Can you put critters you find in the ocean in your tank?

[puffer32]

I asked this on someone elses thread, but wanted to start a thread about it. I was told absolutely not to put anything from the dirty ocean in my tank, but isn't that where everything comes from in the lfs? I tried to kidnap some hermits I found on the shore line yrs ago, but a friend told me not to do that? Anyone else ever do it? I would think if you put them in QT for awhile it should be fine? Also snails, i can gather as many as i want when i go to the beach. So why not???

 

[shep77]

I would say let people who must follow regulations do the collecting so that numbers can be managed. IMO

 

[word]

I recently went to Key Largo for vacation and scooped up about 50# of sand out in the water and about 50# of rock. Its been about a month and all kinds of different critters are coming out. Lots of featherdusters, worms, copapods, amphipods, and even a clam built right into the rock. It was a success!

 

[knots]

Originally posted by shep77
I would say let people who must follow regulations do the collecting so that numbers can be managed. IMO
I do agree with shep, But if you know what you're doing than I wouldn't have a problem with doing it. I live on the west coast and the water is cold so I don't see how you could do it out here. But if you live where the water is warm I think it would work and it does for some people. As long as you do it the right way, whatever that is.

 

[crazyaqua]

When i was in the keys one summer I was able to catch a blue damsel and he has been fine ever since. (year ago)

 

[ophiura]

Originally posted by word
I recently went to Key Largo for vacation and scooped up about 50# of sand out in the water and about 50# of rock. Its been about a month and all kinds of different critters are coming out. Lots of featherdusters, worms, copapods, amphipods, and even a clam built right into the rock. It was a success!
In some areas this is illegal. Perhaps in all of Florida...I know there have been numerous posts on the question. Taking Live Rock in Florida (unless you are a registered aquaculture business) is definitely illegal. And, IMO, it is illegal for a reason.
Anyway, many things you find may not be suitable for a tank. Most of the hermits here, for example, are anything BUT good for a reef. Voracious. Same is true of many snails you may find, as well as seastars. So it just may not be worth the risk. In addition, this can pose problems should you want to return the animals. IMO, it is your duty to destroy any animal you take from the wild rather than return it. Putting it into a system with animals from other regions of the world exposes it to potential parasites and diseases that are not native to the region. You may release something unintended.

 

[loopy]

I agree with Ophiura. If it's in the ocean, leave it in the ocean.
It's like caging a raccoon or a blue bird IMO. I try to buy tank bred and raised fish. I cannot and can never be sure they are telling the truth, but I won't buy if it says 'live caught'. Just my feelings......I used to raise birds.....same thing.

 

[mudplayerx]

I'd say a good 90% of the marine livestock sold in pet stores was caught from the wild. There are very few marine farms in existance due to the lopsided cost of running one and the profit gained.
That being said, as long as you match the water parameters, temperature, tankmates, lighting of the native area of your new find, it should be fine. Like others said though, collecting anything off of the United States coastline is probably illegal. I know for a fact that collecting corals anywhere off of Florida will get you jail time

 

[puffer32]

Well I never thought about it as being crimanally wrong to put afew hermits and snails in a bucket at the shore, I was planning on giving them a good home and feeding them well, didn't campare it to catching a wild animal and caging them didn't mean to open a can of worms here, wow...........

 

[dolphinbrz]

we have hermets and snails and a few stars from the ocean and they are doing fine ,we just made sure the salinity and the temp was the same , but we also got those before we ever had store bought fish in our tank but now they all live togeather and are doing great . is it illegal to take things from the ocean ? i didn't know that. i thought maybe from reefs and stuff but i never thought about the stuff on the shore line.

 

[mudplayerx]

Well, considering that you technically can't even fish any public american waters without a license, I doubt that gathering other livestock is permitted

 

[hopkins6]

my friend does it off the coast of nc, he captures hermits (not alot) and they do fine, but they are really ugly, at least off the coast on NC. thats why i don't do it

 

[mudplayerx]

It is pretty difficult to gain access to the nice, colorful species without having a boat and diving equipment. At least that is my guess. I never find anything pretty while wading around in the Gulf Shores. The hermits are colorless and skinny, the fish are all grey or silver.
Although the shark that bit the 10 year-olds arm off was sort of interesting I didn't see that thank God, but that is why I don't go out very far.

 

[shep77]

This is a tough call and I am pretty set in my ways, but yes it is similar to capturing a bird and putting it in a bird cage. We may think we are doing it good by offering it a safe haven and consistant food and water, but there are guidelines for these things. I will just leave it to the experts who have permission or claim to.

 

[ophiura]

I would never take a hermit or snail unless I was DARN sure about how reef safe it is. Ditto for seastars - many/most hermits/snails/seastars that you would find intertidally are not reef safe. You are taking big risks with that sort of thing. Otherwise, just be sure you have the permits and know what you are doing in collecting. Setting up a local species tank with local conditions (temperature, salinity) can be a good learning experience...but putting animals into atypical conditions is sketchy, IMO.
And always remember to NEVER re-release them into the wild. Never, ever...