fish, inverts, or corals staight from the sea

[netopr]

Hi, I live in PR and I enjoy snorkeling with friends.... There is alot of reef and I was wondering if I could bring a fish, inverts, live rock, corals straight from the sea instead of buying it......
I have seen many different species such as atlantic blue tangs, emerald crabs, carpet anemone's, snails, urchins ........
I only have a percula and a blenny in my tank, and a few rocks
I am on a budget, I just wanna save some cash....
thanks for any help

 

[reefkprz]

check with your local laws, I think you will find it to be illeagle and a hefty fine. cheaper to buy 5X then get caught once.

 

[netopr]

I will check

 

[ophiura]

First point is definitely
FOLLOW THE LAWS!
Second point: DO NOT bring anything home you have not identified and researched for compatibility.
Finally: If you have animals from any other area - including live sand and live rock from the Pacific (corals, fish, inverts) then NEVER release anything back into the ocean. You are obligated to kill it rather than ever release it. If you ONLY have things from Puerto Rico - sand, rock, and all else, then it may be OK.
But as you have things from the Pacific, you should never release ANYTHING from your tank into the ocean. The risk of introducing a problem to the wild is real!
Only capture things you can keep - don't catch small fish that grow big with the intent to release it.

 

[netopr]

thanks, Yes I will check the laws first and I will check the species also...
I was told that many stuff from the ocean carried many bacteria...... and it could be dangerous to keep in a tank...
is that true ?

 

[ophiura]

This is an exaggeration, and my standard answer would be "no."
But remember - not all snails are algae eaters..never assume even "basic" things without researching and identifying.

 

[netopr]

and what about live rock,,,, If I dont let it die, do I still need to cure it ??
like if I get a bucket full with water and transport it to my home

 

[jmj6239]

live rock is usually one of those illegal things to take definately check laws, it is a federal offense in the US.

 

[wingzfan]

dont take stuff like fish out of the ocean... that's cruel. I could understand the live rock though

 

[kclester]

cruel....where doy ou think you fish came from....at some point in time someone HAD to take them from the ocean...nothing cruel about it if you give them a proper wel taken care of tank to live in....im sure the fish would appreicate not haveing bigger fish trying to eat him all day to

 

[wingzfan]

My fish were captive bred... sure at some point they had to take them from the ocean but that doesn't make it right for you to go out and do it. Imagine someone taking you from your home and making you live in a shed. How would you feel?

 

[kclester]

if had had a pack of hungrey tigers chaseing me every second of my life i would be quite happy to live in a shed......i dont see anything wrong with harvesting fish from the ocean.....as long as you arent breaking any laws in the process then there is nothing wrong with it.....im currently going to school my major is "wildlife management" and i love all wildlife just as much as you do or more than likely probably more....i grew up hunting and harvesting animals from the woods all the time its just they way i was brought up...i see nothign wrong with it as long as you have the correct license if one is required which im sure a fishing license is required even if your not useing a rod and reel... do you eat lobster,shrimp,etc they were plucked right out of the ocean for your enjoyment....im just trying to get across that i dont see anything wrong with it as long as its legal

 

[kwiknezy1]

Here we go again. There are so many threads about harvesting items from the sea. Unless you have the permits ( which are very expensive ). It is not worth paying huge fines. There was a discussion that i was just in about harvesting something as simple as water from the ocean. We must keep in mind some things, the more we harvest from the ocean, the more likely ceartain things will go extinct. that is why almost every item that most of us have in our tanks is captive raised. including rock. I honestly dont think it is a good idea for these practices.. IMO. Now if you have the money for the permits, then feel free, atleast everybody knows that you know the laws, and have the proper equipment for transport. You will know when you have scavenged anough, heck everything. Now for myself, i wouldnt know my a$$ from a hole in the ground when it came to harvesting items directly from the sea.

 

[wingzfan]

Lobster and shrimp don't have to suffer in a home WAY smaller than their original. They are killed right away. But that's not the point. Ok so taking fish from the ocean is legal. But does that make it right? No...

 

[kclester]

do you not think that your CAPTIVE bread fish still dont have there wild nature ? If a fish you harvest from the sea will suffer in a tank than so will your Captive breed fish. They will always have their wild nature so if a WILD fish suffers so will yours you currently have in your tank

 

[stanlalee]

Originally Posted by KwikNezy1
that is why almost every item that most of us have in our tanks is captive raised. including rock.
captive ornamental fish is just not a reality and wont be anytime soon. You can probably count on two hands the species that are regularly tank bred (clownfish, psuedochromis, seahorses, a few cardinal fish, a goby or two and a few hybrid dwarf angels that go for over $500 each. may have missed a few or not ). Its not even a matter of wanting to, we just dont know how for most species. I dont know what you mean by most of us but except the million nano's with one or two clownfish most everybody has wild caught fish or will.
Coral and liverock is a different story (one is so easy and already plentiful out of the ocean there is hardly a need to buy wild coral. liverock is simply there until is gone so in somebody's lifetime cultured rock will have to do (although I havent seen any yet I'd rather have than good old wild fiji).

 

[dreamer44]

Originally Posted by wingzfan
Lobster and shrimp don't have to suffer in a home WAY smaller than their original. They are killed right away. But that's not the point. Ok so taking fish from the ocean is legal. But does that make it right? No...
Killed right away....ahhh..maybe NOT....they put them in a tank thats waaaaaaaaaay too small for them, put big rubber bands on their claws so they cant defend themselves, and keep them in water that im sure is not what their used to, sitting in a grocery store waiting for people to buy them, so they can then take them home, and then they kill them and eat them... takes a long time...!
Personally, I dont eat sea food...
If you have the paperwork and the knowlege, then I say go for it, dont break any law and make sure you educate yourself before harvesting anything.
Lori

 

[groupergenius]

Originally Posted by Netopr
Hi, I live in PR and I enjoy snorkeling with friends.... There is alot of reef and I was wondering if could bring a fish, inverts, live rock, corals straight from the sea instead of buying it......
I have seen many different species such as atlantic blue tangs, emerald crabs, carpet anemone's, snails, urchins ........
I only have a percula and a blenny in my tank, and a few rocks
I am on a budget, I just wanna save some cash....
thanks for any help
Try to keep all your tank "local" then. Not sure what the collecting laws are in Puerto Rico, but I'm sure a little internet searching will help. If not, contact your Marine Patrol Law Enforcement folks.

 

[netopr]

well, I was more interested in live rock and anemone's........ But since the law is so strict, I will check that before I grab something from the ocean......
Who should I call to ask such questions ? the police, coastguard ?

 

[mcbdz]