gulf diver
New Member
Hey everyone, I am new to this site, but not new to marine aquariums. When I lived in Coral Springs, FL (near Fort Lauderdale), I had a 26gal. native reef tank. I collected everything myself. I used natural Atlantic seawater from right off the beach (collected it in gal. milk jugs and 2 liter soda bottles, about 40 yards offshore while snorkeling). I also used live sand from the surf zone, and pieces of live rock that were moist that washed up on the beach after storms. I also collected my own fish. We were fortunate to have a 3 lines of live reef right off the beach at Lauderdale By The Sea. The first line was about 1.5ft high off the bottom, about 75 yards off the beach in about 7-8ft. of water. It was just a narrow line of natural rock covered with algae and corraline algae. The second line was about 2.5-3ft. high, about 150 yards offshore in about 12ft. of water and was also covered with more coralline algae and sponges and some small star and brain coral. The third line was an actual fully developed coral reef with coral heads up to 4-5ft. high and was about 200 yards offshore in 16ft. of water. There were large star and brain coral heads, large purple seafans, some sea whips, and sponges. Anyway, I collected my own fish from shore from Boca Raton to the Middle Keys, with good success with an all natural native tank. For filtration, I had only a Marineland Biowheel external power filter, and 1 airstone in the back corner of the tank to help move the water some more in the corner. I had a coral flourescent lamp, and I changed about 2-3 gals. of water out each week.
What I am interested in is doing the same thing on the south Texas coast, but this time with a larger tank (40 or 75gal) and this time I want to have either a baby French, Blue, or Queen angel, and either a Spotfin or Foureyed butterflyfish, along with the a few damsels, and maybe a native tang and blenny, and of course local live rock off the jetties and some local inverts like peppermint shrimp, hermits, and a couple of sea urchins. I have only caught one butterfly in my life (an it wasn't even in Florida). It was a baby Spotfin about 1.5inches long at the south jetty at Port Aransas one summer. It took my about an hour or more to wear him down to the point I could catch him with a10inch green aquarium net. If anyone has any suggestions on how I can catch a baby angel and another baby butterfly, then please let me know. Do they enter fish traps, the metal bait traps that they sell at Academy and tackle shops? What is a good bait to use for them? You can reach me at jack_lrkn@yahoo.com
Thanks,
John
What I am interested in is doing the same thing on the south Texas coast, but this time with a larger tank (40 or 75gal) and this time I want to have either a baby French, Blue, or Queen angel, and either a Spotfin or Foureyed butterflyfish, along with the a few damsels, and maybe a native tang and blenny, and of course local live rock off the jetties and some local inverts like peppermint shrimp, hermits, and a couple of sea urchins. I have only caught one butterfly in my life (an it wasn't even in Florida). It was a baby Spotfin about 1.5inches long at the south jetty at Port Aransas one summer. It took my about an hour or more to wear him down to the point I could catch him with a10inch green aquarium net. If anyone has any suggestions on how I can catch a baby angel and another baby butterfly, then please let me know. Do they enter fish traps, the metal bait traps that they sell at Academy and tackle shops? What is a good bait to use for them? You can reach me at jack_lrkn@yahoo.com
Thanks,
John