fish and inverts from the wild is this ok?

[ray fdny]

ray here, with another question... my father is a professional scuba diver in the new york new jersey area. he claims that in the end of the summer when the water i warmest, he sees all kinds of tropical fish and inverts not from our area like sea horses, earchants, stars, small crabs and fish.
would they be ok to put in a home tank?....if so how to go about acclimating them?

 

[ophiura]

I would not do this.
First, you may not provide a proper home for them. You may introduce totally unsuitable animals to your tank. Not all animals are beneficial, and many will outgrow your tank. If you ever do this, you are OBLIGATED to NEVER re-release the animals to the wild as you risk introducing pathogens into the wild.
Never take anything you haven't fully researched. It is best to follow the SCUBA mantra - take only pictures and leave only bubbles. I do not recommend anyone "collect" anything for anyone else.

 

[allterr]

Not to mention local, state, and federal laws.....