Tropical fish collecting

[darenufee]

I'm going to be in the keys over the weekend and would like to catch some tropical fish to add to my aquarium. Is there any particularly good place to do this legally?

 

[scubadada]

Perhaps Hawaii

 

[Goindrinkn]

Good morning. Here's one of the docs from FWC on the matter.

http://www.myfwc.com/docs/RulesRegulations/Marine_Life_68B_42_new.pdf#search="tropical fish"

There are places, such as the marine sanctuaries where you can not harvest anything. This doc is not the most user friendly, however it does give guidance on what you can take, how much, and how big (or small) they can be. If you are going out with a Dive OP, I'd talk to them first. Some of them know the rules, and can put you on the types of fish (or critters) you're looking for. Remember, even though you aren't eating these guys you still need a saltwater license.

Good luck!

 

[Oceanus]

I'd ring up Tom, Toms Caribbean Tropicals Inc., he used to take people with him (for a fee).

I recall he only dives about once a week.

 

[tridacna]

I'm going to be in the keys over the weekend and would like to catch some tropical fish to add to my aquarium. Is there any particularly good place to do this legally?

Be careful. The list of prohibited fish is lengthy and sizing is severely limited. Both small ann big. If you're caught with an illegal fish, the consequences are severe. It's just much easier to get fish at your local Pet Fish Store. Are you sufficiently skilled to ID fish? Juveniles often look different to mature fish; Dwarf species can confuse you.

Is there a particular fish that you're after? You should be able to answer that question because you need to know the requirements of keeping that species. Transporting the fish is also a giant pain in the butt. You will have to keep the temperature constant and the water well oxygenated. Survival rates of transported fish are extremely low.

IMHO - A horrible idea.

BTW: I did this professionally for an state aquarium - and collecting is not that easy either.

 

[Gussy]

How about a shallow (e.g. around 2 to 15 ft of water) place where you can photograph them UW? Especially interested in inverts. Any tide pools in the area?

 

[willembad]

...It's just much easier to get fish at your local Pet Fish Store.

...Survival rates of transported fish are extremely low.

IMHO - A horrible idea....

Yeah, survival rates for the fish that magically appear at the Pet Fish Store is much, much better. If the OP has a marine aquarium I believe there is a good chance that he knows the husbandry involved in transporting his fish.

If every fish keeper went to the trouble of legally collecting their own specimens, under restrictions from the state where they reside or visit, with the proper licenses, there would be much less impact overall to marine life globally. The whole aquarium fish trade is another way for us to abuse the ocean in places with much less regard for it then what we have for it here.

Willem

 

[djtimmy77]

Buy farm raised tropicals.

 

[tridacna]

Yeah, survival rates for the fish that magically appear at the Pet Fish Store is much, much better.

You are joking right? I assume so. Survival rates for those fish are horrible.

If the OP has a marine aquarium I believe there is a good chance that he knows the husbandry involved in transporting his fish.

I seriously doubt that. I've been doing this for too long. I have met few amateurs that understand the rigors of transporting marine specimens. And no, floating them in a plastic bag with a rubber band doesn't count.

If every fish keeper went to the trouble of legally collecting their own specimens, under restrictions from the state where they reside or visit, with the proper licenses, there would be much less impact overall to marine life globally.

I really disagree again. You would have wholesale reef destruction. That is almost impossible to police. EVERY fish keeper? C'mon. Do you know how many there are? What are you saying?

The answer is simple. Ban tropical fish imports (they do it for parrots and countless others species under CITES) and limit fishkeeping to the species that are farmed only. They are producing many suitable species these days.

Most marine fish tanks that I see are killing fields. Especially those in restaurants and public places (malls). The guys to whom maintenance is shopped simply remove the dead fish on a weekly basis and replace with fresh specimens. It's nefarious and specious behavior. The worst action is that of newbies - (I was one once) - who kill on average about 10-12 fish on their way to becoming skilled. Also industry practices of selling fish that cannot survive in an aquarium,. Try keeping a Moorish Idol. They last a few weeks if you're lucky - yet they sell them without warning. I could go on. Cyanided reefs, dynamited reefs etc etc.

I worked in a State Aquarium for years. I saw the carnage. We took in hundreds of specimens from "well-meaning" aquarists. At least they didn't dump them down the toilet or drop them in a nearby ocean or lake.

 

[Jupiter31]

As above, I'd ban species to those farm raised

Marine aquariums are not easy; had 1 20 years ago; fact is most do not do well - if you limit it to what can be farmed, you do a lot of good re reef destruction, etc.

When collection is done commercially overseas its often done withour regard for the fish, or the environment.

And of course the US can ban it - its not like tropical fish importing is a vital industry. When I was young, back in the early 1960's, for years Boy's Life mag. had a ad on the back page where you could buy a monkey for a pet!

Can't do that anymore (thank God) and perhaps re this topic its time for us to simialrly "evolve"