rainman

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sfl-622l...,1948447.story

Lionfish are invading the Atlantic!!! Every since a hurricane destroyed some breeding tanks in Florida The lionfish has invaded florida and the north eastern American sea board, it has been scientificly prooven that the outbreak started with just around 7 of These invasive species. And nowhave become the real kings of the uinder water jungle we call the ocean.

Tumbleweed

Interesting.

sirdarksol

Thus is the problem with dumping fish when they get too big.

They do say, however, that this is something that has been building over awhile, as people have dumped their fish over a period of time.

Lucy

That's an interesting article. Thanks for sharing it.

JasperII

This article is saying that people that have lionfish that have gotten to large for their tanks are infesting the Atlantic. Seems a bit over the edge. Maybe they're just enjoying globle warming on the beaches of Florida. There have been alot of alligator invasions too.

sirdarksol

Out of curiosity, why do you think this belief is over the edge? It has happened elsewhere, with other species. Pretty much anything that has an intrinsic edge over native flora or fauna can do this. Minnesota is having problems with numerous plants that started out as part of peoples' gardens. A few fish that were likely brought in as aquarium oddities have caused problems with local lakes. Even the nightcrawler is causing problems as people release them in forests, where they eat away the leafy forest floor, which keeps weeds from sprouting while providing excellent substrate for tree seedlings. The result is that there are fewer young trees growing, as they are being choked out by suddenly rampant undergrowth.

JasperII

I'm sorry to have said it in a way that upset. I just can't believe the lionfish from people's tanks can be blamed. I really didn't think that many people threw their fish in the ocean. I'm on the side that people who have grown a lionfish from a small tike wouldn't do that, they would find another way. I like to think the best of people. I'm obviously wrong. Again, sorry.

sirdarksol

You didn't upset me. I was giving examples and an explanation.

This happens frequently. People think that they are doing their fish a favor (and in a way, they are), by putting them into the wild when they outgrow the tank. The problem (especially with prolific breeders like rabbits, rats, and fish) is that all it takes is two individuals of opposite sexes to populate an area. I can't find any information on the size of a lionfish spawning, but considering their spawn are called "larvae," it is likely to be a pretty big spawning. Then, considering that there is little, if anything, in the Atlantic that possesses the ability to get past a lionfish's formidable defenses, any young produced by that one spawning are likely to survive and thrive.

The idea that one or more pairs of lionfish found each other over the past few decades is more likely than a pair of lionfish surviving a trip through the Antarctic (or through the locks of the Panama Canal).

This is a problem that we talk about a lot on Fishlore, usually every couple of months. Last year, we had a discussion about a New England pond that had Chinese lungfish living in it (the state it was in decided to sterilize the pond rather than risk them spreading).

ThisGuy

This is a problem with most places up here in Canada the problem is people dumping bait buckets and stupid zebra mussels. But at least lion fish look really cool zebra mussels just cut up your feet.

JasperII

I didn't have time to go to the library but found a google "Dr. Jungle Animal World.com". He says the male(are haremic) carouses with many females, they lay egg balls containing approx. 2000 eggs each which hatch in 36 hours. The fry eat plankton which there is usually not enough for all the fry to live. This info. was taken from Matt Witterrich:Lionfish-an Overview. Some info. from Harvard(2006) said the lionfish may be searching the Atlantic for more food. I'll try to understand more of whats really going on. Lake Mead is infested with mussells(sp?). Haven't heard anything more lately.

JasperII

I don't know how to do a link with the Dr. Jungle site. Until I learn hope you don't mind typing it in.