Native Species Tank

[jbrekken1]

I am considering keeping a native species tank and was wondering what, if any, native species are being kept.

As for myself: currently am acclimating a new tank with grass shrimp and native hermits. Some of the local minnows I have caught aren't eating the dry food and end up in the nitrogen cycle by way of the grass shrimp. -John

 

[mecold]

I keep grass shrimp in my sump, In my display I keep some porcelain crabs, as well as some tiny hermits, and illynasa obsoleta snails.

 

[PelagicMagic]

I keep the white beige leg hermits found on the coast. I have a little neck clam and I had a puffer but I had to let him go because he grew so fast.

 

[jbrekken1]

Porcelain crabs are a good idea. Thanks.

I'm planning to get a school of 1" pompano in my native only tank. They can be seined from shore here. Good looking fish.

What I would really like are spadefish. I've heard they can be found under docks or around pilings. Can anyone verify this?

 

[PelagicMagic]

careful collecting small pompano, they are a game fish and a FWC officer will burn you bad if you get caught

 

[patharm]

Why do that? Why not do a native tank of South Florida. You can have a Queen Angel, French Angel, Atlantic Blue Tang, Atlantic Surgeon, Butterflies, Hamlets and many other beautiful fish. Try to keep them with live rock and Mushrooms and Zoas. Many of these you can catch your self on a trip to South Florida.

Just a thought.

Patrick

 

[jbrekken1]

I travel South of Miami frequently and would much rather have those species patharm mentioned. I was going to do pompano since they would have been available and easy to seine.

How do you catch those beautiful S. FL fish?

 

[Bennihanna]

Ever thougth of doing African Pompano? You can seine the juveniles in Summer and they are awsome. I thought that seining was illegal though.

 

[PelagicMagic]

it depends on the size of the netting. The law restricted seine nets to a mesh size no larger than two inches. ... "No gill or entangling nets shall be used in any Florida waters"

hey ben I am sorry I was not home last night if you stoped by. I had to work a 12 hr day and did not get home until 9:30 b/c the boss took us all to the bar afterwards. I will pm you my cell # so we can plan something

 

[jbrekken1]

African pompano juvies look good. Maybe I will try cast netting for baitfish on my next trip to S. FL. I also am looking forward to seeing Blackrock Beach for the first time. Porcelain crabs are nice. Anyone know if there are any surf spots nearby?

 

[reelfreak]

There are surf spots nearby, I'll give you a few spots via PM should you like....

Another thing on seine nets is they cannot be made from monofilament, and the two inch size is stretched from one corner to the other....

I see sergeant major damsels around the docks here in the summertime quite often....As Pelagic stated, careful taking regulated species such as the pompano and african pompano...they are regulated and have minimum size restrictions.

Here's a link to regs on "ornamental species".... ornamental regs

Spend some time looking all around that site before you go harvesting locally......There are quite a few allowable species but KNOWing what you are harvesting and the regs is advisable

 

[PelagicMagic]

FWC officers are big you now whats w/ little people skills

It would make their day to bust you for something small

 

[jbrekken1]

Great URL. Seems pretty clear what can be kept. All I need is a non-resident salt license and I'm set. Cast net is the same as a drop net, I'm guessing.

I will pm for the surf spots when planning the next trip down. Thanks for the offer.

It will be great to compare notes once I plan this next trip. If anyone is coming up Savannah way, you can always temp me out to the beach. If you are like me, its great to see a new place and catch some different critters.

As an aside, I know law enforcement that are all built with the same mindset. The law is the law. It is important to know that we can't justify our way out of a fine. That is why I appreciate all your warnings. Thanks for looking out for the new guy. Now to catch some fish!

 

[jbrekken1]

Just removed the larger of my hermits when I spied one of them munching on some new sps tips. Maybe it was dying tissue, but I had noticed some issue in that spot a day earlier. Without additional information, I have to suspect the 1cm crab. The little white guys with rust red patches. Anyone have any input on safe local hermits?

 

[sea devil]

you can get rules & regs when you purchase your licence

 

[mikeatjac]

jbrekken1,

What did you decide to do?

 

[jbrekken1]

What did I decide? I plan to sein and/or cast net S. FL this summer. Way cooler stuff there. We'll see what I can catch.

I haven't made it to Jax recently. I am keeping a silverside in my reef tank now and that fish has done its job getting the tank cycled as well as providing good entertainment.

The native tank is still in the planning stages, but here is what I've learned:
big grass shrimp aren't compatible with small native fish.
big hermits nibble sps
silversides aclimate to flake fast
the cool local fish are waiting for summer temps.

 

[Bennihanna]

Careful castnetting specimens, it is really hard on them. African Pompano will not survive being rubbed with mono, their skin is paper thin.

 

[cracker]

During the summer months when the water is warm! It's surprising the many tropicals that end up here. . Marinas public boat ramps, jetties especialy around St Augustine The water there is not affected by the St Jonns as much. A light fishing pole,split shot and a tiny hook, barb flattened and a piece of shrimp is a blast around pillings at the fishing piers in ST A. Spiny boxfish, Lookdowns or Moon Fish, Sargeant Majors and various wrasses A piece of floating sargasso will have a ton of cool stuff.Inverts and fishes. Get a buddy with a boat and approach a shrimp boat within a safe shouting distance The offer of a cooler full of beer and a few bucks to cull interesting stuff as they empty their nets would work. They are very aware of whats legal to take. You give them a cooler full of beer You get a cooler back with water and who knows what cool stuff. They will be very stressed and a percentage won't make it but. if not for your offer these critters are sure to perish on the deck. The ethics of taking a protected species or game fish is up to You. Just remember The MFC officer will not cut you any slack!the fines are stiff and if he found something hidden then Your booty is grass!