I live in bradenton florida and we have these fish everywhere. I have always called the mud minnows because you find them in muddy brackish water. It's a species of killifish, I beleive it's a marsh killifish but I could be wrong on the exact species. Also these fish in the wild are often extremely fat. Not sure if all the big ones are pregnant females that I see or if it is just how they are.Here is a pic I just took when the lights came on. You can kind of see the increased belly in it. The previous bta pic was when the fish didn't look pregnant.
Last night
I found a pic of exactly where I caught her at. Caught it at night with a flashlight and a 2gal bucket.
Florida Keys snorkeling locations
- Thread starter Ron Reefman
- Start date
sam.basye
New member
You're right, they are a species of killifish, but I think more specifically they are a Sheepshead Minnow. I actually found this pic when I first got it a year ago. Thin and shiny.
Now it's intermittently fat and kinda striped.
About 2 years ago, I caught my first saltwater fish. They were 2 killifish from SC that went through hell and back in a tiny tank and my lack of knowledge. Cool fish though. Bomb proof. Lol
Now it's intermittently fat and kinda striped.
About 2 years ago, I caught my first saltwater fish. They were 2 killifish from SC that went through hell and back in a tiny tank and my lack of knowledge. Cool fish though. Bomb proof. Lol
sam.basye
New member
Figured I'd post some pics from my spring break trip last year with some of the critters you might see in the keys.
The best things will usually be found by flipping rocks.
Lots of brittle and serpent stars, emerald crabs (tan, green, and red), blue leg hermits, whelks, rock boring urchins, etc.
The best things will usually be found by flipping rocks.
Lots of brittle and serpent stars, emerald crabs (tan, green, and red), blue leg hermits, whelks, rock boring urchins, etc.
G_Sanab922
New member
You're right, they are a species of killifish, but I think more specifically they are a Sheepshead Minnow. I actually found this pic when I first got it a year ago. Thin and shiny.
Now it's intermittently fat and kinda striped.
About 2 years ago, I caught my first saltwater fish. They were 2 killifish from SC that went through hell and back in a tiny tank and my lack of knowledge. Cool fish though. Bomb proof. Lol
well if that's the case then I have these guys all over my canal haha
in all types of colors and sizes.
And nice catch Sam, looks nice. The only bad thing about the critters down here is that a lot aren't reef safe.
Ron Reefman
Active member
You have to be careful with wild caught animals.
First is to be sure that what you are collecting is legal and that you have the proper license. Like here in Lee County (Ft Myers/Cape Coral) it's illegal to collect ANYTHING that is alive in a shell. No clams, no scallops, no mussels and even no hermit crabs!
Second is to know how to keep them alive for transport back home. I use a cooler about half full of water with a battery operated bubbler and airstone for the 4-5 hour drive home.
Third is quarantine, depending on what you have collected. I used to worry about this A LOT, but in 12 years I haven't had a single animal show any disease or parasite. And none have caused any issues like that in my tanks.
And finally, are they safe for what you are doing with your tank. For example, in Sam's photos there is a Crown Conch which is a carnivore and will eat your snails. Or the small crab with the black tipped claws. It's a Stone Crab and it's also a carnivore and also can grow quite big. I had one in my refugium that went from tiny to over 4" across it carapace in about 18 months!
But all that said, I have a lot of wild caught animals in my tanks and they have all done quite well. I've had emerald crabs, serpent stars, porcelain crabs, yellow sea cucumbers, green zoas, cinnamon palys, brittle stars, various clams, flame scallops, rock flower anemones, pistol shrimp, american warty anemones, banded coral shrimp, curly-cue anemones, condy anemones (now illegal to collect in Florida), gorgonian corals, file fish, and more. In fact I have a 2 clams that have 8" to 12" long purple gorgonians attached to them. And they were beach rescues after a storm!
First is to be sure that what you are collecting is legal and that you have the proper license. Like here in Lee County (Ft Myers/Cape Coral) it's illegal to collect ANYTHING that is alive in a shell. No clams, no scallops, no mussels and even no hermit crabs!
Second is to know how to keep them alive for transport back home. I use a cooler about half full of water with a battery operated bubbler and airstone for the 4-5 hour drive home.
Third is quarantine, depending on what you have collected. I used to worry about this A LOT, but in 12 years I haven't had a single animal show any disease or parasite. And none have caused any issues like that in my tanks.
And finally, are they safe for what you are doing with your tank. For example, in Sam's photos there is a Crown Conch which is a carnivore and will eat your snails. Or the small crab with the black tipped claws. It's a Stone Crab and it's also a carnivore and also can grow quite big. I had one in my refugium that went from tiny to over 4" across it carapace in about 18 months!
But all that said, I have a lot of wild caught animals in my tanks and they have all done quite well. I've had emerald crabs, serpent stars, porcelain crabs, yellow sea cucumbers, green zoas, cinnamon palys, brittle stars, various clams, flame scallops, rock flower anemones, pistol shrimp, american warty anemones, banded coral shrimp, curly-cue anemones, condy anemones (now illegal to collect in Florida), gorgonian corals, file fish, and more. In fact I have a 2 clams that have 8" to 12" long purple gorgonians attached to them. And they were beach rescues after a storm!
Ron, or anyone else who has an idea.
Do you know what type of fish this is?
I collected it in Key Largo last March in about 6" of water about 4' from the shore at a tiny little "bike path beach" on the gulf side. I collected it at night with a bucket, sucked it right in.
It is about 2.5" long, silver with faint gray/brown markings, and active at all hours.
I've never been able to find an ID, though I believe it to be some sort of goby.
I believe it is a Sheepshead minnow. Or it looks like one, we get em up here in New Jersey.
Ron Reefman
Active member
We are starting to plan our Keys snorkel trips for the summer. So far we are going to do a mid week trip the 2nd week in May. And we will be with the SWFMAS (SouthWest Florida Marine Aquarium Society) for their club field trip the weekend of June 17th through the 20th. We are so looking forward to getting back in the water!
AZRippster
Diver & Reef Aquarium Nut
I hear ya! Headed to Islamorada next Friday and will be diving reefs from there up to Largo. It's been since November last year since I was on compressed air, so the itch is overwhelmingly powerful.
Ron Reefman
Active member
Wow, all the way from AZ to dive in the Keys. I've never really paid any attention, but I would have guessed there would be 'stuff' worth diving on in the Gulf of California (although it is a foreign country) or off the coast of Southern CA? But we're glad to have you come to Florida and enjoy the Keys! The weather here is getting quite nice, upper 60's at night and low 80's most days.
AZRippster
Diver & Reef Aquarium Nut
It's almost become a tradition going to The Keys. This will be our 6th trip in just about as many years. We also dive San Carlos annually which is in the Gulf of California. The California Coast is too cold for us so we typically catch a big bird somewhere else. We like the The Keys for more than diving and also heading down to Key West for a day of mischief is tops. The Keys used to be amazing and I was fortunate enough to dive their reefs in the early '90s. Sadly, they are no longer anywhere close to they way they were then.
This year though we'll have our grandchildren with us, so does anyone know of a good tidal area near Islamorada where little critters can be found that young ones would find interesting? They are 3 and 4 years old, so more tidal versus snorkeling, they are not quite there yet.
G_Sanab922
New member
In Islamorada you can go to Founder's Park Beach or Anne's Beach. For the kids I think that would be your best bet for that area. You can also stop in between the bridges on those little islands but it tends to be a lot more rocky there.
AZRippster
Diver & Reef Aquarium Nut
Thank you very much, this is exactly the type of info I was looking for. Now I just need to pull the tide tables so I can be sure when low tide is.
Thanks again!
G_Sanab922
New member
No problem.
Another place is John Pennekamp in Key Largo. I normally don't recommend it because it can be pretty crowded sometimes and the beach is ok. One reason why I do mention it to you is that it has a shallow barrier around the beach that is calf to ankle deep. Many like to walk it and see what they can find under the rocks. There's pics of it if you google "John Pennekamp Beach".
Also there is a nice aquarium there and some nature trails.
AZRippster
Diver & Reef Aquarium Nut
Yes, my wife and I already consider JP. We have visited it in the past and thought it might be nice for the grandchildren. On days when we are diving, we may recommend it to my daughter and son-in law to take the kids there.
Ron Reefman
Active member
It's a bit of a drive from Islamorada, but Bahia Honda State Park has a nice beach (no seaweed washed up and shallow) on the Florida Bay side of the island. And although there can be a LOT of 'stuff' washed up on the oceans side beach, it's also shallow and after 15' to 25' sandy bottom it turns to all kinds of interesting stuff. And lots of it is still very shallow (especially at low tide). With the 2 beaches on either side of the island, one side is always calm water and they are only separated by a parking lot and bath house with an outside shower. And there are lots of places to visit in Marathon on the way to or home from Bahia Honda.
If you haven't been to it before, I recommend you visit the History of Diving Museum on Upper Matecumbe Key near Islamorada.
http://www.divingmuseum.org/
If you haven't been to it before, I recommend you visit the History of Diving Museum on Upper Matecumbe Key near Islamorada.
http://www.divingmuseum.org/
InOrderToBeAble
New member
I have lived and been in the waters of the Florida Keys for 20 years. You can drive from any location and jump in the water and see amazing sites. It is wonderful to see vast marine wildlife just driving down from mainland and parking and jumping in. There is no need to get in a boat and go out to a reef. As a result, I now collect as a business and am happy about it.
Ron Reefman
Active member
This is how I got into the aquarium hobby. My wife and I had done snorkeling at various times in our lives before we met. While we were dating we decided to go to the Keys and try some snorkeling right off the beach. We happened to pick Bahia Honda State Park and it has turned out to be a honey hole (as they say on American Pickers TV show) of things to see.
But to really do it well, you need to take your time and really look around and look closely at everything! Being slow in the water means you don't scare things away before you've even seen them.
We once followed an octopus for 10 minutes as it moved from one spot to another trying to hide using it's ability to change skin color, color pattern and even texture. We just floated along in about 3' of water and watched. It stopped at 4 or 5 different things and tried to hide. From a big purple Gorgonian to a big tan vase sponge to a big clump of red macro algae and finally it found a hole under a big ball sponge and it disappeared down the hole. I swear we could hear it laughing at us as it was saying,"Ha! You can't see me now, can you?"
Now I almost always bring back something from the Keys for my aquarium. And BTW, I have the appropriate Florida license and never even get close to the upper limits the state allows. Usually it's just couple of snails or a serpent star or a small Gorgonian coral or a rock flower anemone or a flame scallop... never a lot, but usually something. And the survival rate for these collected animals in our aquariums is better than the stuff we buy at LFS or online!
AZRippster
Diver & Reef Aquarium Nut
This week SUCKED! Small craft advisories, rain, and terrible visibility. A real bummer. Thankfully the real purpose of our trip was to spend time with my kids and grandkids, but any shot at diving was shot down. We made a trip from Islamorada to Key West yesterday so the kids could see some sites but it poured the entire day. Overcast and rainy today but hoping to let the kids try out Robbies. Bottom line, the weather prediction the week before we left was 180 degrees off from reality. It appears Florida has the same weather person Arizona does. :spin1:
G_Sanab922
New member
Robbies is always a good choice. But yea the weather has been wacky lately. More bad than good.
Another place the kids might like is Wild Bird Sanctuary. It's free and doesn't take a long time.
I can't wait for the weather to get better, especially since the mahi are coming around now.
AZRippster
Diver & Reef Aquarium Nut
They are enjoying Robbie's. Thankfully the clouds have cleared so our last day here looks like it will be nice. Sadly, diving is still not a realistic option. Looks like San Carlos, Mexico in July.
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