how do u catch tropical fish yourself??

[mikeyman356]

Is there anyway for an average person who doesnt have a company to collect these fish?? How do they collect fish?? I know u need a license, but is that it?? Where do u get this license from?? Fill me in on anything else im missing?? Just a very Curious Question!! :thinking: :thinking:

 

[tuna dan]

I would guess the local Wildlife management office.

 

[thud]

You have to be certified otherwise you'll be arrested and fined.

 

[reefforbrains]

yes check local and federal regulations for your area....THEN go and look for something called a "Slurp Gun" you can collect smaller fish and inverts without harming the area or the subject animal your after.

 

[teresaq]

where do you live. In fla you have to have a license kinda like a fishing license, and can only collect in certain areas. remember once you collect it, it cannot be returned to the wild.

 

[dsemmons]

Originally Posted by mikeyman356
Is there anyway for an average person who doesnt have a company to collect these fish?? How do they collect fish?? I know u need a license, but is that it?? Where do u get this license from?? Fill me in on anything else im missing?? Just a very Curious Question!! :thinking: :thinking:
In Fl. you can go on the internet and download the laws telling what you can collect and what size and how manny. As for actually collecting their are lots of things you can collect by hand crabs snails cucumbers but for fish a slurp gun is stupid and will harm the fish excuse me did i say stupid. What works really well for fish a net from the pet store 6"x6" with the netting removed and clear plastic connected for about 14" and then the netting reattached. To capture the fish observe it for a min or two and then place the net where you want to direct the fish then guide the fish into the net
the clear plastic is invisable underwater and the fish while quick is not to smart. I have caught French Angles, Blue angles, cleaner gobies and others this way in marathon

 

[rara12]

I have mastered the art of catching fish in the florida keys. You need to be "one with the fish". I use two of those hand nets with the white mesh. Put one in the fishes path and with the other go in U movements behind the fish. Make sure you keep the net in front moving as to always block the fishes path. Slowly keep moving the nets together the one in the rear a little faster then the one in front. At the last second when there is only a few inches between nets quickly bring them together and hopefully you have a fish!
With this technique please dont use it around corals as you can harm them and cause infections and so on. Use it around areas where rocks have been placed to keep land from eroding or in sea grass comunities. Also flip over rocks to find smaller urchins, pistol shrimp, brittle stars, even small gobies and blennies. But always flip the rock back over in the same way you found it.
Also please note that in florida waters there are some things wou shouldnt catch for legal issues and for the sake of the fishes well being. For example, it is illegal to collect certian stars, long spiney urchins, lobsters (unless during lobster season with the correct license), groupers, hogfish, types of snappers stone crabs, and blue crabs
Fish and inverts you should avoid for their welbeing would be:
Atlantic Blue Tang- does not do well in captivaty and almost always dies
Parrot fish- Need large swimming spaces and have a strict diet that usually causes them to starv in captivaty
Medusa Worms- get stressed really easily and detach their heads
Pearl fish- live in sea cucumbers and need good water motion so they can get the food they need, tend to starve in captivaty.
Sting rays- they're barbs get stuck in the nets and they get hurt.
Any of the eels in florida- just get too big or shouldnt be collected by thenovice collector.
Horse shoe crabs- get to large