Watch out for lionfish: these delicious but venomous predators don’t roar

anatomy of a hunt

she waited. Patient as always. She would soon be busy. Hopefully with a young one. She never had to wait long for something suitable to arrive. There, that school of passage. Any of them would be fine. Especially one of the children. She loved to eat children. No, she thought to herself. They are too far. Too easy to escape. She would wait for another group to pass closer. When she was sure of success, when they were so close that she couldn’t miss, then she attacked. That’s when once again, she ate. The soft flutter of her lace fins swirled the water in little ripples and eddies. The lone tentacle of hers floated seductively over her eyes, as she waited in ambush position for…

… Yes, yes, there! Here was her chance. She released a rapid stream of water to confuse her prey before darting close enough to suddenly extend her pectoral fins to suck and swallow her food in one motion. Ah, it was still morning and many more meals would fill her belly. Her almost insatiable appetite drove her to eat over and over again for most of the day. Other possible meals unfolded before her.

Lionfish eat almost constantly

A group of mollusks caught his attention. Effortlessly, she adjusted her bilateral swim bladder to sink in for a closer look. A passing school of small fish piqued her interest. Perhaps attracted by her undulating tentacle, three small fry headed towards her to get a better look. Moments later, one was gone, her life fading into her jaws. She floated closer to the group of shellfish below. Soon there were fewer shellfish than before.

Unsatisfied, she stalked around looking for something that would catch her eye. The reef where she lived, wedged into a cleft formed by a cleft in rock and coral, was bustling with activity now. It was late in the morning and creatures of all descriptions were running around, searching for food, educating for protection, sailing for treats or escaping predators. Sometimes predators got a meal. Such is life and death, around the reef. Most predators avoided its long venomous spines. Her bite injected a pain-inducing venom that could kill many species. there were some warnings she was attentive to The law of the reef was eat or be eaten.

Lionfish have few predators.

Moray eels, large groupers, and some shark species naturally feed on Caribbean lionfish (Pterois volitans) which is also known as turkey fish or dragon fish. When a predator appeared, it would escape to the safety of its cleft in the coral. Camouflaged and nestled inside, she was safe from almost all but one of her predators.

A stream of low-pitched sound cut through the water before a body-shuddering “thud” hit her. The most dangerous predator of hers had found her and trapped her out in the open. He had gone through her.

Felix Harrington smiled behind his mouthpiece and mask. “I understand!he exclaimed to himself. This was the fifth so far. Not bad considering how solitary lionfish are. One reef group only had one fish. To find others you had to swim to another reef structure. He had been at it all morning until now.

“However, watch out for those poisonous spines.” he reminded himself.

Treatment for a lionfish sting

Alexander, a fellow lionfish hunter, had gotten careless a while back. In a sudden spasm, a lionfish had pricked his forearm when they’d returned to the docks. Treatment for the bite began immediately. Alex winced as the stinger was removed before dunking the affected area in very hot (100F to 110F) water. It takes about fifteen minutes to soak in hot water to denature the proteins in the venom. Alternatively, he could have taken an aspirin until he received medical treatment.

Poisonous lionfish for dinner?

As a way to stop the population explosion, lionfish are promoted as a unique and exotic dish throughout the Caribbean. Once filleted, the fish is not dangerous to eat and is said to be quite tasty. Recipes are available online. Enjoy!