johnmaloney Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 (edited) People ask me all the time, maybe "50" emails a week or so, so I figured I would start this thread and then update it as I go. Here is a list of all the animals I come across at some point throughout the year: Tube Anemone - year round availability Banded Tube Anemone - year round availability Teardrop Decorator - year round availability - prefer to not put effort into collection, they collect themselves pretty regularly Longnose Spider Crab - late winter/early spring and summer availability *Horseshoe Crab - late winter/early spring and summer availability Variegated Feather Duster - year round availability Arrow Crab - late winter/early spring and summer availability Antilles Sponge Crab - pure luck when available Scaly Tailed Mantis - available anytime the water is clear enough to see Assorted Mantis - available anytime we go to the Keys Giant Hermit Crab - available anytime the water is clear enough to see Orange Claw Hermit - year round availability Assorted Micro Porcelain Crabs - spring and summer help, but you still have to get lucky Emerald Crab - available anytime we go to the Keys Milk Conch - year round availability Hawkwing Conch - late winter/early spring and summer availability Florida Fighting Conch - late winter/early spring and summer availability Crown Conch - late winter/early spring and summer availability Horse Conch - late winter/early spring and summer availability Hairy Triton - luck I guess, never really looked for them but bump into them enough to make the list Gaudy Naticas - late winter/full moon Marginellas - year round availability Spotted Sea Hares - every season but fall/early winter Assorted Sea Hares - every season but fall/early winter Ragged Sea Hare - every season but fall/early winter Nine Armed Sea Star - year round availability, but some luck involved Beaded Sea Star - late winter/spring availability Two Spined Sea Star - late winter/spring availability Brittle Stars - available anytime we go to the Keys Reef Urchin - every season but fall/early winter Rock Boring Urchin - every season but fall/early winter Arbacia Urchin - every season but fall/early winter Variegated Urchin - every season but fall/early winter West Indian Sea Egg - every season but fall/early winter Pencil Urchin - every season but fall/early winter Mangrove Tunicate - year round availability Flat Tunicates - year round availability Upside Down Jelly - summer availability Condy Anemone - Keys trip availability Sun Anemone - Keys trip availability Flower Anemone - Keys trip availability Warty Anemone - spring/summer availability Sponge Zoanthid on Lavender Rope Sponges - spring/summer availability White Encrusting Zoanthid - spring/summer availability Magnificent Feather Dusters - Keys trip availability Coral Banded Shrimp - spring/summer availability Snapping Shrimp aka Pistol Shrimp - spring/summer availability Shore Shrimp/Feeder Shrimp - year round availability Flame Box Crab - year round availability, but not in an area we usually will visit Asst. Bryozoans - year round availability Thin Stripe Hermit - year round availability Blue Leg Hermit Crab - year round availability Nassarius Snail - year round availability Florida Cerith - year round availability Dwarf Cerith - year round availability Fuzzy Chiton - year round availability Turbo - every season but fall/early winter Porous Sea Rods - every season but fall/early winter Sea Plumes - every season but fall/early winter Bipinnate Sea Plume - every season but fall/early winter Sea Whip - every season but fall/early winter Grooved Blade Sea Whip - every season but fall/early winter Angular Sea Whip - every season but fall/early winter White Telesto - year round availability Oar Grass - year round availability Cottinwick Grunt - year round availability French Grunt - year round availability White Grunt - year round availability ^Lined Sea Horse - every season but fall/early winter Dwarf Sea Horse - year round availability Sharpnose Puffer - every season but fall/early winter Corkscrew Anemone - every season but fall/early winter *Rough File Clam (Flame Scallop) - every season but fall/early winter Coral Banded Shrimp - every season but fall/early winter *Southern Stingray - summer availability *Lesser Electric Ray - summer availability Spotted Moray - summer availability Green Moray - summer availability Slender Filefish - summer availability High Hat - summer availability Queen Trigger - summer availability Glassy Sweeper - summer availability Checkered Puffer - year round availability Bandtail Puffer - spring/summer availability Porcupinefish - spring/summer availability Balloonfish - spring/summer availability Goldspot Goby - spring/summer availability Porkfish - spring/summer availability Smallmouth Grunt - spring/summer availability Slippery Dick - spring/summer availability Spotted Scorpion Fish - summer availability Sand Diver - spring/summer availability Goldline Blenny - spring/summer availability Hairy Blenny - year round availability French Angelfish - spring/summer availability Molly Miller - spring/summer availability Dusky Jawfish - spring/summer availability Pistol Shrimp - spring/summer availability beaugregory - spring/summer availability Sgt. Major - year round availability Orange Back Damsel - spring/summer availability Taurus Damsel - spring/summer availability Flat sponge - year round availability *Smooth Dog Fish - year round availability *Nurse Shark - year round availability *Black Tip Reef Shark - year round availability *This is a portion of a wholesale list I am putting together, some items are not available to hobbyists. I only post them because there are scientists from public aquariums that visit this forum. ^ = aquaculture facilities only *= research facilities only Fish only available for local pick up or local delivery only. Many items are not reef safe, and many more should only be in the hands of expert hobbyists with large tanks. (Some should also get a *, but I haven't gotten to it yet) I just wanted to make this list as comprehensive as possible, it doesn't mean the species are good choices for you, do your homework etc...More species to come when I have the time, but if you don't see it chances are very high we don't come across it. Macro list to be added later...must sleep.... Edited February 8, 2010 by johnmaloney Quote Link to comment
jeremai Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 yeah john, I hate to do this to you, but I'm going to need scientific names for all those species before this thread goes any further. 1 Quote Link to comment
johnmaloney Posted February 8, 2010 Author Share Posted February 8, 2010 (edited) Tube Anemone Ceriantharia 5'' Banded Tube Anemone Arachnanthus nocturnus 1 ¼'' mouth Teardrop Decorator Pelia sp. Carapace less than ¾'' Longnose Spider Crab Libinia sp. Will grow large. Carapace up to 4'' Horseshoe Crab Limulus polyphemus Large. Females considerably larger than males. Max 20'' Variegated Feather Duster Bispira variegata 1'' Arrow Crab Stenorhynchus seticornis 1-2'' carapace, but with considerably longer legs Antilles Sponge Crab Cryptodromiopsis antillensis 2'' Scaly Tailed Mantis Lysiosquilla scabricauda 6'' Assorted Mantis Neogonodactylus/Pseudosquilla 2'' Giant Hermit Crab Petrochirus diogenes 8'' Orange Claw Hermit Calcinus tibicen 1'' Assorted Micro Porcelain Crabs Petrolisthes. sp. less than ½ of an inch Emerald Crab Mithrax sculptus ¾'' Milk Conch Strombus costatus 6'' Hawkwing Conch Strombus raninus 3 ½'' Florida Fighting Conch Strombus alatus 3 ½'' Crown Conch Melongena corona 5'' Horse Conch Pleuroploca gigantea 14'' Hairy Triton Cymatium pileare 3 ½'' Marginella ½'' Spotted Sea Hares Aplysia dactylomea 6'' Assorted Sea Hares Aplysia sp. 4'' Ragged Sea Hare Burastella leachii 6'' Nine Armed Sea Star Luidia clathrata 10'' Beaded Sea Star Astropecten articulatus 4'' Two Spined Sea Star Astropecten duplicatus 8'' Brittle Stars Ophiocoma sp. 6'' Reef Urchin Echinometra viridis 2'' Rock Boring Urchin Echinometra lucunter lucunter 3'' Arbacia Urchin Arbacia punctulata 4'' Variegated Urchin Lytechinus variegatus 3'' West Indian Sea Egg Tripneustes ventricosus 5'' Pencil Urchin Eucaidaris tribuloides 4'' with spines Mangrove Tunicate Ecteinascidia turbinata Clusters normally 4'' in diameter Flat Tunicates Botrylloides sp. Upside Down Jelly Cassiopea sp. 7'' Condy Anemone Condylactis gigantea 12'' Sun Anemone Stichodactyla helianthus 6'' Flower Anemone Epicystis crucifer 6'' Warty Anemone Bunodosoma cavernata 4'' Sponge Zoanthid on Lavender Rope Sponge Parazoanthus parasiticus/Nphates digitalis Zoanthid has max ¼'' disc, sponge collected at 4'' Mat Zoanthid (Colored) Zoanthus pulchellus ½'' disc White Encrusting Zoanthid Palythoa caribaeorum ½'' disc Magnificent Feather Dusters Sabellastarte magnifica Coral Banded Shrimp Stenopus hispidus 2'' Snapping Shrimp Alpheus sp. 2'' Shore Shrimp/Feeder Shrimp 2'' Flame Box Crab Clappa flammea 4'' Asst. Bryozoans Gymnolaemata class ¾'' Thin Stripe Hermit Clibanarius vittatus 3'' Blue Leg Hermit Crab Clibanarius tricolor Nassarius Snail Nassarius vibex Florida Cerith Dwarf Cerith Fuzzy Chiton Acanthopleura granulata 3'' Turbo Astrea tuber Baseball Size Porous Sea Rods Pseudoplexaura spp. Large specimens available on request. Most collected around 12'' Sea Plumes Pseudopterogorgia spp. Large specimens available on request. Most collected around 12'' Bipinnate Sea Plume Pseudopterogorgia bipinnata 24'' Sea Whip Ptegorgia citrina 12'' Grooved Blade Sea Whip Pterogorgia guadalupensis 24'' Angular Sea Whip Ptegorgia anceps 24'' White Telesto Carijoa riisei 10'' Midrib Grass Halophila baillonis 1'' blades Oar Grass Halophila decpens 1'' blades Cottinwick Grunt French Grunt Haemulon flavolineatum White Grunt Haemulon plumieri Line Sea Horse Hippocampus erectus 7'' uncurled Sharpnose Puffer Canthigaster rostrata Corkscrew Anemone Bartholomea annulata 6'' Rough File Clam Lima scabra 3 ½'' Sally Light Foot (Nimble Spray Crab) Percnon gibbesi 2'' carapace with much longer legs. We find large ones almost exclusively Coral Banded Shrimp Stenopus hispidus 2'' Southern Stingray Dasyatis americana 60'' Lesser Electric Ray Narcine brasiliensis 18'' Spotted Moray Gymnothorax moringa Green Moray Gymnothorax funebris 60'' Slender Filefish Monacanthus tuckeri 3'' High Hat Pareques acuminatus 9'' Queen Trigger Balistes vetula 16'' Glassy Sweeper Pempheris schomburgkii 5'' Checkered Puffer Sphoeroides testudineus 7'' Bandtail Puffer Sphoeroides spengleri 7'' Porcupinefish Diodon hystrix 24'' Balloonfish Diodon holocanthus 14'' Goldspot Goby Gnatholepis thompson 2 ½'' Porkfish Anisotremus virginicus 10'' Smallmouth Grunt Haemulon chrysargyreum 10'' Slippery Dick Halichoeres bivittatus 8'' Spotted Scorpion Fish Scorpaena plumieri 15'' Sand Diver Synodus intermedius 14'' Goldline Blenny Malacoctenus aurolineatus 2'' Hairy Blenny Labrisomus nuchipinnis 6'' French Angelfish Pomacanthus paru 14'' Bar Jack Carangoides ruber 14'' Barracuda Sphyraena barracuda 72'' Flat Needlefish Ablennes hians 36'' Yellowfin Mojarra Gerres cinereus 12'' Rainbow Runner Elagatis bipinnulata 36'' Molly Miller Scartella cristata 4'' Dusky Jawfish Opistognathus whitehursti 4'' *check original post for hobbyist availability. Some items only fit for public aquairums and research. (Sharks, barracuda, other large fish etc...) Edited February 8, 2010 by johnmaloney Quote Link to comment
johnmaloney Posted February 8, 2010 Author Share Posted February 8, 2010 (edited) edit - species names matched up now Edited February 8, 2010 by johnmaloney Quote Link to comment
Jacobnano Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 oh #### lol Yea he actually did it haha. Very cool list John, I was going to request a dogfish until I saw the * meaning lol Quote Link to comment
johnmaloney Posted February 8, 2010 Author Share Posted February 8, 2010 Yea he actually did it haha. Very cool list John, I was going to request a dogfish until I saw the * meaning lol those fish ruin a lot of good fishing trips in the IRL...if I can donate one to research/public display all the better. Quote Link to comment
steviejitsu Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 LOL John once again amazes us but why did he need scientific names? just wondering Quote Link to comment
johnmaloney Posted February 8, 2010 Author Share Posted February 8, 2010 (edited) jer wanted to torture me with latin spelling... Edited February 8, 2010 by johnmaloney Quote Link to comment
Jacobnano Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 those fish ruin a lot of good fishing trips in the IRL...if I can donate one to research/public display all the better. Are you afraid of them John They are aways getting tangled up in the fishing line, then when you untangle them they bite you lol, their eyes are amazing though Quote Link to comment
Walking_Target Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 I hate to do this... kinda... so I'll do it in two flavors. Slippery Dick - spring/summer availability 1. I have it on good authority that these are available year round. The best example of which can be found in the Nixon residence. 2. Funny, mine's available year round! Quote Link to comment
jeremai Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 jer wanted to torture me with latin spelling... I was just being an ass, lol. but the scientific names are definitely more helpful to me than the common names. also, as an aside, how much of a color variation do you notice in Ceriantharians when you're out? say if I needed a nice, pretty assortment of five or ten. hypothetically. Quote Link to comment
johnmaloney Posted February 8, 2010 Author Share Posted February 8, 2010 Are you afraid of them John They are aways getting tangled up in the fishing line, then when you untangle them they bite you lol, their eyes are amazing though those eyes bug me out! I always feel bad seeing them on the boat..."but mister, why did you trick me?" lol! We will be in a spot with a lot of sail cat action and then they just bite everything in the water...no fight to them, they wiggle around when you try to release them...eh..not my favorite fish to catch. Hardhead catfish make me feel the same way... Quote Link to comment
Jacobnano Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 those eyes bug me out! I always feel bad seeing them on the boat..."but mister, why did you trick me?" lol! We will be in a spot with a lot of sail cat action and then they just bite everything in the water...no fight to them, they wiggle around when you try to release them...eh..not my favorite fish to catch. Hardhead catfish make me feel the same way... The eyes on the ones here are a beautiful green color, they really are amazing looking. Thats the thing, the wiggling, it gets them tangled in the line and hard to unhook, their bite hurts too. The little ones (less than a foot) are really well...."cute" lol. Also, congrats on 4,000 posts Quote Link to comment
johnmaloney Posted February 8, 2010 Author Share Posted February 8, 2010 (edited) I was just being an ass, lol. but the scientific names are definitely more helpful to me than the common names. also, as an aside, how much of a color variation do you notice in Ceriantharians when you're out? say if I needed a nice, pretty assortment of five or ten. hypothetically. with tube anemones it is weird...they apparently aren't many taxonomists describing the species, my books all list them as Class: Ceriantharia and that is it. No genus, no species name....but there seems to be 3-4 different varieties I guess you would call them. 3 of which looks pretty much the same, one is way out there and is amazing looking. It is rarer than the others, but I find them now without much effort looking for them. edit - species names are good because they keep me from having to take pictures. go google it! Edited February 8, 2010 by johnmaloney Quote Link to comment
johnmaloney Posted February 8, 2010 Author Share Posted February 8, 2010 (edited) The eyes on the ones here are a beautiful green color, they really are amazing looking. Thats the thing, the wiggling, it gets them tangled in the line and hard to unhook, their bite hurts too. The little ones (less than a foot) are really well...."cute" lol. Also, congrats on 4,000 posts thanks! I didnt notice. maybe you run into the spiny dogfish in your neck...they come south here for a little while in the winter from what i hear from other fisherman. I think the biggest we came across was 18-20 inches. I usually fish around an estuary close to my house, and the little ones around this time of year are all over the place.... Knock on wood, nothing has ever bitten me that was of a size I would care about. I got 12'' plyers for sharks and catfish. (And a dumb friend and/or brother for large sharks... ) I hate to do this... kinda... so I'll do it in two flavors. 1. I have it on good authority that these are available year round. The best example of which can be found in the Nixon residence. 2. Funny, mine's available year round! lol! Yeah I figured that name would trigger a response. I wonder if the guys who sent that name off to the naming people cracked up over it. Edited February 8, 2010 by johnmaloney Quote Link to comment
Deleted User 6 Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 oh #### lol /jer John, if I see something I want should I just PM you and see if you run across it? Quote Link to comment
johnmaloney Posted February 8, 2010 Author Share Posted February 8, 2010 if it is in season yeah let me know. what we can do is this, (and this goes for the rest of you too): 1. find what you want, wait until the right season 2. email me about it and send me your zip code so I can check overnight availability to your area 3. agree that you will pay $30 for overnight service - higher for styro box for these guys. 4. Be patient - the items are mostly not stocked. However, within 2 weeks we can acquire any item above that is in season and doesn't have the phrase "pure luck" describing how often we find them. 5. Fish for locals - fresh catch - we collect it that day or only a few before pickup = 50% of the price after 10 day QT, we will notify you when it comes in, and then you just pick it up after 10+days or so - goes for our full price. Prices - largely based on shipping costs. I will get around to this once I do zone shipping costs for average weight of these items. They will be competitive, $35 for a small french angel etc...special diet fish come with food, (like french angels), etc... I am aiming for 50% off or better compared against the major online sources. Quote Link to comment
johnmaloney Posted February 8, 2010 Author Share Posted February 8, 2010 nope, what is its name? Quote Link to comment
Billdemart Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 oh #### lol hahaha. I like John. Quote Link to comment
Jacobnano Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 thanks! I didnt notice. maybe you run into the spiny dogfish in your neck...they come south here for a little while in the winter from what i hear from other fisherman. I think the biggest we came across was 18-20 inches. I usually fish around an estuary close to my house, and the little ones around this time of year are all over the place.... Knock on wood, nothing has ever bitten me that was of a size I would care about. I got 12'' plyers for sharks and catfish. (And a dumb friend and/or brother for large sharks... ) Yea spiny dogfish. Oh they do? Neat they are fun, but annoying fish. Haha thats when they are still little, I like em more when they are 3 feet plus Really? I have been bumped by sharks but never bitten, I have been bitten by rock cod and ling cod though, man those teeth are terrible. Smart idea lol, the spiny dogfish have the spine and the teeth, so usually you get cut trying to unhook them lol. I should probably stop spamming this thread now...Dhaut that crab looks cool, I want one after him lol. Quote Link to comment
johnmaloney Posted February 8, 2010 Author Share Posted February 8, 2010 Yea spiny dogfish. Oh they do? Neat they are fun, but annoying fish. Haha thats when they are still little, I like em more when they are 3 feet plus Really? I have been bumped by sharks but never bitten, I have been bitten by rock cod and ling cod though, man those teeth are terrible. Smart idea lol, the spiny dogfish have the spine and the teeth, so usually you get cut trying to unhook them lol. I should probably stop spamming this thread now...Dhaut that crab looks cool, I want one after him lol. you are always allowed to "spam" here! I can use the bumps... Speaking of bumped...I have been lucky in that regard too! No bumps either...I was once in a school of tarpon, all 100+ pounders...had to be over 50 of them. All zipped around me, not one bump! Good thing too, I thought I was going to get run over. I have never seen a spiny dog fish here, but they are on the list of migratory species that Floridians aren't allowed to mess with. It is the most common shark in the world I believe, (or the smooth dog is), but it is protected like the Manatee here because I think they only visit to breed. That sail cat spot I was talking about up ^^ is in the Indian River Lagoon, and most of the food fisherman I talk with, and the one in particular who mentioned the Spiny Dogs, are all out of there...You can find so many fish in there, it is the most diverse estuary/breeding ground in the world I think, (and I am pretty sure they don't count the hundreds of exotic species that run the Port Saint Lucie River). But many are only here for a short period of time during their life cycle. Bluefish are that way here, they leave before they reach any decent size and go north to get big and mean. Speaking of mean, from what I have seen, fish in the North have nasty teeth. I am happy I don't have too many close encounters in that neck of the woods. Bluefish teeth look like little disease carrying razors...Never seen a cod, despite being on two trips for them. Anyway, take a screen shot, I think I bothered to use capitals when appropriate in this post, I don't know what got into me. hahaha. I like John. What is not to like? Quote Link to comment
Jacobnano Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 you are always allowed to "spam" here! I can use the bumps... Speaking of bumped...I have been lucky in that regard too! No bumps either...I was once in a school of tarpon, all 100+ pounders...had to be over 50 of them. All zipped around me, not one bump! Good thing too, I thought I was going to get run over. I have never seen a spiny dog fish here, but they are on the list of migratory species that Floridians aren't allowed to mess with. It is the most common shark in the world I believe, (or the smooth dog is), but it is protected like the Manatee here because I think they only visit to breed. That sail cat spot I was talking about up ^^ is in the Indian River Lagoon, and most of the food fisherman I talk with, and the one in particular who mentioned the Spiny Dogs, are all out of there...You can find so many fish in there, it is the most diverse estuary/breeding ground in the world I think, (and I am pretty sure they don't count the hundreds of exotic species that run the Port Saint Lucie River). But many are only here for a short period of time during their life cycle. Bluefish are that way here, they leave before they reach any decent size and go north to get big and mean. Speaking of mean, from what I have seen, fish in the North have nasty teeth. I am happy I don't have too many close encounters in that neck of the woods. Bluefish teeth look like little disease carrying razors...Never seen a cod, despite being on two trips for them. Anyway, take a screen shot, I think I bothered to use capitals when appropriate in this post, I don't know what got into me. What is not to like? Well good to know I want to gar Tarpon fishing really bad, they are amazing fighters, but taste not to great. According to my dad anyway, I consider him the master fisherman Very interesting. I can believe that they are close to the most common, they are everywhere in the sound, almost too many lol. I want to see a Manatee too Wow that sounds really cool, if I am ever in FL (hopefully I will be) I will def check that out, and I may contact you for dive locations Yea they are pretty crazy. On the big ling cod (the size limit if 40 inches) I caught a 36 incher, my bro caught a 32 incher, and my dad may have caught one a big over 40, but I am going to say 40. Either way their teeth are all over an inch long and it is like pulling up a log when they aren't fighting. Pretty amazing fish. They can live up to 2000 feet down. Heres what they look like, the mouth on my dad was bigger than my head, mine had a smaller fish (12 inches or so) in its mouth, it caught it on the way up lmao. Not my pic. Haha I might have to. I am glad you took the time to do that Quote Link to comment
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