[Alandriel (OP)]

Lionfish are strange creatures as it is



Even more so when they're upside down and that they do (at least in the Red Sea) every day at dusk. They're nocturnal hunters so you'll only really see them on a night dive (or snorkel). In the daytime they hide in nooks and crannies of the reef, just hanging out and not doing much. But around dusk they all come out and then float just below the surface (and quite a distance from the reef) until the sun is well down and they start hunting.

Anyone knows (or can hazard a guess) why they go 'belly up' ?

[DoctorBeaver]

Maybe they just like lion on their backs! (lion... lying... get it? Oh never mind)

[JimBob]

Naughty, naughty, naughty

(thinks to himself "flippin' water rat")

[DoctorBeaver]

 [!]

[Alandriel (OP)]

Gentlemen !  ...... midnight in the park?
[]




Peace.......................

I bring


Beaver chew

and


a biiiiig rock for Jim


everyone happy again?

[DoctorBeaver]

I am now!  [^]

[JimBob]

Nana, nana, naaaa ya

I's still here, beaver breath -


By The way:

Has anyone really smelled a beaver - I have - in the northern Rocky Mountains; Wyoming, to be exact - Gawd, do they ever stink!!! Ewe!

[DoctorBeaver]

By The way:

Has anyone really smelled a beaver - I have - in the northern Rocky Mountains; Wyoming, to be exact - Gawd, do they ever stink!!! Ewe!

No... I shan't say it. I shall not be temtped  [:I]

P.S. Why, oh "why, oh Ming" the Merciless  []

[Alandriel (OP)]

...... now you made me change the thread title..............



[see what you DID??]

[and no! I'm not going to open up a new thread titled 'why are beavers claimed to have horrible breath despite the fact that they pick their teeth all the time - NOPE! I won't do it!!]

 []

[JimBob]

...... now you made me change the thread title..............



[see what you DID??]

[and no! I'm not going to open up a new thread titled 'why are beavers claimed to have horrible breath despite the fact that they pick their teeth all the time - NOPE! I won't do it!!]

 []

Did you do know that you can change the formatting if you use the quote function?

[Alandriel (OP)]

oh - I know, I do, yessir. But one does not have to proceed to push the [post] button, although I do admit that it is difficult to resist the temption

 []

[JimBob]

 [:I]

[SquarishTriangle]

Hmm, back on topic...Haven't really heard about the 'belly-up'ness before but from what you described, I might suggest:

1. The position of the mouth might not be ideal for feeding on prey (plankton) above the fish when it is upright. A fish adapted especially for surface feeding usually has a more highly (superiorly) positioned mouth so it can easily grab bits above, without changing the position of the body.
2. Camouflage. The upper parts of the fish look more 'weedy' than the white belly, allowing it to float around unknown to its prey.
3. Defence. The large protective spines of the dorsal fin aren't going to be of much use if the fish is at the surface of the ocean and all its predators are below it, with easy access to its unprotected belly.

[JimBob]

Aren't the vast majority of Lion fish predatory on other fish?

[SquarishTriangle]

That makes sense. I was just trying to speculate.