10 Facts on Lionfish

The Lionfish is not actually a specific fish but the name of a family of fish that share very similar characteristics. Most commonly Lionfish have a stripy coloration but all are noted for the long spines that seem to spray out from all over their bodies.

The lionfish is quite beautiful to observe as it often moves very slowly: they sometimes seem to just hover. However, encountering a group of lionfish on a night dive can often seem quite haunting for the same reason: at night their hovering manner can appear to be literally ghostly.

If you have never heard of lionfish (or even if you have) you may not be aware of much about them. This lionfish facts page is designed to provide you with some interesting details about this family of fish.

Facts About the Lionfish

1. Lionfish are generally found in the Indo-Pacific region. Having said this, the lionfish is spreading its wings (so to speak) nowadays and so can also be found in the Caribbean Sea and the East Atlantic.
2. Beautiful but deadly? Beautiful yes, but deadly no… unless you are very unlucky. Lionfish are classified within the family Scorpaenidae (sound like to scorpion to you?). Like scorpions, lionfish can sting. The flowing but sharp spines that cover a lionfish’s body deliver a potent toxin. The toxin is strong enough to kill a lionfish’s natural enemies but it is not likely to kill you. Having said this, being stung by a lionfish as a human can be very serious: a lionfish’s toxin can cause extreme pain, headaches, dizziness, vomiting and respiratory difficulty. Although the toxin is unlikely to cause fatality in humans, people more susceptible to it have died as the result an overly close lionfish encounter.
3. As a result of the above fact, the lionfish is one of the most toxic fish on earth.
4. Lionfish are also known as dragon fish, scorpion fish, fire fish and (who knows why) turkey fish.
5. There are several different varieties of lionfish such as:
   • radial lionfish
   • dwarf fussy lionfish
   • feathery lionfish
   • dwarf lionfish
   • fu-manchu lionfish
   • and volitan lionfish.
6. An apparently aloof and slow moving demeanour as well as cumbersome looking build conceal a speed merchant beneath: lionfish have very fast reflexes and can move frighteningly quickly when they are hungry or defending themselves.
7. Lionfish have an average lifespan of 15-16 years.
8. Lionfish eat shrimps, crabs and fish and…
9. … lionfish tend to swallow their prey whole!
10. The size of lionfish varies according to the particular species, but generally range from 10 centimeters to 0.4 meters!

As with many creatures, a lionfish will not bother you if you do not bother it. Hopefully the facts on lionfish above will help you to respect this very unusual looking individual!

If you ever wondered how divng tanks are made, check the following video out.

http://www.youtube.com/v/qAgSU6BCpsY&hl=en

The Poseidon website has some great videos showing some fantastic cold water diving jaunts.

The one below is one of them filmed in 2006 in Lofoten, Norway when the divers encountered some orcas. I have to say that it looks chilly… the perfect conditions for a Poseidon Flexisuit!

http://www.poseidon.se/movies/Adventure_lofoten_2006.WMV

Many thanks to Poseidon for this fantastic video!

More than likely you have seen the movie Jaws.

Regardless of whether you have seen Jaws or not, it is more than likely that your perception of the Great White Shark has been either directly or indirectly affected by it.

Below we have listed Ten Great White Shark facts to help to balance the post-Jaws world’s view of this amazing creature. Hopefully you will learn something more about this truly astounding creature than most media views often present.

Great White Shark Facts: 1-10

1. The Great White Shark is also known by the following names: the White Pointer, the White Shark and the White Death. Its scientific name is Carcharodon Carcharias.
2. Contrary to perceived facts, the Great White Shark’s favorite food is not people but pinnipeds (seals and sea lions).
3. The Great White is one of a few species of shark who lift their heads out of the water to look at objects on the surface. This practice is known as “spyhopping”.
4. The maximum size of Great White Sharks averages approximately 6 meters (20 feet) with a maximum average weight of approximately 1,900 kilos (4,200 pounds). The largest Great White Shark ever caught was listed by the Guiness Book of World Records as being 11.3 meters (37 feet) long.
5. A Great White Shark fact you may not be aware of is that they have extra sensory powers. Great Whites (like all sharks) have sensing organs known as Ampullae of Lorenzini located in the pores of their skin at their business end (their heads!). These sensors enable the Great White to pick up electromagnetic fields generated by the movements of living creatures. When a creature moves underwater a Great White can detect the electric field it generates as a result. A Great White’s apullae are so sensitive they can detect a staggeringly small amount of electrical current (up to 1/2 a billionth of a volt).
6. Contrary to popular belief, the Great White Shark is not a mammal but a fish. As such it is the largest known fish swimming in our oceans.
7. Great White Sharks still remain a fairly mysterious creature: we know little of their mating habits or social structures.
8. An adult Great White may not eat anything for up to two weeks at a time.
9. It is estimated that the Great White Shark has a lifespan of between 30 to 100 years.
10. There are approximately 100 shark attacks worldwide every year. Of these 100 attacks 30 result in a fatality. It is assumed that around 10 to 15 of these fatalities are due to Great White Shark attacks… most of which are NOT divers. To put this another way, more people are killed in the United States each year by dog attacks than by Great White Shark attacks.

The Great White is a very efficient predator: it is at the top of the food chain. It is true of course that some encounters with Great White Sharks have resulted in people suffering horrific injuries, some of which have been fatal.

Having said this, we should not be irrationally frightened by them. In order to conquer our fears it is important to learn the facts about the Great White Shark rather than just dismissing it as a mindless and frenzied killing machine.

SCUBA Diving is Dangerous

Proabably the biggest myth of them all is that SCUBA diving is dangerous. Statistically you are more likely to suffer a fatal accident on a boating trip, when you are swimming or even (nowhere near the water) just being in your home!

Recreational Diving is Expensive

This is simply not true. Many dive centers nowadays offer very reasonably priced courses to help you get qualified (PADI, CMAS etc.). Buying the basic trio of snorkel, mask and fins will far from cost the earth and most of the other required SCUBA gear (cylinders and air, BCD, weights etc.) will likely be bundled into any dive package you purchase from a dive center.

You Have to be a Good Swimmer

You DO NOT need to be a good swimmer to enjoy diving. The very nature of SCUBA diving, i.e. being weightless (or at least neutrally buoyant), makes your passage through water easier.

You Should Not Dive If You Suffer From Claustrophobia

Many people who are claustrophobic are able to dive. For some people their claustrophobia is not a problem at all, while for others diving has helped them to overcome their fears.

Recreational Diving is not Considered a Sport

What is a sport? Recreational diving is most likely not a competitive activity but it certainly requires training and special equipment, mental focus, skill, dexterity and teamworking abilities.

Diving is Only for Men

Further statistical evidence shows that SCUBA diving is becoming increasignly popular with women: large dive training organizations claim that up to 50% of all dive certifications today are for women.

Diving is Only for Adults

Most diving centers require that divers be 15 or over.

Divers Are Shark Bait

The movie Jaws has helped to propogate this particular myth. Sharks do occasionally bite people, but most of them are either swimming or surfing. Although sometimes these attacks can be serious, you are more likely to die from a dog attacking you than a shark.

Diving is Not Environmentally Friendly

Most divers and dive organizations are extremely aware and sensitive to the marine eco-systems they visit. In fact, most people that take up diving gain more of an appreciation of the beauty and mystery of all life on our planet. It could be argued that diving helps to make people more environmentally aware.

The Diving Experience is Only Good in the Summer

The weather does not have to be hot to go diving. If you dive in colder climes you can wear dry suits which keep the water away from you body thereby allowing you to wear clothing.