Have you ever taken things from the Ocean to put in your tank?

[borillion]

Only visibly clear sea water off the California coast.

 

[Sarcazian]

I was at the bay the other day and was shocked at the number of Amphipods I saw running around under rocks. I grabbed a few to throw in the QT tank since I have Chaeo in there already. The kids were like what are all of those bugs. hah.

I'm guessing an Amphipod is an Amphipod irrespective if they come from cold or warm water or water with sanity of 1.026 or 1.020?

 

[fish farmer]

Back in college we were seining a saltwater marsh in Rhode Island. We caught a couple of butterfly fish. One was DOA in the bucket, but a 3 inch specimen went home with me. I tempered it from 55 degrees to 75 degrees over several hours. It lived for a couple of weeks, even had it taking some brine shrimp nauplii. My tank was pretty heavy with aggressive fish. I gave it a shot.

 

[Paul B]

I was at the bay the other day and was shocked at the number of Amphipods I saw running around under rocks. I grabbed a few to throw in the QT tank since I have Chaeo in there already.

I collect 5 gallons of them and throw them in my tank. Mud and all.

 

[Sarcazian]

I collect 5 gallons of them and throw them in my tank. Mud and all.

Thanks Paul! Seeing you say that makes me feel better. I'm not ready to throw in "everything else" including the mud since the water and mud is less than optimal that close to a water treatment center.

The water column was teeming with little squirmiers for sure though. Hermits, snails (welks I think), and at least 4 different types of small crabs.

 

[Paul B]

I do remove the crabs and tiny lobsters because they get big in no time. And of course I don't dump in gallons of mud. Just a few tablespoons or I wouldn't be able to see my fish.

 

[KrisReef]

I live near san Diego and I use sand filtered water from the scripps pier. The Birch aquarium uses the same source. Also, I collect amphipods, macro algae from the outflow of the birch aquarium and hermits, limpets and turbo snails from tidepools. I tried a sponge from a piling at low tide while I was surfing but it didn't last long. I have two triggers in my reef and they eat the hermits and snails as fast as I can put them In.

Howdy Neighbor.
If you have a fishing license you can legally collect some tidepool creatures in CA. Be sure you are familiar with the limits and species because the wardens can/will/may write you a ticket if you collect the wrong items or don't have a fishing license. I use the same water source, btw! You might also want to collect mussels to chop up for those triggers for a treat? If you do, be careful to observe the seasonal warnings on shellfish that arise from domoic acid concentrations that could potentially give your fish a buzz or kill them, depending on dose.

I was speaking with a warden colleague last week who went out at the midnight low tides to write tickets for people picking in the tide pools, so I wanted to post this reply to your online confession, fyi.

I myself have never collected anything from the ocean that I didn't buy at a LFS. I hope that was a true statement but fear that it may not be entirely correct, but I won't write anything else on the advise of counsel.

 

[Appoloreefer]

Have you ever taken things from the Ocean to put in your tank? What did you take?

Laws are different in each situation.

I believe you can buy a Fishing License in Florida and permitted to take certain things at certain qtys.

I have wanted to but living in Florida they have so many laws restricting taking anything from the ocean. I once picked up a rock and was told to put it back or I would be arrested. You can buy a fishing license but they have stipulations on those as well as to what you can keep and what you have to put back. From what I have read you cannot take anything unless you are or have a license to collect those things. I could be wrong.

 

[hlaalu]

When I go to my place in Mexico I will collect some snails, hermits, and just recently a few gobies that are doing very well. I know a guy down there that collects the turbo snails and exports them to a distributor in LA for resale.

 

[Shark8em]

I have wanted to but living in Florida they have so many laws restricting taking anything from the ocean. I once picked up a rock and was told to put it back or I would be arrested. You can buy a fishing license but they have stipulations on those as well as to what you can keep and what you have to put back. From what I have read you cannot take anything unless you are or have a license to collect those things. I could be wrong.

I go out snorkeling and diving several times monthly off of Hernando Beach and have not had any issues with FWC. I frequently collect nassarius and dwarf cerith snails, macro algae of various sorts, starfish, and have also nabbed a couple of jawfish along the way. As long as you stay within the limits and know that what you're collecting is not prohibited, you should have no problems.

Copied directly from myFWC.com:

Recreational harvesters are required to have a saltwater fishing license and are limited to five of each species per person per day, which is included in a 20-organism per day Marine Life aggregate bag limit. In order to maintain collected organisms in a healthy condition, recreational harvesters are limited to the use of hand held nets, barrier nets, drop nets, slurp guns, storage bags, and rods to harvest dwarf seahorses. Additionally, all Marine Life organisms must be landed alive.

Only those who have a valid Aquaculture license (AQ) can harvest live rock.

Prohibited Species
All harvest of the following species is prohibited unless it is pursuant to a research permit:

• Live rock (except harvested by aquaculture)
• Bahama or Cushion sea star (Oreaster reticulatus)
• Longspine urchin (Diadema antillarum)
• Giant Caribbean sea anemone (Condylactis gigantea)
• Any sea fan of the species Gorgonia flabellum or of the species Gorgonia ventalina
• Any hard or stony coral (Order Scleractinia)
• Any fire coral (Genus Millepora)

This gives more detail to size and species limits:
https://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/marine-life/

Hope this helps clear up any confusion!

 

[Jilly92]

No

 

[GeoSquid]

Went surfing on Sunday and collected about 50 hermits and maybe 100 margarita and turbo snails from the rocks. I got all these in about 5 square feet, there were thousands of them. I have a 180 gal tank with 3 triggers, fiji puffer along with a wrasse and some clowns. Put them in yesterday and I think at least 30% have been eaten already....maybe more. All the fish are looking pretty fat!

 

[Glenner’sreef]

A buddy of mine and his wife and kids used to go to Rocky Point often. He’d bring me back Brittle Stars, Hermit crabs and Turbos. That was 25 years ago. Fun times!