KEY LARGO, Fla. (AP) -- An invasive Pacific Ocean fish pulled off a Broward County artificial reef by a Key Largo dive team has a new life as a featured exhibit at a new Miami science museum.
The Miami Herald reports that a rapid response team plucked the fish, known as a onespot rabbitfish, out of the water.
In October, REEF's rapid-response team received a report about that nonnative fish swimming at a nearshore artificial reef about 12 to 15 feet deep off Dania Beach.
When an #invasive fish is spotted in Florida, these #Keys divers get the call https://t.co/S2BE9KsoRU pic.twitter.com/iJfS4ZM29t
— Miami Herald (@MiamiHerald) January 4, 2017
While not a fish-eating species like the lionfish, the rabbitfish does have some venomous spines and could affect native species by depriving resident herbivores of aquatic food sources.
The response team increased its efforts in 2007 due to the lionfish threat.