lionfish invasion

Experts think that the red lionfish invasion off the east coast of the United States and Caribbean might have probably escaped from a Florida fish tank in mid-1990s. The red lionfish is a venomous coral reef fish from the Indian and western Pacific Oceans (map Below).

This year on my vacation in Dom. Rep. I heard for the first time about the lionfish invasion in the island. The sightings of the fish were mentioned all the way in the north coast (Sosua, Maimon Bay and Luperon) but the red lionfish have also been detected in the coasts of Cuba, Puerto Rico and Cayman's Island.

They feed on crustaceans and fishe up to half its size using its widespread pectorals trapping prey into a corner, stunning it and then with their mouth they create a vacuum and suck the prey in during a nearly imperceptible split-second movement. Research teams observed one lionfish eating 20 small fish in less than 30 minutes.

They are not aggressive, but if threatened they will erect their dorsal spines that are venomous. The sting can be treated by heating the afflicted part and application of corticoids (regulation of inflammation).

Some of the pictures below were taken during a night dive and the others the next day at the same spot. Some others were provided by my good friend Elin Sanchez from Dominican Republic.

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