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In South Florida, where the Everglades meet the bays, environmental challenges abound. Sea level rise threatens homes and real estate. Invasive species imperil native plants and animals. Pesticides reduce the risk of mosquito-borne diseases, but at what cost? WLRN's award-winning environment reporting strives to capture the color and complexity of human interaction with one of the most biodiverse areas of the planet.

Unicornfish Are A Real Thing But They're Not Supposed To Be In Florida

Zack Ransom
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Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science
Orangespine unicornfish are native to the Pacific and popular in saltwater aquariums.

Divers from a Key Largo environmental group and a Miami science museum removed an orangespine unicornfish from a reef off the Upper Keys this week.

The underwater rapid response team was put together to prevent another exotic species like lionfish from getting a finhold in South Florida waters. Unicornfish are popular in the saltwater aquarium trade, and are native to the tropical Pacific.

According to the Key Largo-based Reef Environmental Education Fund, divers from Eckerd College first spotted the fish at Molasses Reef in late March. A local dive operator saw it again and the rapid response team put together by REEF and the U.S. Geological Survey was deployed to catch the fish.

Read more: Meet the Underwater Rapid Response Team That Wants To Stop Invasive Species Lurking In Our Seas

Divers from REEF and the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science finally caught the fish Wednesday morning. It was taken to the Frost Museum where the plan is to have it join a display of exotic fish that have been captured and removed from Florida reefs.

Orangespine unicornfish have venomous spines like lionfish, though they eat seaweed and algae. Their potential impact on the Florida reef is unknown.

This is the 8th fish removed as part of the rapid response program. People who see non-native and invasive species in Florida waters can report them to the USGS Nonindegenous Aquatic Species Database.

Nancy Klingener was WLRN's Florida Keys reporter until July 2022.
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