Chief Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 Source: The Miami Herald February 8, 2010 Key Largo, Florida - The lionfish, a beautiful but venomous invasive species, has slowly begun spreading throughout the Florida Keys, wreaking havoc to the marine environment. The Miami Herald reports that more than 80 of the intruders have been documented over the last year. They were found from Key Largo to the Dry Tortugas, and so far, all have been juveniles. read more More... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JManrow Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 I first heard about this a few years ago. There is more than just a localized population now, as can be seen as shown on this map. http://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactSheet.asp?speciesID=963 Please do not release aquarium fish or invertebrates into the wild! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThePremiumAquarium Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 Bad fishy... (enforcer) It appears that hurricane waters may have allowed for this ornamental fish to be released into the wild. I am sure that there have probably been other releases as well. The question that we should really be asking is, do we now let them have free reign of our Carribean and Atlantic waters or do we add them to the menus of local resaurants as a delicacy? That may sound like a silly question but it may also have some utility though larger brains than mine need to think this one through. They are definately proving to be farely destructive to indigenous reefs. I really love my royal grammas and don't particularly care for lionfish much lol. :p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonH Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 I'm amazed so see them ranging as far borth as New York! I know the currents run in the opposite direction (south to north) on the right coast, and it's a bit warmer that far north than here, but still. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JManrow Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 The warm waters of the Gulf Stream take marine tropicals up north during the Summer months, but the populations will not become established as Winter sets in. I have read about people collecting juvenile tropical marine fish from tidepools in NY and NJ during the Summer for their aquariums! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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