johnmaloney Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 guitar fish are cool as can be. we have lesser electric rays that blanket the bottoms of near shore reefs in early summer, look a lot like guitar fish. I have went night diving for spiny lobster, different species probably though in Florida. Lobster diving is fun, I used to do it more often... Do they make you use tickle sticks there? Or are you allowed to just pick them up? Link to comment
zemuss Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 IMO, the best lobster was always caught at night or the wee hours in the morning! Link to comment
johnmaloney Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 they do seem more active at night. i try to go to areas that are setup like one large rock here, another there, etc....less hind places and no fussing with them jetting into another hole to tickle out, etc... Link to comment
Professor Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 I see what you are getting at, safety first, but fear more than anything keeps people away from this very rewarding sport..... I am 30 pounds overweight, smoke 2-3 packs a day, and eat only fast food (yuck... I know....but I have no time to cook this year....), If I can dive 4 times a week, others can do the same too. Statistically speaking, the most dangerous thing about snorkeling is the drive to the spot. My Man! I ain't as young as I used to be and am definately carrying around a bit of extra weight, although I am down to about a pack of cigs a day. I can still freedive and stay down about a 1 - 1.5 minutes. It amazed my kids when we did a bit of snorkeling at Fort De-Soto this past summer. Although I do find that the extra layer of chub I am getting makes me float a little more than I like! A tip for all you guys out west trying to collect nems in the wild. The best tool for this that gives you the best chance not to damage the foot is a plastic spoon, particulary if the foot is wedged in a crevice or hole. Works just as well in your fish tank too. The pink long handled sundae spoons from Baskin Robbins are the best ones. -Prof Link to comment
johnmaloney Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 I have noticed some additional buoyancy lately as well... Is that the fort in the Keys, or on the west coast? Name sounds familiar....I have always wanted to check out the old WWII remnants the military dumped in the ocean around the fort in the Lower Keys. Sundae spoons? I am going to have to write that down...brilliant. Now all we need is a Baskin Robbins...maybe dairy queen has the same stuff. How do you use it? Do you spoon them out with the business end of the spoon, or do you "spatula" them off with the other end? I haven't messed with many anemones, but I have always used the slowly "spatula" them off method with a filet knife. Works well if they are on flat and easy to access rocks, but probably wouldn't work in the situation you described. Either way, I am done with worrying about cutting the nem, or rusting the knife. congrats on getting down to a pack a day. i was there not too long ago, and then just went the wrong direction. Link to comment
REEFs Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 I smoke too pack a day : ( Doesn't really affect my free dive though Link to comment
johnmaloney Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 you notice it more swimming against a current. you said that you are still athletic, so if you still run it probably doesn't affect you at all, but I stopped running when I got too old + untalented to play soccer any more. got into a fight with the gulfstream and a narrow inlet before...long story short when I finally made it back to land I felt it. Still smoked a cigarette right after though. Link to comment
Professor Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 I have noticed some additional buoyancy lately as well... Is that the fort in the Keys, or on the west coast? Name sounds familiar....I have always wanted to check out the old WWII remnants the military dumped in the ocean around the fort in the Lower Keys. Sundae spoons? I am going to have to write that down...brilliant. Now all we need is a Baskin Robbins...maybe dairy queen has the same stuff. How do you use it? Do you spoon them out with the business end of the spoon, or do you "spatula" them off with the other end? I haven't messed with many anemones, but I have always used the slowly "spatula" them off method with a filet knife. Works well if they are on flat and easy to access rocks, but probably wouldn't work in the situation you described. Either way, I am done with worrying about cutting the nem, or rusting the knife. congrats on getting down to a pack a day. i was there not too long ago, and then just went the wrong direction. On the west coast just south of Clearwater. My brother in law is down there right now and we visited this summer. Nice beach but it's definately a place you need to do the old sting-ray shuffle as you wade out. The day we were there it was very choppy after 3 days of storms so visability was crap. Ended up mostly teaching the kids and diving for shells. I did come face to face with a good sized sting-ray and accidentally flushed him out. I wasn't expecting that and I nearly filled my bloomers with some fart-art!!! IRT to the spoon: I usually flip the spoon upside down so the bowl is facing upwards and then start working it under the nems foot. Done this way it gently goes under the foot and raises it upwards at the same time. After I get the tip in about 1/2" I move over a bit and repeat. You have to be very gentle and take your time to avoid injury to the foot. If the foot is in a crevice then flip the spoon over to a normal position and do the same thing. Sometimes the spoons are a little sharp on the edge and need to be knocked back a bit with some 200 grit sandpaper. -Prof Link to comment
johnmaloney Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 to do the old sting-ray shuffle as you wade out.... hah! the flats are fun...never know when you are going to upset a sting ray. It is funny how prevalent they are. Most people think "I dont want to go snorkeling because of rays etc....", but they don't realize they are so close near shore sometimes. They have been near them more times than they think! It still spooks me everytime I startle them, they are invisible when they get under the sand sometimes. IRT to the spoon: I usually flip the spoon upside down so the bowl is facing upwards and then start working it under the nems foot. now to find a flat ended long sundae spoon.... Something thin, strong, flexible...good idea..I appreciate it. Probably easier than with the filet knife. The filet knife is one of those Renegade brand knives wal-mart carries, guaranteed not to cut into anything, but I was still a bit nervous. You just work it under just like you said. After awhile these, (rock) anemones would just start to walk/detach and then I could pick them up. Link to comment
Professor Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 I have seen those POS Renegade knives at Wally-World. They probably wouldn't cut cold grits! Good luck with the spoon, let me know if it works for you. I have been planning for some time to get out and do some collecting here locally in the Cheseapeke Bay to try and set up a local biotope, but can never seem to find the time. This thread has made me start thinking about it again. -Prof Link to comment
johnmaloney Posted December 22, 2009 Share Posted December 22, 2009 too bad it didn't have you thinking about it 5 months ago though....hit the water much this holiday season? might freeze up there... Link to comment
yardboy Posted December 22, 2009 Share Posted December 22, 2009 I had to tie a string to my cajones to keep from losing them here. I can't imagine the Cheseapeke. I think my brain would shrink too! In other news, John, the cerianthus are doing well! Link to comment
johnmaloney Posted December 22, 2009 Share Posted December 22, 2009 right?! Floridians have no business north of the state line. Give me a hundred degrees and humid before 65 degrees and windy any day of the week. good to hear it about the anemone. cerianthus not arachnanthus? Now that I have been looking around a little bit more I have been finding a few different species of anemome, and tunicates and what not. I should get a decent field guide for that at some point. nice to have you guys here to help with ids, but since the critter is way out there..and the computer is way out here....field guides have their place. What bothers me is why don't they make field guides for ocean critters waterproof? while i have you here - (sorry op for hijacking your thread) - ever keep a branching anemone? Lebrunia daniae? (sp) Link to comment
yardboy Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 Doooh. Yes, arachnanthus, not cerianthus. I'm thinking old data. No, I haven't seen a Lubrunia. Wonder if they are as bad as the other branching anemone from the South Pacific, Actinodendrun, "Hell's-Fire Anemone", known to put people into a coma. I was trying to take a pic of one while in a surge, thinking it was some kind of Nepthea, got close, then suddenly my dive partner grabbed me and pulled me away. Thanks Chuck! Link to comment
Jacobnano Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 Wait what? That sounds like a cool nem haha. Link to comment
JoeD Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 Chessie biotope.... Hmm.... SoMd also. Let's talk about spring. I have seen those POS Renegade knives at Wally-World. They probably wouldn't cut cold grits! Good luck with the spoon, let me know if it works for you. I have been planning for some time to get out and do some collecting here locally in the Cheseapeke Bay to try and set up a local biotope, but can never seem to find the time. This thread has made me start thinking about it again. -Prof Link to comment
johnmaloney Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 Doooh. Yes, arachnanthus, not cerianthus. I'm thinking old data. No, I haven't seen a Lubrunia. Wonder if they are as bad as the other branching anemone from the South Pacific, Actinodendrun, "Hell's-Fire Anemone", known to put people into a coma. I was trying to take a pic of one while in a surge, thinking it was some kind of Nepthea, got close, then suddenly my dive partner grabbed me and pulled me away. Thanks Chuck! eh...sounds like I should get some gloves just to be sure. have heard of the fire nems....cool looking too though. Poisonous/stinging critters are a pain...hope these nems aren't that way. They are in rock crevices, so I am going to try Prof's method. All this would be more fun if the water wasn't so cold...eh...i might wait on that after all....There are so many different little nems out there too.. Link to comment
yardboy Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 John, how cold is the water there now. It's 58.8 as of right now at the jetties. Forget about my butt getting in it. As for the anemones, I was just thinking of it being branched, not many like that and the fire anemone is one. The staghorn is another and Ken Neidemyer at SeaLife Inc. warns about them, "Both types of tentacles can and will sting, and can seriously irritate unprotected skin, so be careful handling them. Also, like all other anemones and corals, the mucus from them will irritate sensitive skin and cause serious eye inflammation, so BE CAREFUL." Link to comment
johnmaloney Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 yeah...can't be too much more dangerous than handling pesticide or household cleaners etc...they come with the same warnings. - guess I better wear gloves, or talk my brother into it. will have to give that a shot. The shallows are cold, 60s maybe. Cold enough that I am reconsidering a wet suit. When you get further out though the water is nicer. Link to comment
yardboy Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 At work most of our MSDS's include in the precautions sections "getting your brother to do it"! You can only do that so much though. They finally figure out the "Tom Sawyer" routine! Still, on the fire anemone, there's something about the warning of "convulsions" that gave me pause. I wouldn't even want to see my brother have those. Or rather, I just wouldn't want to see it, wouldn't really care if he had them, long as he brought my anemone back! You know I'm kidding, right? Don't you? Link to comment
johnmaloney Posted December 24, 2009 Share Posted December 24, 2009 yeah i kid with him like that, but truthfully my brother never touches anything until he sees me do it first. told him a chunk of wasabi was the sushi you were supposed to eat when we were younger, he ate the whole thing...short story he doesn't trust me as much anymore. yeah but i bet that convulsions is one of those severe allergic reaction things though. would be cool to look into.....that is a cool looking anemone. Might not be able to use your hands in the water after putting them in... knock on wood, I haven't been stung yet by anything other than jellies and I have to be the clumsiest person alive. Oh and hydroids and smaller miscellaneous stuff, but nothing like a scorpion fish etc... Link to comment
East1 Posted December 24, 2009 Share Posted December 24, 2009 my entire tank now is stocked with collected livestock, the corals are all from a reef thats 10 meters in shore and i can get to without a snorkel, its lovely and at low tide i can get everything. the idea of collecting my own stuff was one that yardboy gave me he was sorta a mentor witout even knowing it Link to comment
yardboy Posted December 24, 2009 Share Posted December 24, 2009 my entire tank now is stocked with collected livestock, the corals are all from a reef thats 10 meters in shore and i can get to without a snorkel, its lovely and at low tide i can get everything.the idea of collecting my own stuff was one that yardboy gave me he was sorta a mentor witout even knowing it Oh Lord. Now I've got that on my conscience! My mom never warned me about being a bad influence on others! But seriously I'm glad you have been able to realize the true satisfaction of doing your own collecting. I'ts so "retro" as that's the way it was originally done. John, here's a shot of one of the hells fire anemones. Looks safe enough, but if those tentacles are sticky it'd be like getting in cotton candy napalm! Link to comment
East1 Posted December 24, 2009 Share Posted December 24, 2009 Oh Lord. Now I've got that on my conscience! My mom never warned me about being a bad influence on others! But seriously I'm glad you have been able to realize the true satisfaction of doing your own collecting. I'ts so "retro" as that's the way it was originally done. John, here's a shot of one of the hells fire anemones. Looks safe enough, but if those tentacles are sticky it'd be like getting in cotton candy napalm! haha, yhea, its amazing being there on the reef, choosing your own speciens and knowing where they go and how they look wild, and mimicing it. i took your advice and i always leave part of the colony behind, if its an acro and all comes off i break off frags and leave them in the reef to grow, so i dont totally decimate the reef. its great i cant wait to go back but i havent time till after exams. what are the full sizes of those nems? look like leathers or colts - gorgeous do they have any symbionts? Link to comment
yardboy Posted December 24, 2009 Share Posted December 24, 2009 Dude! You've put my photo skills on the spot! I would have mentioned the symbionts but I just couldn't get the pic looking right. So here it is anyway. A small Periclemenes sp. that is so transparent as to be practically invisible. Some specimens I saw were as large as 2 feet diameter. And colors varied from pale cream, with tints of green to red. Link to comment
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