Title: Snapper gets Lionfish
Added: Jan 21, 2011
Author: Healthyreefs
Duration: 1:58
Description:
January 12, 2011 West End Wall, Roatan, Honduras
Location: 16.26905 N 86.60288 W
Depth: 80 ft
In the linked video you can see licensed lionfish hunter and Healthy Reefs Coordinator in Honduras, Ian Drysdale, feed a speared (and dead) lionfish to a mutton snapper, as an interested nassau grouper looks on. The video was taken by Melanie McField, Director of the Healthy Reefs Initiatie. Still photos were taken by Marisol Rueda, Healthy Reefs Coordinator in Mexico. The incident occurred about 15 minutes into the dive. The Nassau grouper began following Ian about 5-10 minutes into the dive and the mutton snapper joined along shortly after. Both fish seemed particularly interested in following Ian and watching the spear keenly. Spearfishing is banned in HN and the fish show no fear of the spear or the divers in general. In response to the lionfish problem authorities are allowing managers like the Roatan Marine Park to license certain trained individuals to use special lionfish spears to remove lionfish from the reef inside and outside the Roatan marine park. Both fish were approximately 30-40cm length. Dive guides from Roatan also report that the following species have been seen consuming speared lionfish: groupers (several species), snappers (including mutton and yellowtail) spotted and green morays, and grey reef sharks. Some plan to attempt to train the fish to consume live lionfish, as has been reported from Cayman.
Channel: Nonprofit
 |
No comments have been provided.
Youtube Comments: 21
aisling1222 Says:
Jan 22, 2011 - great video! I was wondering too about the ingestion of the venomous spines - any affect on the snapper?
marleadership Says:
Jan 24, 2011 - Great video! Ian is a relentless hunter!
Praetorian7 Says:
Feb 3, 2011 - The grouper wanted it too! Heheh. I personally saw a Nassau grouper eating lionfish week after week, so I guess Groupers can eat them safely, I guess Snappers can too?
Healthyreefs Says:
Feb 16, 2011 - Well we don't know yet of any study that has followed a snapper after eating a lionfish to see if it is still alive, but we asume the react just like groupers, safe to it lionfish for them!
Gerardo Ochoa Says:
Apr 2, 2011 - I can't stop laughing at the dissapointment of the poor Nassau Grouper :D
TheDemonTwinkie Says:
May 7, 2011 - this is just terrible D;
provitapax Says:
May 17, 2011 - excellent video, will snapper flesh have "ciguatera-like effect" if eaten by humans?
Nick L Says:
Jun 19, 2011 - just asking, what type of snapper was that?
Jameson Beach Says:
Jan 21, 2012 - Just because the lionfish looks pretty in a tank doesn't mean is can't decimate a marine environment and outcompete and kill other fish that YOU like to eat.
chechezzzz Says:
Jan 30, 2012 - thats one big bite
Kyle N Says:
Jan 31, 2012 - mutton snapper
Kyle N Says:
Jan 31, 2012 - Great! good to know they have some predators able to kill them.
TheDemonTwinkie Says:
Feb 2, 2012 - well i had a lionfish and i had to watch it die
Benjamin Thomas Says:
Feb 4, 2012 - That is wiked....I'm tired of seeing lionfish and not being able to do anything...I'm getting a spear!
Nicholas Ramphal Says:
Mar 3, 2012 - nice!!!!!! get thoses dam lion fish outa the caribbean!!!
myling2002 Says:
Jun 13, 2012 - YES!!! Lionfish should get a little extinct..... I mean, they're eating every fish!! rather one species than a ton!!
Rayyan Memon Says:
Jun 14, 2012 - now we need predators flourishing
Brocksta1 Says:
Oct 2, 2012 - Guess I need a jig that looks like a lionfish
Josianne van Aanholt Says:
Feb 3, 2013 - Yeah... 10 minutes later they go back up to the boat and see the snapper floating on top of the water. Or is the snapper immune?
ben polder Says:
Mar 5, 2013 - they are really poisanus so dont try catching them with your hands 
jeztiley Says:
Jan 21, 2011 - I wonder if the snapper is still alive today after eating that meal?