Ocean Watch

‘Angels’ turn out
to be lion fish

While I was in Samoa recently, I saw two angels -- the celestial kind, not the fish kind.

Fortunately, this vision wasn't from a near-death experience. I was snorkeling in heavenly warm water just a few minutes' drive from American Samoa's capital, Pago Pago. My companions decided to swim to a distant point, but I elected to stay close to shore.

There, the reef flat swarmed with South Pacific marine life in three to four feet of clear water. This splendor lasted for about 100 yards and then dropped off into deep water.

Snorkeling just doesn't get better than that.

It was only minutes after my two friends left that I spotted the angels. (The best animals always show up when everyone else leaves.) Each was about the size of a basketball with fluffy white feathers, spread wide like wings and sticking out all over.

These apparitions hung motionless in the water column about 30 feet down the drop-off. Although their light color caused the creatures to stand out against the blue-black background, their depth made them ghostly and indistinct.

I stared, cleared my mask and stared some more, unable to figure out what these ethereal creatures might be. I'm not a good free diver, but fish don't have feathers.

I took a deep breath and headed down.

My intrusion didn't ruffle those angels a bit, but they did spread their gossamer wings wide as they turned to face me. I held my breath as long as I could, staring into the eyes of the largest, most fantastic lion fish I have ever seen.

Contrary to the image the name "angelfish" suggests, real angelfish are not delicate, filmy creatures with streamers trailing gracefully from long fins. Marine angelfish are compact species, often brightly colored, with short fins. Most angelfish are so shy they usually dash into hiding at the slightest approach.

Some types of lion fish, however, bear the more traditional angel look.

These species have long, gauzy "wings" that sway gracefully in the water. The bodies of some lion fish in the South Pacific grow to 12 inches long, but with fins spread, they look considerably bigger.

Lion fish have the opposite strategy of angelfish in protecting themselves. An angelfish can dart into a reef hole so fast you sometimes wonder if you really saw it. Lion fish, on the other hand, stand their ground and look conspicuous.

Lion fish can afford such boldness because those beautiful fins are highly poisonous. A poke from one of those spines is an experience you will never forget. You won't die from such a sting, but I'm told you might wish you could.

Lion fish use their poison for defense only, never initiating attacks on humans. However, if these fish are threatened, they flare out their spikes. If cornered, such as when a collector tries to catch a lion fish, or when an aquarist tries cleaning a lion fish tank, the creature will strike.

Lion fish fins are also handy for hunting. The fish swims slowly, fanning the ocean floor with its feathery fins to uncover living creatures. The large fins also help the fish trap its prey against rock or coral walls.

Lion fish belong to the same family as the devil scorpion fish, also notorious for its sting. In the ocean, the distance between heaven and hell can be a short one.