5 Reasons Lionfish Suck!

It’s no secret: Lionfish suck! At least if you are in the Caribbean, where the spikey buggers aren’t supposed to be anyway...

On the bright side, the Roatan Marine Park has a program that allows divers like us to combat this destructive invasive species. So if you needed any more reason to bring a spear on your next dive with us, here are 5 reasons you should!

1. Lionfish reproduce at an incredibly high rate.

   Seriously, they are the rabbits of the sea. Female lionfish can release up to 30,000 eggs every 7 days, making it easier for them to occupy new space and outnumber native species.
   

2. They eat babies!

   The cruel and heartless lionfish will make a baby buffet out of it’s chosen area of reef; potentially reducing the number of native juvenile fish by 79% in as little as 5 weeks. 
   

3. Lionfish are gluttons.

   Their stomach can expand up to 30 times it’s natural size - and they aren’t picky. Any and every fish is a goner if the lionfish can get it’s mouth around them. One lionfish was recently found with 60 victims in it’s stomach!
   

4. Lionfish have 18 venomous spines that don’t care about your dermis layer.

   Long ago, the greedy lionfish had a chat with mother nature and demanded to be adorned with 18 venomous spines that deliver an extremely painful sting. That’s just rude. (We highly recommend carrying a zoo keeper on your hunt to prevent accidental stings.)
   

5. Lionfish have no known predators outside of their native habitat.

   Boy, that’s a problem! Although triggerfish, grouper, and eels have been reported to eat them in the Caribbean. Luckily there are divers like Irma who can defend the reef with their Lionfish License!

   So there you have it! But for all the negatives we have to say there is one positive thing about them….

   They are delicious!

So pack your bags, grab your spear, and let’s make some ceviche!

Source: https://lionfish.co/lionfish-facts/

5 Fun Facts About Nudibranchs

Have you ever seen a Nudibranch when you went diving? 

Nudibranchs are a group of soft-bodied, marine gastropod molluscs. Some are known for their extraordinary colours and striking forms, and they have been given fun nicknames to match, such as "sea goddess", "splendid", “dragon", “painted” or ‘dancer” just to name a few. Currently, about 3,000 valid species of nudibranchs are known. Many gastropods have a shell. Nudibranchs have a shell in their larval stage, but it disappears in the adult form.

Here are 5 fun facts about “Nudis” to get you all excited to spot one on your next dive!

1. Nudibranchs lose their vestigial shell during a larval phase.  To protect themselves they rely on toxins or unpleasant tasting chemicals which are advertised with extremely vivid colors.

2. A pair of tentacles called rhinophores on the nudibranch's head have scent receptors that allow the nudibranch to smell its food or other nudibranchs. Because the rhinophores stick out and can be a target for hungry fish, most nudibranchs have the ability to withdraw the rhinophores and hide them in a pocket in their skin if the nudibranch senses danger.

3. Nudibranchs are hermaphrodites. Because they move very slowly they need to be ready for reproduction whenever they meet another nudibranch – no matter if it is female or male. This makes reproduction process very convenient for Nudibranchs.

4. There are certain species of Sap-sucking slugs (or sacoglossans) that produce solar power by eating corals which are rich in algae. Nudibranchs absorb the chloroplast of the algae and engage in photosynthesis. The created nutrients help Nudibranchs to survive and obtain the established energy for several months.

5. Most Nudibranchs eat using a radula, a toothed structure that can be compared to the tongue they use it to scrape off their meal from the rocks they cling to; some suck out the prey after predigesting its tissue with selected enzymes. They are carnivorous, so their prey includes sponges, coral, anemones, hydroids, barnacles, fish eggs, sea slugs, and other nudibranchs. Nudibranchs are picky eaters—individual species or families of nudibranchs may eat only one kind of prey. Nudibranchs get their bright colors from the food they eat. These colors may be used for camouflage or to warn predators of the poison that lies within.