Anyone collect fish in central Florida?

[ThePurple12]

I'm on vacation in the Tampa area, specifically Clearwater. I'd love to bring home some fish for my tank (apparently you can bring live fish on a plane in your carry-on). I'm specifically looking for a couple seahorses, but I'd also like to collect some schooling fish and others.

Where do I find seahorses? I snorkeled a grass bed for about an hour and also tried seining with no luck.

What are your favorite fish collecting spots? I went to North Beach at Fort Desoto, the one with all those rocks. That was pretty great, are there any other rocky spots?

 

[Flippers4pups]

I'm on vacation in the Tampa area, specifically Clearwater. I'd love to bring home some fish for my tank (apparently you can bring live fish on a plane in your carry-on). I'm specifically looking for a couple seahorses, but I'd also like to collect some schooling fish and others.

Where do I find seahorses? I snorkeled a grass bed for about an hour and also tried seining with no luck.

What are your favorite fish collecting spots? I went to North Beach at Fort Desoto, the one with all those rocks. That was pretty great, are there any other rocky spots?

You have to have a license to harvest saltwater fish.

http://www.eregulations.com/florida/fishing/saltwater/marine-life-regulations/

 

[PR_nano]

https://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/marine-life/

 

[ThePurple12]

Yeah I know, I'm gonna get one

 

[scchase]

This time of the year clearwater should have a decent selection, should be able to get seahorses in the Indian river as well as other random stuff. Walmart carries the licenses.

 

[ThePurple12]

This time of the year clearwater should have a decent selection, should be able to get seahorses in the Indian river as well as other random stuff. Walmart carries the licenses.

Thanks, good info. I'll check out the Indian river, too bad it's all the way on the other side of Florida...

 

[bam123]

The Indian River is full of bull sharks and plenty of gators. Make your life easy and buy them online.

 

[ThePurple12]

Also, any good identification guides?

 

[PR_nano]

Also, any good identification guides?

Check this one out have inverts and fish

https://myfwc.com/research/saltwater/codes/
GL lets us know if you get any ;)

 

[scchase]

Got the coasts confused, lots of seahorses in the bay there but hard to see ime

 

[ThePurple12]

Got the coasts confused, lots of seahorses in the bay there but hard to see ime

Good to know, you almost had me drive 3 hours LOL!

Are there any greater seahorses or just dwarves?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Keys and St Petersburg

 

[scchase]

Maps have both listed there though not sure how common.

 

[NashobaTek]

You'd have better luck with captive bred seahorses. Wild caught have a harder time adjusting to the aquarium and may never eat and just slowly die.

 

[ThePurple12]

You'd have better luck with captive bred seahorses. Wild caught have a harder time adjusting to the aquarium and may never eat and just slowly die.

Eh, I feel like that’s a bit of a myth. I bought 2 WC online and had no problems training them to frozen with the help of some petsmart ghost shrimp. They would have lived if it wasn’t for the stupid lawnmower blenny I added a few months later....