How to protect against this fish?

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Afgan

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Poisonous and absolutely deadly for humans!

What a shocking news to those of us who are beach goers here in Sosua!

Puerto Plata Digital
 
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Robert

Robert

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They have always been there as far as I'm aware.

Curt (some of you know him) has been stung whilst out diving in the bay.
The trick is to make sure you get all the spine out or you will continue to have problems.

I have been told it's very rare for the stings to be deadly, they are just very unpleasant.
 
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ffritz

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Lion fish are native to the Pacific not Caribbean or Atlantic & have no natural predators here. As a result they are decimating local species & endangering the coral reefs. Much like the introduction of the Grey Squirrel (tree rat) into the (Y)UK & subsequent almost total extinction of the native Red Squirrel.

If you see one kill it!
 
Hlywud

Hlywud

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so everyone knows what they look like

02-02-13-49-57-1708503.jpg
 
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waytogo

waytogo

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So, just how safe or unsafe is it to go into the waters of Sosua.
I really enjoy the ocean and stay in for hours at a time and I don't want to think that I constantly have to look at the waters around me, that would be quite unnerving.
My girlfriend just looked at the photo and said they're ugly to. lol
 
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jrhartley

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its says they are not fatal but very painful and should be treated (bee stings also kill some people by the way) and would be found deeper in the ocean around the coral, so I would imagine divers would be more likely to encounter them.

There are probably worse things lurking in your house - does that make you feel any better lol

They are also found around florida,puerto rico,mexico and the mediteranean
 
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tht

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Microscopic chance of getting stung. Lionfish don't swim around like other fish, they hardly move, just turn around when approached (at least that's what I've seen them do). Supposed to have been released to the Atlantic when a aquarium broke in Florida during hurricane Andrew in 1992, read here. I had a picture on the other thread can put it back if someone want to see it.
 
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tht

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I'm posting one anyway, from the south coast (but I guess it's still DR related). Have been told to kill them just haven't figured out a way to do it yet.

4767893657_69c303c01c_b.jpg
 
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la_barbie

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exactly why I am sticking to pools... I got the biggest chill just looking at that pic... YUCK !!!
 
waytogo

waytogo

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tht said:
I'm posting one anyway, from the south coast (but I guess it's still DR related). Have been told to kill them just haven't figured out a way to do it yet.

4767893657_69c303c01c_b.jpg
Click to expand...

Back in the states I had a 250 gallon saltwater aquarium.
This fish was included in my tank and it was totally non aggressive.
I would feed it hand to mouth and it got along perfectly with all the other fish in the tank, including a foot long parrot fish.
The poison is deadly so stay clear if you should happen to get close to one in the water.
I would drop the food in the water when he was close to the top, I wouldn't let my fingers get in contact with it.
 
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Matilda

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When I was a diving instructor I saw lionfish all the time in tropical waters - Maldives, Thailand, Indonesia etc. I never heard of anyone being spiked at all - they are totally non aggressive so I see absolutely no reason to kill them. What are we going to do, kill all rottweilers and pit bulls and the like as they can be aggressive if threatened??

The ocean is full of many beautiful creatures - many of which nature has provided with a defensive mechanism which they will use if threatened - stingrays, jellyfish, trigger fish. There is absolutely no need to kill them when we can just take pleasure from enjoying them in what is their environment - not ours.

Matilda
 
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sweetdbt

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The problem, Matilda, is not that they would do any direct harm to humans, but that unlike in the Pacific, they have no natural predators in those waters. They can therefore reproduce unchecked and potentially wipe out the local population of small fish.
 
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tht

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Here's another link, read. The fish is a Pacific and Red Sea native , not the Atlantic. No natural enemies in Atlantic waters. I've seen four of them together cleaning out a big King Crab. In the last year of diving on the same reef I've seen the numbers growing from zero to up to ten on almost every dive, whether that's a local phenomenon or not I do not know. I wouldn't be worried on the beach but out on the reefs these are affecting the ecosystems, no doubt.
 
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