lion fish protection?

[hotglove]

Hello All,
I'm new to the forums, have snorkelled in UK over the years and last year completed PADI courses in Sharm.
One night I decided to try a night snorkel in Naama Bay. First thought was Great! but I soon attracted numbers of lionfish. Every time I switched on the torch they came mooching up.
Being as I'm new to diving, and new to tropical snorkelling, I could do with some advice.
How bad is the result of contact with lionfish?
Would a lycra bodysuit and gloves provide enough protection?
I was disappointed at having to cut the night snorkel short, but would like to avoid the whole wetsuit/weightbelt issue if possible.
Over to you

[Alan Ewart]

Hi & Welcome. In short a lycra suit will not provide sufficient protection from lionfish spikes.

Distance would be much better :)

It can be a lot of fun watching lionfish hunt in your torch light

[Andy Wade]

Hello All,
I'm new to the forums, have snorkelled in UK over the years and last year completed PADI courses in Sharm.
One night I decided to try a night snorkel in Naama Bay. First thought was Great! but I soon attracted numbers of lionfish. Every time I switched on the torch they came mooching up.
Being as I'm new to diving, and new to tropical snorkelling, I could do with some advice.
How bad is the result of contact with lionfish?
Would a lycra bodysuit and gloves provide enough protection?
I was disappointed at having to cut the night snorkel short, but would like to avoid the whole wetsuit/weightbelt issue if possible.
Over to you

Here's the deal on Lionfish spine injuries from this website (http://library.thinkquest.org/C007974/2_1lio.htm):

A person punctured by one of the sharp spines will immediately feel strong pain. Rapid swelling of the affected body area develops which may make the movement of limbs very difficult. Lion-fish stings can cause nausea, breathing difficulties, paralysis, convulsions and collapse. Even death may occur in exceptional circumstances. Most people survive in spite of the great pain. The venom in the spines remains active for days, so even discarded spines should be treated with caution. It may take several months for a full recovery and if the sting is left untreated, gangrene may develop.

Why not attach a short line to your torch, then swim along with it switched on, suspended on the 2-3m line below you, and watch from above?
I guess you'll have to play with the set up a bit to get the torch to hang horizontally, maybe a couple of spare knife straps would help this work.
The Lionfish will now be a couple of metres below you, but you can still watch them without the risk. And if you want them a teeny bit closer, just shorten the line a bit.
If you want to dive down, just pull the torch up and snorkel dive as normal. Maybe a small reel might be useful for this. Or a small 'handline' frame like kids use for crab fishing off the pier in seaside towns... You know the type, where they always catch nowt... :D
Hope this helps.

[Michael Purcell]

Generally speaking are Lionfish an agressive threat to humans or is it incidental contact or people "stepping" on them that are the problem? I know I have had one or two chase me but it didn't try to slam it's spikes into me.

I saw a group of about 8 in full plummage "hunting" the other day. They looked great.

[Alison Boler]

I have never found them to be aggressive. The risk is more that you "tread" on one or brush hard against them in the dark. They tend to like dark places and during the day lurk under ledges or sometimes inside wrecks. At night they come out to hunt.
I would liken them to wasps. If you keep a reasonable distance and leave them alone, they are likely to reciprocate. If you appear to be attacking them, they will sting you.

I'm guessing that hotglove may have been in extremely shallow water - possibly only a couple of metres????? ie right over the reef top. The lionfish were attracted to the light and therefore came very close and there wasn't enough water room to get far away. I've never really had a problem on a night dive with them but that would be in deeper water with more room to manoevre.

I would recommend a wetsuit for night snorkelling anyway especially in the Red Sea. Quite apart from marauding lionfish, there is just so much fire coral around and other stinging plants that it is too easy to brush against them with your bare skin.

I must say I am very impressed by "night snorkelling". I love night diving but ever since I saw a certain film some years ago, I wouldn't swim on the surface at night for any money.
Da da... da da.. dadadadadada! :)

[Paul Watts]

Left alone they pose little or no threat... mess them about, stick a camera too close at your peril!

On a trip I organised a couple of years ago, one of our over enthusiastic photographers got to close to a huge Lion fish which took exception and gave him 4 painful puncture marks on his hand. I ended up have to get him

Despite immediate first aid treatment (wound in very hot water to break down the veom protiens) I had to organise him being E'vac'd off the liveaboard for treatment.

I'll try to find the some pic's..... the one of the fish is a great close up!!

[hotglove]

Thanks for the input, I was already half-convinced that a wetsuit was the answer. Pity, there is something special about swimming in the bay, watching the shore life, and enjoying the quiet on the seaward side, with the minimum kit.
I think the torch-on-a-rope idea is great, a remote control would make it perfect!

[sharkhunter]

Nama Bay is used for night dive training in the Red Sea by Ocean College, and the Lionfish have learnt that the divers torches stun fish, so the Lionfish swim very close to the divers, usually underneath them, and when a small fish is stunned in the lights it charges out and get the fish.

Just shows how smart fish can really be. Hotglove, they aren't out to get you so don't worry to much, but make sure your very aware where they are at all times and you should be ok in theory.

This is the only place I've seen lionfish do this trick so far.

I find the Lionfish in Nama Bay very amusing and endearing, they almost seam like they are pleased to see you by coming out to say hello.

These pictures were taken in Nama Bay during the day....there are quite a few in Nama Bay.

These were swimming around during the day
http://www.gregbottle.co.uk/forum_pictures/lionfish.jpg
http://www.gregbottle.co.uk/forum_pictures/lionfish_03.jpg
http://www.gregbottle.co.uk/forum_pictures/lionfish_04.jpg

Some live upsidedown under the pontoons like this picture shows.
http://www.gregbottle.co.uk/forum_pictures/lionfish_02.jpg

PS: There is a large grouper there at night as well, and he will follow the divers like a puppy dog.....he's learnt the same trick as the Lionfish.

[PeteM]

the Lionfish have learnt that the divers torches stun fish, so the Lionfish swim very close to the divers{snip}

This is the only place I've seen lionfish do this trick so far.


I've not seen lion fish do it anywhere else but I had white tips doing it on a dive in the Maldives. Came as a bit of a shock the first time one zoomed past and grabbed a fish :)

[sharkhunter]

I've not seen lion fish do it anywhere else but I had white tips doing it on a dive in the Maldives. Came as a bit of a shock the first time one zoomed past and grabbed a fish :)


WOW, that must have been really cool Pete!! My kind of fun.
I've had big red snappers and morays do this trick on night dives in the Maldives, but not had the white tips do it yet.

Fish are a lot smarter than we give them credit.

PS: Which Islands you been to Pete?

[PeteM]

PS: Which Islands you been to Pete?

Only ever done liveaboards, I'll try and remember to lookup the dive site for this one and post it tonight when I have access to my log book

[TerryH]

The most guilt I've ever felt on a dive was 1st night dive in Sharm.

Lion fish following my torch and I come across a small fish, not doing
anything, just lying there.

Lion fish pounces fast and fish is gone.

Eeeek - Yes I'm a fish muderers accomplice :eek: