April 23, 2009

Don't touch!

The lionfish is one of my favorite tropical fishes. It's so flamboyant, I just love it! Of course, those extravagant spines are venomous, and though not normally fatal to humans, the sting is still very painful and the possible effects (headaches, nausea, breathing difficulties) don't sound very comfortable either. With a plate of glass separating us at the bahura (reef) section of the Manila Ocean Park, this beautifully menacing creature posed no danger to me at all.

lionfish


I still have four more posts to complete my Corregidor Island Series but they take much longer to write and I've just gotten a bit too busy to do so. I will get back to them when I have a little more time, but to answer Vogon Poet's question in the last post: Yes, Japanese tourists visit the island. So many, in fact, that the tour operator keeps a pool of Japanese-speaking guides just for them.

29 comments:

Halcyon said...

Don't worry about being busy. We'll be here to read and marvel at your posts when they're ready!

This guy is a beauty. It's strange the things Mother Nature puts together.

Olivier said...

superbe, on dirait qu'il fait une danse nuptiale
haughtiness, they would say that he makes a courtship display

Lois said...

Take your time Hilda! It's worth it. Magnificent fish!

Lowell said...

Extravagant comes to mind - an incredible creature. Your photo of it is superb!

Judy said...

It posed no danger but it did pose for you! Fantastic!

Chattahoochee Valley Daily said...

Great fish. Great shot.

James said...

That's quite a fish but I wouldn't dare to try lion fish sashimi. Who am I kidding I probably wouldn't try sashimi at all.

You could have told us you got this photo while scuba diving and barely escaped with your life. :-)

Very cool photo!

crocrodyl said...

Indeed, it's an amazing fish! And your photo is also awesome!

Cezar and Léia said...

This lionfish is so cute!
Thanks for your advice
Kind Regards
Léia

Anonymous said...

That's a stunning picture Hilda - what a wonderful close-up. I don't think I'd want to be on the wrong side of the glass though!

abc said...

It's really looking at you. Good for you that you didn't encounter it in the sea...

Sally said...

How wonderful! Different to the more usual parrot and clown fish (which are also beautiful of course!)
Sorry I haven't been commenting much lately - combination of life circumstances. SDP has had a 3rd birthday and you're invited to the party!
Sydney Daily Photo

marley said...

Great fishy photo! Dangerous but attractive.

Clueless in Boston said...

Great looking shot. He is certainly a wonderful looking creature from the sea. Nature is quite marvelous in its diversity.

Arnaud said...

i love this fish, i saw them in the see three years ago. They are wonderfull !

escape said...

i consider them as one of the most beautiful yet dangerous fishes. we saw one in anilao but i agree. seeing it there at MOP is really better and safer.

Anonymous said...

Very cool shot, Hilda! They really are very pretty & flamboyant, too!

George said...

This is a great picture of the lionfish. Don't apologize for being busy -- I'll patiently wait for the next installment of your Corregidor series.

VP said...

Wonderful through-the-glass picture, it looks like the fish has some kind of 'expression' (not promising though!).
Thank you for yoir answer about Corregidor, I hoping to see soon your new posts.

Jilly said...

How gorgeous Hilda. I have seen this fish before and am always astounded at its beauty.

GreensboroDailyPhoto said...

Hilda: Our local paper just featured an article on lion fish. On the down side, they are invading our coast, endangering local species. On the positive side, you can eat them. (And they are pretty to look at-- especially behind glass).

Buenos Aires Photoblog said...

Awesome! The lion fish looks pretty much majestic and impressive!

penny said...

The lionfish is awesome to look at but best not to touch... Have a wonderful weekend, Hilda.

Irina said...

He is so figged out! :)

Andrea said...

AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!

Joe Narvaez said...

Yayks! Katakot!

Lisa Wilson said...

I love these, too. So unusual.

Rob said...

He is flamboyant! He has plumage similar to a bird.

PAK said...

Beautiful fish! I remember the fish from the book I've read as a child :) So, I know it is dangerous, but I like it, as a good reminiscence.