My new additions

[philter4]

Went diving last weekend and collected a few new animals for my tank. Took a charter off the coast near Lantana FL, great dives, temp was a little low with the thermals dropping the temp into the 70's after about 40 to 50 ft and it was cold at the bottom on the patches at around 100 ft where I was looking to collect.

I caught 3 fish, a lg yellow head (pearly) jaw, but he has his burrow to the back of the tank so no photo of him yet, but here is my newest female pygmy angel.

Here is the lightining wrasse I collected over the sand.

I also collected a few red serpent stars and some yellow sea rods, They are in my new 24 gal current aquapod. When the tank is complete I'll post more photos.

 

[philter4]

Got a shot of the pearly jaw this morning, he has set the opening to his burrow right at the back of one of the 2 caves I've set up. you can see the arm of one of the red serpent stars in the photo as well,

Here is a cool hermit I collected as well.

My photo skills are improving LOL!

 

[JLopez]

thats pretty cool. how did you catch them?

 

[Lowredranger]

Wow that is awesome that you were able to catch those guys. So the Jawfish was down at 100ft? I guess when i am looking for a fish i should just go diving and get it. lol

 

[stunreefer]

Sweet!

Gotta love collecting your own specimens!

 

[philter4]

I use 2 collecting nets that I have custom made, I used to collect tropicals for a living, but it is much different, you can't enjoy the dives. Now if I don't catch anything it is no big deal, I just have fun. I have found jawfish between the first and second reef in hollywood at about 14 ft, so you can see them snorkeling, but I don't think you could catch them, it takes time to get them out of the hole, at least 10 min and you can't leave and come back for air.

To collect just takes practice and luck, I use scuba, but I have caught every fish (except deep water only sp like pygmy angels) on scuba and snorkel. The main thing to remember the fish are fast, so set the net in the fishes path and use the other net to scare the fish into the set net. Other wise you are just wasting effort, also go slow, if you terrify the fish it will either just hide and not come out or swim away, slow is better.

 

[Lowredranger]

So do you think you want to find my a Pygmy pair next time your down there? lol I don't think they are going to let me bring back any fish next week while i am diving in the Caribbean. lol

 

[philter4]

Some Caribbean countries allow aquarium collections, the last time I was in the Bahamas we were allowed 5 fish each with the fishing licenses we purchased, just ask, the worst that could happen is they say no.

There are several Caribbean fish that are easy to find and you don't see them in FL, for instance royal gramma and black cap basslets are common, but do not cross the gulf stream so there are none in FL. Also, pygmy angels are found in shallow water there, I've seen them in 15 ft in Bahama, but never shallower then 80 ft, and usually deeper in FL. Other fish that I rarely see in FL, but is common there is black durgon and sargassum triggers. I'm not sure who is right, but depending on who you ask, sargassum trigger might be the same sp as a blue throat, if not it is very closely related, and the last trip I made over there I collected a 3 inch female.

I wish I was going back any time soon, have fun on the dives

 

[danfrith]

Im so jealous, do you ever catch those candystripe basslets or are those to deep?

 

[Coralfrenzy]

What is the coolest fish you ever caught?

 

[philter4]

edit

 

[philter4]

Dan, I do dive deep, but candy basslets don't live where I dive, they are collected in the Caribbean, and I have only been there twice. I have collected wrasse bass, here is one of them that was in my tank

Coralfrenzy, cool is very subjective, for instance my farorite fish of all is the atlantic longnose butterfly (see my avitar), and I've collected many. I love angels, and I've collected 11 different species including 4 species of pygmy angels and in the full size types bandits from Hawaii. In the rare catagory I've collected black bar drums, snowy groupers, clarions (in the 80's when we got between $75 and 150 each from All Seas in LA and thought we were the kings of the fish world), blue spot jaws, red striped pipefish (here is a photo of the first male I ever collected).

IMO the coolest fish I have ever collected is either a small walking batfish (photo below is adult about 12 inch so I didn't try to collect) or black brotula, which I don't have a photo of.

I have also collected some real cool inverts, such as Stenopus pyrsonotus (photo from my camara phone), and Stenopus spinossus

bumble bee shrimp

and things like this orange ball corallamprph

I could keep going but that is enough for now, but this gives you an idea. These animals or some of the reasons I like collecting more then my tanks themselves.

 

[Lowredranger]

You'll have to let me know next time you go out collecting if you don't mind a newbie diver with ya that would be awesome to collect the fish and inverts for your tank. The cherub and blue spot jawfish sound like a good goal.

 

[philter4]

Lowredranger, you can't collect blue spot jaws any more without special permits, they are found in the Sea of Cortez and the Mex govt. controls the trade there. back in the 80's when I was living in San Diego it was a great dive trip to drive to the tip of Baja and dive our way back up to CA.

Cherubs are not found shallow, below 80 ft and usually in the patches at 100-110 ft is where I look, I'm tri mix and nitrox certified with 1000's of dives, I used to collect for a living when I was younger. My next real collection trip will be in aug, and if you can handle the deeper dives (below 100 ft) you are welcome to tag along.

 

[Slakker]

Just curious, how can you tell the cherub is a female?

 

[philter4]

By size, it is only 1 1/2 inches, my males are 2+. Cherubs, just like all known pygmy angels start out as female and with age and dominance switch to male.

 

[Lowredranger]

Well i will probably have to be counted out until further experience and classes. Did not realize they were down that deep. I am really diving for the first time on my Caribbean vacation 5 tanks total for the trip. 1 the first day and 2 each of the others. Max depth i think is around 70ft.

 

[Slakker]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12866502#post12866502 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by philter4
By size, it is only 1 1/2 inches, my males are 2+. Cherubs, just like all known pygmy angels start out as female and with age and dominance switch to male.

Well there's something LiveAquaria doesn't tell you. Thanks for the info, I didn't know that. I just picked up a cherub from the LFS that is about the same size.

Have you ever kept pair(s)? I really like the one I have, and am wondering if maybe attempting to get a breeding pair is possible. Sorry to derail your thread...feel free to take this to PMs if you'd like.

 

[philter4]

I keep my cherubs in trios, I now have a trio and a colony with 4 the small female is in my reef tank with my oldest 3. I have potters in prs and they are with fishers and flame angels. I think as long as the fish are a male female pr, you should be ok, the problem is telling the sex of them after they have been seperated. As far as I know the fish change from female to male based on dominance and once they are seperated by collectors they may start to change. Once the change is started they do not go back which means that if you have a male and you add another that was either also a male or beginning to change they probably wont get along.

 

[Bret61081]

So in Aug I can expect the pipe fish from Hawaii when you come! Put me down for one of those shrimp too! Where did you collect that! I took home the local linkia that you brought in to the store...I just hope it does good!