All-wild tank??
- Thread starter Tillyyy
- Start date
dkeller_nc
New member
Interesting, I wish NC would make it a little easier. Getting the collecting permit here is a PITA.
philosophile
New member
I'd be concerned with pollutants and parasites when dealing with wild collected water and rocks....
CoralBeauty13
New member
I have fish that has been raised as I bought a few wild fish and when explaining to others the difference , there were a few that though I was wrong in my choices. One being a question that plagued me for awhile was...what if that one fish had a partner or babies and they were out collecting food, and what if, they were in a group that was close knit and now missing the family...Call me soft hearted but it did strike a cord. I did feel bad as I looked at those fish for a while, so I only go raised now. To each his own and it would be a spectacular thing to try, but I just buy raise from now on. I would let it cycle for a long time, not shortly. There may be things that change and one replicating the ocean to a science has never really happened that I've read of. We come close but we will never do what Mother nature does.
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dkeller_nc
New member
There are very, very few fish in the sea that tend to their young. Notable exceptions are the clownfishes and certain damsels.
But for the vast majority of the fish we keep, they are broadcast spawners with no parental care of the eggs or larvae exercised whatsoever. This is very different from a lot of freshwater fish that are typically kept by aquarists, particularly cichlids.
As long as you abide by Florida's fishing limits you should have no problem at all. Most wild fish won't have a problem adapting to your tank provided you give them enough space to swim. I've seen some really nice angels and other fish right off the beach near Jupiter Island, I'm sure the gulf side will provide some interesting specimens too. The only thing you can not touch is live rock.
agold11520
New member
I collected spotting butterflies, lockdown, seahorses, grouper and other assorted tropical off long island N.Y. Parasites are a major issue if you choose to collect fish yourself. Ick is unavoidable. Be careful.
jgalen0025
Member
I wish I had access to do that
Mpy
New member
I had a tank of entirely wild caught crabs and snails when I was in Melbourne, it was a blast. Just keep in mind Florida's bag limits. My favorite fish I had was a Florida Blenny, who looked a little like a lawnmower, that I found in a beer bottle. I still have over 30 porcelain crabs in my DT that are a blast to watch.
One issue with drift wood though is that it will break down and release a lot of tannic acid into the water making it a lovely tea color, the little critters in it will also start knocking off little pieces of wood which will either float to the top and be annoying or create a fairly hefty organic layer.
Have a very good clean up crew, and see about getting some bigger snails (fighting conchs or big olives) to help keep the sandbed stirred up.
One issue with drift wood though is that it will break down and release a lot of tannic acid into the water making it a lovely tea color, the little critters in it will also start knocking off little pieces of wood which will either float to the top and be annoying or create a fairly hefty organic layer.
Have a very good clean up crew, and see about getting some bigger snails (fighting conchs or big olives) to help keep the sandbed stirred up.
lostintheocean
New member
if you are well versed in marine biology then why even ask this- i would get as much captive bread animals as possible as they are generally much hardier then recently caught wild creatures.
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