Aquarium fish collecting

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MrsBottomfeederBrodie

MrsBottomfeederBrodie

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Messages
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Location
Bradenton, FL
# of dives
50 - 99
I would like to stock my aquarium and am not sure if diving for my own fish is entirely appropriate. While at the pet shop, I found encouragement from the store owner. I am wondering what advise other divers might have regarding this subject.
 
I believe that you can only collect from certain collecting sights, otherwise it i illegal to collect any living thing in florida. make sure you check with fish and wildlife first, fines from them are heafty from what I hear
 
Thanks for the advise. I was under the impression that a saltwater fishing lisence was all that was required. That is what I was told, anyway. I will reevalute the statutes.
 
The copy of the 2008 Florida Saltwater regulations flyer has the limits for collecting ornamental fish at the bottom of page 9.

That should take care of everything as far as fish. While SPS and LPS is a no-no -octocoral colonies do have a limit of 6 colonies.

I saw plenty of legal blennies and angels in Panama City this weekend


Shaun
 
SPS - Small Pollyped Stonies - Such as various Acroporas, Montiporas, et al

LPS - Long Polyped Stonies - like Frogspawn , Hammer's.

No, I have never actually done this type of fish collecting. Although I have always wanted too I have never broke down and purchased a "slurp" gun to use.


Shaun
 
Thanks for the link. I had, in fact, used that page before considering stocking my aquarium but I still wasn't sure of the ethics of it all. I noticed that you suggested the use of a net rather than a slurp gun. I've never seen a slurp gun in operation, so I really wouldn't know. I do know that netting is not a very easy thing to do.
 
MrsBottomfeederBrodie:
Thanks for the link. I had, in fact, used that page before considering stocking my aquarium but I still wasn't sure of the ethics of it all. I noticed that you suggested the use of a net rather than a slurp gun. I've never seen a slurp gun in operation, so I really wouldn't know. I do know that netting is not a very easy thing to do.
Click to expand...


From everything I've read a slurp gun is less than useful, because most fish swim faster than the current of the gun. Nets are hard to use. My suggestion would be to investigate drop nets and barrier nets. Also, you can try underwater hook and line fishing. Use a very small baited hook on a 2ft piece of 20 lb test (or greater) on a fiberglass lobster tickler. Then drop the hook right in front of your target. You might also want to think about using baited traps. A.J. McClane (outdoor writer and ichthyologist) recommends using small jars baited with food to catch small fish.
 
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