Post your Atlantic/Caribbean Zoa pics

[jdhuyvetter]

I was snorkeling in the Keys this weekend and saw a ton of zoanthids. Never paid much attention to them in the past. Most were green, but there were a few blues and greys mixed in. I did grab a few and I'll post pics after they've had a day or so to settle down and open up.

Just want to see what everyone has of the "local" varieties.

 

[jack08]

pictures would love to see

 

[jdhuyvetter]

Not the best pics. Camera doesn't zoom as much as I'd like.

All pics taken under 10K MH bulbs (no actinics)

 

[iFisch]

Sweeet looking polyps.

You know by law, each person is allowed to keep five (5) colonies with approximately 5 polyps per colony.

Just wanted to bring this up.

 

[jdhuyvetter]

Actually, they consider each individual polyp a "colony" under the new regs (effective this July). Under the current reg, I am allowed an aggregate of 20 inverts per day. Two people, four days = 158 polyps and two orange serpent stars. It was hard to "cherry pick" out of the tens of thousands I had to choose from.

 

[iFisch]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15121505#post15121505 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jdhuyvetter
Actually, they consider each individual polyp a "colony" under the new regs (effective this July). Under the current reg, I am allowed an aggregate of 20 inverts per day. Two people, four days = 158 polyps and two orange serpent stars. It was hard to "cherry pick" out of the tens of thousands I had to choose from.

Sooooooo sweet dude. You live a heck of a lot closer to the keys than me! I so wish I could go.

 

[jdhuyvetter]

I did Key West from Orlando one time. We left at 7 am. Snorkelled Pennekamp and then went to dinner in Key West. Drove back and made it home by 7 am the next day. That was actually my first trip ever. I would recommend doing it that way though.

For those that are curious, the link below is the current regs for Marine Ornamental collecting with a Saltwater Fishing License. Most of the changes in July are for the commercial collectors. Your prices for blue leg hermits, astrea snails and emerald crabs are going to go up. Just like ricordea did a few years back.

http://www.myfwc.com/RULESANDREGS/Saltwater_Regulations_recharvestmls.htm

 

[jdhuyvetter]

oops, would NOT recommend

 

[strout]

They look great. As far as what your camera will do, try this. My wife found this on our camera and now we are getting better pics of our Zoas. She takes the pic and before down loading to the puter, she found she can bring up each pic in the camera and crop the pic there then down load to the puter and the pics turn out great, compaired to what we were getting. See if you can do that. If it works, I get a free polyp, lol.

 

[scottallert]

if i had a decent camera and not the 35 dollar one it would show the real colors of these

 

[BLKTANG]

coolness.

 

[Speckled Grouper]

Does this count? We did not collect these as we would have destroyed them trying to get them up...

These where collected recently and are looking good

And these are from past times that didn't make it

 

[iFisch]

Holy smokes those are extremely nice! I envy you.

 

[Kdocimo90]

I like those light blue ones in the last picture!!

 

[iFisch]

I think every zoa he has, is extremely colorful.


Very nice finds.

 

[phurst]

Caribbean, but purchased, not collected personally.

 

[jdhuyvetter]

Hey Speckled Grouper, what depth are the blues from?

I see blues for sale all the time in LFS and online. But, I've only seen a few personally in the wild. Mostly green and a few aqua/turquoise.

Although, my last trip I found a couple of polyps that were almosts black with blue/green mouths. I find the sea mat in 0-2 feet and the individual polyps/clusters in 1-4 feet. Based on your ric. pic., I am assuming 20-30 feet?!

 

[Speckled Grouper]

Yup, the ones in the first picture, 20 to 30 feet.

Here are some more I just got

 

[pvh]

I want all of those. Very Nice

 

[glee]

at what temperature do you keep your fish tank with these florida zoas? thanks!