Too Many Amphipods

[Paul B]

I collected way too many amphipods today. In all of my 50+ years of collecting I have never seen so many amphipods.
I collect in a tide pool that is a few acres across and a few inches deep. There are usually thousands or maybe millions of tiny fish that I ignore because they only last a few minutes in a bucket but they were not fish but amphipods. I have never seen them free swimming like this. I usually collect under rocks but with a few scoops of a net I collected about a pint of them. Thats a pint of amphipods without the water, just solid amphipods.
I released a few hundred into my tank and am keeping the rest as there are just too many.
I also took snails, shrimp and crabs.
I am taking a bunch of people collecting this wednesday and maybe again next week.
I published it on Reef Central and only got 5 people to go
Paul

 

[billsreef]

Some of us still have to work during the week So where did you go?

 

[Paul B]

Some of us still have to work during the week So where did you go?

I should have retired 40 years ago. I don't know how I went to that city for all those years. If I never see Manhatten again, it will be too soon.
I collect in large tide pools in Port Washington.
Of course the water by you is much better but we have that nice thick scurvy mud that you sink up to your hips in, perfect amphipod habitat.

 

[elvictre]

Lol, you mean the city I have to see and smell everyday.

BTW how is the idol?

 

[Paul B]

Yes that city, 40 years was enough.
I posted in a few places that the Idol died with most of my fish while I was away at a family emergency.
The tank is now full of gobies

 

[cb747]

Paul your busier now then you were when you were working! Id go but ive been super busy at work with our wonderful equipment i get to keep bandaided together Hows the rebuilt outdrive doing?

 

[Paul B]

Chris, Oh there you are. Whats work?
I think we will go again next week if this turns out well and I don't lose anyone in the mud. Next week it will be low tide in the morning.
The outdrive seems fine so far.

 

[elvictre]

O sorry to hear that. I can't access RC while at work, another con about that city.

 

[billsreef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12766573#post12766573 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Paul B
Of course the water by you is much better but we have that nice thick scurvy mud that you sink up to your hips in, perfect amphipod habitat.

I know a few creeks where there are some nice silt deposits I could loose you in

 

[DiazE]

send me some! I work in downtown manhattan.

 

[cb747]

Oh thats right you only work from the end of boating season till the beginning! Glad the outdrive is working fine Ill get out with you some time this year. Maybe ill just use a vacation day or something. I get 5 weeks now

 

[Paul B]

We went out tonight. We collected about 5 pounds of grass shrimp and thousands of amphipods. I think the guys had a good time. It rained like hell but stopped long enough to collect and beach comb. When we got back to the boat, it rained like hell again.

 

[Paul B]

Chris I want to go collecting this wed morning at 10:00am which is low tide. No one wants to come. Most people have whats called "jobs" whatever that is.
I used to do that work thing in the City every day and if Iknew retiring was so much fun I would have done it 40 years ago

 

[cb747]

LOL Well i can remind you of what the "job" thing is Unfortunately ill be at my job. Do you think there may be pods down by Bar Beach say between the boat ramp and the Natinal Grid station? I know theres tons of glass shrimp, snails and hermits there but never noticed and pods before but then again i never really looked for them either!

 

[Paul B]

There are billions of them there at the boat ramp at low tide. All of those "rocks" there are asphalt and is where I collected mine. They are very porous and filled with amphipods. Just swish the "rocks" in a pail of water.
The hermit crabs are gone though. They are gone from most of the Sound and I don't know why.
If you want to come collecting this week you can hide your tow truck at my marina