Ever caught your own livestock?

Hiachi20 · May 9, 2018

Disclaimer: I am aware of the bad side of this. I wouldn't do anything that would hurt a reef or remove key species etc blah blah you get it. But I would like one of the orange California fish omg so pretty.

Have you ever added any livestock to your tank that you have caught yourself? I caught a few things when I was at the beaches of soCal. I so wish I had gotten a chiton or two which were like 4 inches long. The things which have survived for months until now are:

3 Limpets
1 or 2 out of 15 hermits
Couple turban snails
1 out of 3 chiton (about 2cm long)

The hermits probably weren't meant for the different water. Salinity, temperature, whatever. Didn't work. I also did not do any sort of acclamation. I just got home from a really long and exhausting trip and I totally spaced it. But everything else does a nice job in my tank and adds to it nicely. The chiton is probably the best thing ever for GHA. Straight up lawnmower...You just need a lot of them

Rispa · May 9, 2018

I know some local Houstonians go on collection trips. I've never been though.

Reefer Reboot · May 10, 2018

That orange fish is a Garibaldi, the California state marine fish, illegal to catch. Most stuff off our waters won't last long in a warmer tropical tank. Plus there is a whole lot of regulations about taking just about everything anymore.

Hiachi20 · May 10, 2018

Reefer Reboot said:
That orange fish is a Garibaldi, the California state marine fish, illegal to catch. Most stuff off our waters won't last long in a warmer tropical tank. Plus there is a whole lot of regulations about taking just about everything anymore.

I know the geribaldi. Its a serious nono to touch. California is really strict about a lot of things but I would say for good reason. I had a good time while I was out there because laws hopefully keep people from ruining the reefs

Hiachi20 · May 10, 2018

I'll take the leopard sharks though. They're pretty cool ;P

fish farmer · May 10, 2018

The gulf stream on the East Coast will bring tropicals up as far as Rhode Island. When I was in college we went seining an estuary and found two butterfly fish. One was dead, but the other was fine. I did a very slow drip into my FO tank, about a three hour acclimation since the ocean water was 55 degrees and the tank was mid 70's. It did fine for a couple of weeks, I did have it taking some brine shrimp naplii. There are some that actually do yearly scuba/snorkle trips looking for tropicals along the lower New England coastline.

mtfish · May 10, 2018

There are some nice looking fish that come in close along the Texas shoreline in summer, but most are mean and some get really big. So not for a lot a folks tanks. But, if I had a fish only tank, oh yeah! Best bet here is to snorkel along the rock jetties that line ship channels. Damsels, angels, butterflies would be the nice ones you can get as juveniles.

andrewkw · May 10, 2018

Only at the fish store when I was afraid someone else was going to buy the fish I wanted before I could get help.

chris85 · May 10, 2018

chris85 · May 10, 2018

cracker · May 10, 2018

I used to collect fish ,this was 35/40 years ago. They were the only salt water fish available. The last fish I collected was a real cool little robin fish. it took 1 week to wipe out the entire tank . so be careful. & make sure the law says it's ok.

mochaclownlover · May 10, 2018

Collected this guy from a beach a couple hours north of where I live. Molly miller blenny

chris85 · May 12, 2018

Does this count?

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chris85 · May 14, 2018

I will give it a bump!! What you guys got?

I know this one will get someone attention!!

Hiachi20 · May 14, 2018

I'll have to take photos of everything I got later. Nothing special though but interesting at the least. I'm jealous of that crab

mochaclownlover · May 14, 2018

Defiantly caught my attention @chris85, I've always wanted to catch one of those(and keep it of course

)!!!

Hiachi20 · May 14, 2018

They're just so hard to see

chris85 · May 14, 2018

Hiachi20 said:
I'll have to take photos of everything I got later. Nothing special though but interesting at the least. I'm jealous of that crab

Yeah those crabs are awesome!! I have been thinking of a way to incorporate them in my system.

chris85 · May 14, 2018

mochaclownlover said:
Defiantly caught my attention @chris85, I've always wanted to catch one of those(and keep it of course)!!!

I tried twice. The first time I thought it would be ok but they must taste like crack or something because I came back an hour later and all I saw was two fins floating!! The last one I setup a tank for it and underestimated its metabolism and food source and it didn't last but a few weeks sadly. This year I am ready for one so wish me luck. I have caught probably 100 or so from 6in to about 1/2in.