Sea Fever and the Ocean's Colorful Creatures

[Desperado]

Spiny Lobster https://www.flickr.com/photos/desperado8/

 

[beautress]

More from the Sea of Cortez' animals ~

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[Dick Foster]

Ever been enchanted by John Masefield's words?

Sea Fever

I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,
And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking,
And a grey mist on the sea's face, and a grey dawn breaking.

I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.

I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull's way and the whale's way, where the wind's like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over.
​

My uncle served in the Navy in WWII, and when he got home, he had aquariums all over his house full of the most beautiful, colorful fish that were completely delightful to me. I'm hoping other people have the love for these colorful creatures and will share their experiences and particular admiration for what caught their eye.

View attachment 238023

All things bright and beautiful in the sea. Please add all your favorite things about the sea, won't you?

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One of the most beautiful things I've ever seen is an unspoiled coral reef in the south pacific. Many years ago I was lucky enough to get my scuba certification on Canton Island. It's about three degrees south of the equator in the Pacific. It was breathtaking and I've never forgotten it. They call it something else today as it's now part of Kiribati.

 

[beautress]

More fish found from the Sea of Cortez ~

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[beautress]

Ever been enchanted by John Masefield's words?

Sea Fever

I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,
And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking,
And a grey mist on the sea's face, and a grey dawn breaking.

I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.

I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull's way and the whale's way, where the wind's like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over.
​

My uncle served in the Navy in WWII, and when he got home, he had aquariums all over his house full of the most beautiful, colorful fish that were completely delightful to me. I'm hoping other people have the love for these colorful creatures and will share their experiences and particular admiration for what caught their eye.

View attachment 238023

All things bright and beautiful in the sea. Please add all your favorite things about the sea, won't you?

​

One of the most beautiful things I've ever seen is an unspoiled coral reef in the south pacific. Many years ago I was lucky enough to get my scuba certification on Canton Island. It's about three degrees south of the equator in the Pacific. It was breathtaking and I've never forgotten it. They call it something else today as it's now part of Kiribati.

Thanks, Dick Foster, and welcome to WaterWorld at USMB.
Canton Island sounds great, found a couple of local fish there:

 

[beautress]

Mediterranean Sea Life

 

[ABikerSailor]

Mediterranean Sea Life

Cool looking fish. And, while I spent a lot of time swimming in the Med, I never saw anything like these.

I remember once on my first ship, the Captain stopped the ship in the middle of the Med, several hundred miles away from the nearest land, dropped boats and gun crews in the water to watch for sharks, and the whole ship spent a few hours swimming in the middle of the Med. Most memorable thing from that was diving off the side of the ship (38 ft. down to the water), and when coming back up, you could see the shadow of the ship above you. Kinda eerie when you can't even think about seeing the bottom.

 

[beautress]

I hope you got a few pictures, ABikerSailor. I read a very unhappy article about someone releasing lionfish out in the Mediterranean an another on 30 years ago someone releasing red lionfish out in the caribbean. One of them can apparently clear out a whole area of tropical fish in a week. I'll try and locate the articles. It's been a while since I looked, though.

As ocean temperatures warm, numerous non-native fish have invaded Mediterranean waters — about 130 species since 2001, according to the study authors. The common lionfish (Pterois miles) recently detected in the Mediterranean is a close relative of the red lionfish (Pterois volitans). This notorious invasive species threatens reef ecosystems in coastal waters around the southeastern U.S. and in the Caribbean Sea.
Aliens Attack! Invasive Lionfish Arrive in Mediterranean | Live Science

The earlier story I found was about the Caribbean being colonized by these fish, that started 30 years ago in a small area and now covers a sea floor the size of the United States. I'll see if I can find that story, too.
Here's the map. It took a small reef area 30 years ago and grew to this:

 

[beautress]

Mediterranean Sea Life

Cool looking fish. And, while I spent a lot of time swimming in the Med, I never saw anything like these.

I remember once on my first ship, the Captain stopped the ship in the middle of the Med, several hundred miles away from the nearest land, dropped boats and gun crews in the water to watch for sharks, and the whole ship spent a few hours swimming in the middle of the Med. Most memorable thing from that was diving off the side of the ship (38 ft. down to the water), and when coming back up, you could see the shadow of the ship above you. Kinda eerie when you can't even think about seeing the bottom.

The green fish is described here: Dactylopteridae - Wikipedia

 

[ABikerSailor]

I hope you got a few pictures, ABikerSailor. I read a very unhappy article about someone releasing lionfish out in the Mediterranean an another on 30 years ago someone releasing red lionfish out in the caribbean. One of them can apparently clear out a whole area of tropical fish in a week. I'll try and locate the articles. It's been a while since I looked, though.

As ocean temperatures warm, numerous non-native fish have invaded Mediterranean waters — about 130 species since 2001, according to the study authors. The common lionfish (Pterois miles) recently detected in the Mediterranean is a close relative of the red lionfish (Pterois volitans). This notorious invasive species threatens reef ecosystems in coastal waters around the southeastern U.S. and in the Caribbean Sea.
Aliens Attack! Invasive Lionfish Arrive in Mediterranean | Live Science

The earlier story I found was about the Caribbean being colonized by these fish, that started 30 years ago in a small area and now covers a sea floor the size of the United States. I'll see if I can find that story, too.
Here's the map. It took a small reef area 30 years ago and grew to this:

Yeah, some idiots let their lionfish go in the waters around FL, and now they are taking over. Interestingly enough, some people have figured out that they are pretty good eating, and now they are being hunted and fished for food.

Lionfish recipes

Lionfish are an invasive species, with no natural predators in the Atlantic and Caribbean. To fight their spread, environmentalists and chefs are advocating hunting them for the dinner plate.

Cut off the venomous spines, and lionfish go from malicious to delicious.

 

[beautress]

I hope you got a few pictures, ABikerSailor. I read a very unhappy article about someone releasing lionfish out in the Mediterranean an another on 30 years ago someone releasing red lionfish out in the caribbean. One of them can apparently clear out a whole area of tropical fish in a week. I'll try and locate the articles. It's been a while since I looked, though.

As ocean temperatures warm, numerous non-native fish have invaded Mediterranean waters — about 130 species since 2001, according to the study authors. The common lionfish (Pterois miles) recently detected in the Mediterranean is a close relative of the red lionfish (Pterois volitans). This notorious invasive species threatens reef ecosystems in coastal waters around the southeastern U.S. and in the Caribbean Sea.
Aliens Attack! Invasive Lionfish Arrive in Mediterranean | Live Science

The earlier story I found was about the Caribbean being colonized by these fish, that started 30 years ago in a small area and now covers a sea floor the size of the United States. I'll see if I can find that story, too.
Here's the map. It took a small reef area 30 years ago and grew to this:

Yeah, some idiots let their lionfish go in the waters around FL, and now they are taking over. Interestingly enough, some people have figured out that they are pretty good eating, and now they are being hunted and fished for food.

Lionfish recipes

Lionfish are an invasive species, with no natural predators in the Atlantic and Caribbean. To fight their spread, environmentalists and chefs are advocating hunting them for the dinner plate.

Cut off the venomous spines, and lionfish go from malicious to delicious.

That's good to know. Maybe it's a blessing if no one ever gets poisoned eating one. I guess that's their line to survival. They taste good if their predator can figure out to avoid getting stung or sick from their poison.

 

[beautress]

Red lionfish in Caribbean area: They should call them the peppermint twist. lol.

 

[beautress]

Found a good page on Lionfish origins and facts:

Lionfish are native to the warm, tropical waters of the South Pacific and Indian Oceans (i.e., the Indo-Pacific region), including the Red Sea. Their native range is shown in orange on the map.​

What is a lionfish?
Economic Importance: Although lionfish have been used as a food source in their native range, economically, they are far more important in the aquarium trade. Lionfish are very popular and common aquarium fish, especially in the U.S.

Conservation Status: Lionfish are not currently listed as threatened or endangered in their native range. However, the increase in pollution in coral reefs may negatively affect the lionfish's primary food sources (crustaceans and fish). If lionfish are unable to adapt to declines in their prey species, their numbers may decrease.

Special Precautions: The spines of this species deliver a venomous sting that can last for days and cause extreme pain, sweating, respiratory distress, and even paralysis. Lionfish venom glands are located within two grooves of the spine. The venom is a combination of protein, a neuromuscular toxin and a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine (pronunciation: ah-see-toe-coe'-lean). After the spine punctures the skin, the venom enters the wound when exposed to the venom glands within the grooves of the spine. If you are stung by a lionfish, seek medical attention immediately.

30 years ago, the theory I first read said is that about 10 female lionfish were introduced into the waters of the Mediterranean Sea. This article reflects their start was from the Red Sea, and somehow made it to the Mediterranean sea from an unknown introduction into the Red Sea.

That may account for why you didn't see any. They may have started out with a slow proliferation rate in isolated areas of the Mediterranean you were not swimming in. It's a vast area, the Mediterranean.

From Wikipedia:

The countries surrounding the Mediterranean in clockwise order are Spain, France, Monaco, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, Greece, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco; Malta and Cyprus are island countries in the sea. In addition, the Gaza Strip and the British Overseas Territories of Gibraltar and Akrotiri and Dhekelia have coastlines on the sea.
Mediterranean Sea - Wikipedia
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Some of the names of those places I've never heard of, and have never been to the area. Too bad there's so much strife over real estate in some of those places.

But about lionfish, I think all of the Mediterranean 10 mother fish are apparently connected by DNA to lionfish specifically found in India's coastal water, according to what I read yesterday, and which article I didn't find today. Things come and go on my browser.

 

[beautress]

Great around-the-world way to spend a couple of hours away from the Silly Season world and littered mean streets ...

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[beautress]

Giant Manta Ray capture

I found this one because it shows scale as humans are nearby.
I read about some Giant Manta Rays yesterday who were near a group of swimmers and were filmed with the swimmers not knowing they were around. They harmed no one, but the swimmers had no idea how close to them the creatures were. I'll see if I can find some pictures of Giant Manta Rays right now, for the next post.​

 

[beautress]

A drone caught this picture of a giant manta ray ...

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[beautress]

Giant Manta Rays, NOAA

About The Species
The giant manta ray is the world’s largest ray with a wingspan of up to 29 feet. They are filter feeders and eat large quantities of zooplankton. Giant manta rays are slow-growing, migratory animals with small, highly fragmented populations that are sparsely distributed across the world.
The main threat to the giant manta ray is commercial fishing, with the species both targeted and caught as bycatch in a number of global fisheries throughout its range. Manta rays are particularly valued for their gill rakers, which are traded internationally. In 2018, NOAA Fisheries listed the species as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

Status
Information on the global distribution of giant manta rays and their population sizes is lacking. Regional population sizes are small, ranging from around 100 to 1,500 individuals, and in areas subject to fishing, have significantly declined. Ecuador is thought to be home to the largest population of giant manta ray, with large aggregation sites within the waters of the Machalilla National Park and the Galapagos Marine Reserve. Overall, given their life history traits, particularly their low reproductive output, giant manta ray populations are inherently vulnerable to depletions, with low likelihood of recovery. Additional research is needed to better understand the population structure and global distribution of the giant manta ray.

Much more here: Giant Manta Ray

 

[beautress]

Giant Spotted Eagle Manta Rays

 

[beautress]

Georgia Aquarium shows video of their Spotted Eagle Rays:

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[beautress]

Skates and Rays:

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