Local Inhabitants

[ThatGuy]

Does anyone else ever add local fish, shrimp, hermits, snails, ect to there tank or am I the only one? Last year I had so many grass shrimp they were breeding like crazy 100+ easy up until I decided to get a puffer. I also have hermits and snails that were caught around here and I once had a little goby that I had for quite some time and a sand shrimp. Just wondering because its almost that time of year to go tidal pool searching .


Josh

 

[panmanmatt]

I usually always have some type of local critters in my tanks. Grass shrimp are a great food source. I have had pipefish, seahorses, various gobies, puffers and most inverts at one point or another.

There are tons of cool local critters around. One day I'm gonna set up a cold water tank and make an attempt at local corals and anemones.

Oh I also collect some of our deep water inverts such as mussels, scallops and lobster. But they never seen to make it into anything but my stomach.

 

[ThatGuy]

I usually always have some type of local critters in my tanks. Grass shrimp are a great food source. I have had pipefish, seahorses, various gobies, puffers and most inverts at one point or another.

There are tons of cool local critters around. One day I'm gonna set up a cold water tank and make an attempt at local corals and anemones.

Oh I also collect some of our deep water inverts such as mussels, scallops and lobster. But they never seen to make it into anything but my stomach.

Sea Horses are the one thing I can never find. I know they're around, but I have no idea as to where or how to catch them. The only way I ever caught a Pipefish was it was wrapped up in some seaweed I got snagged in while fishing.

 

[KB Pet Products]

We harvest our prawns from great egg harbor. In the nets we find prawn, silver sides, shrimp, pipe fish (a ton of em),sea horses, and fish. We often see Angel fish and many others that don't belong in jersey. The guy who works for us is friends with a marine biologists , they go out together and examine what's in the nets for his research. He says the gulf stream brings eggs up from the caribean and they settle all along the east coast. They hatch in early spring and usually won't survive unless they head south.
If you want to try to catch something for your tank, you need to know where to look. The harbors are feed by the ocean, creeks, and streams. You want to be where the streams meet the bay and work your way stream. You need a net with tiny holes. Look for the grassy areas and keep scooping out. Some fish are so small you might miss em .I found a bunch of spiny box puffers and lots of angels, their French angels I think. Even got a blue tang once.
You need to go to streams cause they are calmer and less predators. They hide in tall grass. The sea horses are there too holding onto the grass. They are there, just hard to find. Bring a big, shallow clear plastic container. Home depot sells plastic shoe storage bins for under your bed that I use. It will help in sorting out your catch while not suffocating catch. May and June are your best chance to find fish. Sea horses are there year round. Good luck.

 

[duijver]

I useds to add a lot of grass shrimp/ghost shrimp when the local pet store sold them. I had some that lasted about a year before they died... they usually got sucked into the overflow and died in the sponge.

But, since I had a bad case of ICH I am really reluctant to add anything to my tank without that 6 week period. So, are you guys just trusting the local inverts or are you QT'ing them as well? Even the inverts I just picked up from R2R/Universal Coral or whatever he calls it now, are getting put in a tank w/o fish for 6 weeks before I allow them to come in contact w/ the fish..

 

[ThatGuy]

I've never had a problem with it. I normally chill the shrimp anyway for the trip back. That probably kills most of the stuff off. The only thing that worried me once was some seaweed or algea I bought home. On closer inspection it looked like it had tons of tiny inch worms.

On another note. Does anyone know what the stuff on the Hermit Crab shell is(Looks Fuzzy)? What ever it is, it dies off within a week or so.

 

[Classklown90]

where do you guys find pipefish?? ive taken hermits but thts about it, down at strathmere is where i go. do you need a boat for the pipefish or can they beharvestedon the shorelibe?

 

[KB Pet Products]

A boat is helpfull but not needed. You need shallow, calm water. Drag net along bottom, but don't dig in to dirt. Look for grassy water.
As far as putting catch in tanks, I don't. I would set up a quarantine tank. It's not like buying a fish from lfs. The salt level, ph and temp are far to different. I would acclimate slowly to match your tank and assure no pests get in your tank.
Also, the Caribbean fish are so small that they need to grow before entering your tank. The angels we caught where smaller then a dime.
If you choose to feed your tank with what you catch, STERILIZE it. Boil in water for a few minutes.

 

[howze01]

Has anyone ever tried to set up a little collecting trip with the club? I know John Coppolino was talking about it at the meeting yesterday. I think it would be awesome to go out and maybe pick up an Angel or two for a FOWLR tank. Also wouldn't mind seeing some of the awesome stuff you guys are talking about. I had no idea we had Pipefish and Seahorses in our waters. I'd love to try a little local "reef". Just a thought....

Maybe someone like oooohhhh I don't know, KB, could be there to lend some suggestions and sell us some frozen food too

 

[ThatGuy]

The one thing you have to be careful with is the pipefish as they do not stay small. I've seen people catch them at a foot long. Theres also a guy that goes to my lfs that says he has caught a baby butterfly fish once. The only baby anything I have ever caught was a flownder the size of a quarter(didn't keep).
I would also like to go on a "club collecting trip" as some people might know better spotts then me.

 

[Chrisgarrick]

I work in a school in perth amboy and one of my science teachers is a marine biologist who goes out and catches local stuff and keeps a salt tank in his classroom. i bet we could get him to take us out. i know swimming river in red bank is a great place!

 

[grink]

I dive the waters around Point Pleasant. The Railroad Bridge is a typical spot where you can find tropical fish like butterflies in July when the water warms.
If someone is interested contact me around that time of year and I will give you some of what I find to try out.

 

[ThatGuy]

I dive the waters around Point Pleasant. The Railroad Bridge is a typical spot where you can find tropical fish like butterflies in July when the water warms.
If someone is interested contact me around that time of year and I will give you some of what I find to try out.

Do you Dive with tanks and all or do you free dive/snorkle. I always am looking for a spot to snorkle as long as the current isn't crazy.

 

[panmanmatt]

In the past the club has done a couple collection trips at Shark River in Belmar. Been a few years since we've done one though. The angels, butterflies and other tropicals won't be in until late summer, usually August-September.

 

[KB Pet Products]

Sea horses and pipe fish caught in great egg.

 

[KB Pet Products]

I tried posting some pics but I'm not having luck.

 

[panmanmatt]

The one big thing you guys need to be aware when collecting native species of fish/inverts from our waters, they are temperate species and keeping them at the elevated reef tank temperatures greatly reduces their lifespan and puts them at a higher risk for bacterial infections.

When collecting the tropicals in late summer this isn't an issue as they will die off when the water temps drop anyway.

 

[howze01]

For me I wasn't really looking to keep anything. Unless we happen into some Angels or something. I just haven't seen any of the cool seahorses or pipefish. Thought it would be pretty interesting. So, what would we have to do to organize a collecting trip? Find someone with a boat? Can you just seine close to shore for the cool stuff? Do you need any kind of permit or license? Anyone know of somewhere I can read up on it a bit?

 

[ThatGuy]

The one big thing you guys need to be aware when collecting native species of fish/inverts from our waters, they are temperate species and keeping them at the elevated reef tank temperatures greatly reduces their lifespan and puts them at a higher risk for bacterial infections.

When collecting the tropicals in late summer this isn't an issue as they will die off when the water temps drop anyway.

Only thing I keep is Inverts. Had a goby once that the LFS gave me. He got it when someone that was collecting shrimp for him had it in the mix. He lasted until I had my ich outbreak a long while back.

 

[ThatGuy]

For me I wasn't really looking to keep anything. Unless we happen into some Angels or something. I just haven't seen any of the cool seahorses or pipefish. Thought it would be pretty interesting. So, what would we have to do to organize a collecting trip? Find someone with a boat? Can you just seine close to shore for the cool stuff? Do you need any kind of permit or license? Anyone know of somewhere I can read up on it a bit?

Maybe fish and game. I think there is a link where you can email them with questions.