worm introduced to the Caribbean.

 

[Compressor]

I really don't want that worm introduced to the Caribbean.

That worm is nature's balancing act.

From here: "Natural predators in the Indo-Pacific and Red Sea that are known to eat lionfish include sharks, cornetfish, grouper, large eels, frogfish and other scorpionfish."

 

[Steelyeyes]

I think it was a "Blue Planet" video I was watching when they were trailing a lionfish. It looked like it was at night when a worm from below with some vicious fangs snagged and drug the lion fish into its hole. It all happened in a flash. I really don't want that worm introduced to the Caribbean.

Bobbit worm

 

[Snoweman]

Bobbit worm

Saw that on searching some videos. That is the thing of nightmares.

 

[Steelyeyes]

Saw that on searching some videos. That is the thing of nightmares.

That video got my attention but then I don't think they're big enough to do much to a person.