johnmaloney Posted February 9, 2010 Author Share Posted February 9, 2010 (edited) The best place to find Tarpon is near one of the marinas in the Keys the commercial fleet is out of. (Marathon, Key West) etc...not the lobster guys, though...longliners/party boats/guides. TONS of huge tarpon sit near their filet tables getting fat and being lazy, anywhere in the Keys. The marina in Key West always has 5 or 6 175+ guys near the restaurant that is there. One of them is the reason I am in this biz, but that is a different story. But of course you can't fish in any of these spots.....I still think it would be a good idea to let people stir them up....these fish will live there for years... Tarpon are amazing fish, tracking them down is one thing, getting them boat side is another. People chase them down with boats and everything. No one eats them though, some people get tags to take them as trophies, but they don't do taxidermy that way anymore so it isn't often. You take a picture and "measure it" . You keep them in the water usually too....No way you want to hold up a large live Tarpon for a picture. Boca Grande Pass is where everyone fishes their migration...I haven't done that trip, but me an Tarpon have a storied history... Diving spots...Hens and Chickens for "ooh wow" - no fishing though, a preserve. John Pennekamp is cool too. 20 feet is around the max in some of those areas...also a preserve. Manatees - mouths of inlets around dusk and at full moon around midnight - 3am in the summer. it is hit or miss that way, by boat in the back canals is sure fire. Lots of manatee in the IRL, and even more on the West Coast if you head to fl, let me know - i have been pretty much everywhere in the state except the southwestern portion and pensacola. will know some spot. that is one nasty looking fish! i would hate to have to pull a hook out from inside that beast. to me, all the fish you have up there, (halibut too?), look prehistoric. Edited February 9, 2010 by johnmaloney Quote Link to comment
Oceanus Posted February 9, 2010 Share Posted February 9, 2010 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.... I don't know if you meant to but you have coral banded shrimp and pistol shrimp listed twice. Quote Link to comment
johnmaloney Posted February 9, 2010 Author Share Posted February 9, 2010 i am good for that kind of stuff Quote Link to comment
Deleted User 6 Posted February 9, 2010 Share Posted February 9, 2010 nope, what is its name? Petrolisthes. sp. Quote Link to comment
johnmaloney Posted February 9, 2010 Author Share Posted February 9, 2010 there are a lot of them though...I only come across green and brown really. They have the white cool looking ones here too...I am sure there are plenty I haven't bumped into but without species name can't find depth, range etc... Quote Link to comment
Deleted User 6 Posted February 9, 2010 Share Posted February 9, 2010 Not sure - here's more info: http://www.flickr.com/photos/brianmayes/4035444248/ looks like they host a barrel sponge. Bali, I think. Quote Link to comment
johnmaloney Posted February 9, 2010 Author Share Posted February 9, 2010 we have barrel sponges...i have seen those, will have to take a peak next time I am in the Keys... Quote Link to comment
Deleted User 6 Posted February 9, 2010 Share Posted February 9, 2010 Maybe Lissoporcellana sp. Pretty sure these aren't in the Keys though, lol. Maybe a relative? At any rate, I can't keep a barrel sponge in my tank so no use trying to get one of these guys. Looks like the sp. hosts soft coral/sponges. Quote Link to comment
johnmaloney Posted February 9, 2010 Author Share Posted February 9, 2010 oh hey I looked at that thread...those guys are from Bali. Figures... Quote Link to comment
Deleted User 6 Posted February 9, 2010 Share Posted February 9, 2010 Bali, I think. So go to Bali then! Quote Link to comment
johnmaloney Posted February 9, 2010 Author Share Posted February 9, 2010 will do, if you see a bill from travelocity just ignore it. How much are Bali flights these days? Quote Link to comment
Deleted User 6 Posted February 9, 2010 Share Posted February 9, 2010 maybe you can help me out with mutualisms in the gulf. my tank is supposedly mutualism themed, lol. if you can think of nano-sized symbioses that are reef safe that you have access to, let me know. It's going to be a couple months before I can buy though - taxes were a ##### this year. Quote Link to comment
johnmaloney Posted February 9, 2010 Author Share Posted February 9, 2010 (edited) taxes do suck...as a fisherman i get a later "pay them" date but it still sucks...dash gobies and blind shrimp i can get, pretty common fish. They don't look special though, no color whatsoever and I know y'all are big with the color... I have a checkered pistol now too, and come across other pistols. Orangespot gobies and dash gobies are good picks there too. I know a guy who sometimes gets conch fish if you have a 150 to house one of the milk conchs...lots of options....no long spine and green banded combos though. The smaller ones like rock boring urchins though. oh yeah nano...dash goby and blind shrimp. Edited February 9, 2010 by johnmaloney Quote Link to comment
animalmaster6 Posted February 9, 2010 Share Posted February 9, 2010 Awesome thread! What are some really exotic inverts that are reef safe and do not harm virtually anything? I want the 125G to be as exotic as possible invert wise. And what color Porcelain Crabs do you have? If you have them. Thanks! Quote Link to comment
johnmaloney Posted February 10, 2010 Author Share Posted February 10, 2010 exotic inverts and doesnt harm anything dont tend to go together....if something eats only algae, it tends to be abundant, if it isnt abundant it tends to eat other inverts. Cryptic teardrops I think are exotic, but the nine armed sea star is the rarest according to my books, it is probably just harder to find other guys. The orange decorator I have best fits your request. Quote Link to comment
animalmaster6 Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 exotic inverts and doesnt harm anything dont tend to go together....if something eats only algae, it tends to be abundant, if it isnt abundant it tends to eat other inverts. Cryptic teardrops I think are exotic, but the nine armed sea star is the rarest according to my books, it is probably just harder to find other guys. The orange decorator I have best fits your request. Interesting. I thought decorator crabs were really mean? I'm having tiny .75 in. gobies. Quote Link to comment
yardboy Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Hey John, is this list still valid? If so I'm getting all quivery thinking of the possibilities! Quote Link to comment
animalmaster6 Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Have you ever seen triplefins where you collect? I think they are farther down in the Caribbean though. Quote Link to comment
Neya Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 (edited) Last time I stayed on the keys (loggerhead... My uncle was a volunteer lighthouse "keeper") we could swim through the schools of tarpon. The scary part was the huge barracuda who took a serious liking to me. Being a new englander and having something with those giant sharp teeth swim 3" away from your face is scary. I think another keeper was feeding it, it followed me every time I got in the water. I suppose there are frightening fish in Boston waters, but we can't see em! I loved it there. If I could move there, I would. Sorry, Im ranting. Free bump Edited February 14, 2011 by Neya Quote Link to comment
johnmaloney Posted February 14, 2011 Author Share Posted February 14, 2011 (edited) neya - there is! bluefish have nasty teeth, I would hate to run into a school of man eating bluefish. tarpon schools are awesome, that must have been a cool trip. Amazingly graceful fish for their size... Yeah, close up with a barracuda can't be fun. Can't escape them in the Keys, they are everywhere it seems...and curious am -no i dont come across triplefins much, I think have seen one in my entire life outside the florida keys. they tend to live on coral too, so it is a pain to get I imagine. It is nearly impossible to collect a coral dwelling fish without touching the coral..maybe that is why you don't see them in the hobby much. They are a cool fish and pretty striking color. (for caribb fish at least) Never kept one though... The Rosy Blenny ihas similar behavior but with a greater range. (Looks different too, but a cool fish all the same, pappilose blennies are another one, I do see them every so often here, but still pretty rare.) yardboy - it does, remember those red anemones you had I wrongly identified as warty nems? i found those should you ever want more, i remember you said that spot may have disappeared, that happens every so often i think...anyway they are here and there, not many but if you wanted one I could get them for you. i can get most things on the list, but to target them is a problem. i am behind a lot these days, and to target an oddball item may take 5 hours or so, making it expensive. If you are willing to wait to luck out, I bump into all those species throughout the year, just be prepared to wait. (Sometimes it also takes additional gear - scaly tailed mantis for example needs a tickle stick, something i dont normally carry). But yeah, let me know in a list and I will let you know when I can get it. 12 month turn around time or less for sure, but you will still be in the hobby so who cares. (I have to learn how to ship fish too, I am still a little unsure about a few things...) see neya, no need to apologize for rambling^ Edited February 14, 2011 by johnmaloney Quote Link to comment
yardboy Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Great John. i'm a patient man. My trip to Tom's on Islamorada isn't until May, when I hope to gather the critters for a symbiotic relaitonship involving CurlyCue's, anemone and snapping shrimp and cardinal fish. Spots already cleared in the tank but I won't buy it if I can collect it! I might not love it if i did it for a living but I do love collecting stuff for my tank, and Tom can put you on stuff as common as the anemone's, shrimp and cardinals. Quote Link to comment
johnmaloney Posted February 15, 2011 Author Share Posted February 15, 2011 it is still fun, my newest tank is almost all pacific critters at the time now though... Quote Link to comment
yardboy Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 John, I posted your list on our local forum. If you'd rather it not be there, you are the moderator on that forum so you can erase it. I've found that there are quite a few who have that interest here. Regional pride, I guess! I picked up a couple of nice warty anemones this past weekend at our meeting frag swap. Neat to see such stuff valued. Of course, I also traded for a beautiful blue mini-maxi, what can I say? Quote Link to comment
Mudfish Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 neya - there is! bluefish have nasty teeth, I would hate to run into a school of man eating bluefish. tarpon schools are awesome, that must have been a cool trip. Amazingly graceful fish for their size... Yeah, close up with a barracuda can't be fun. Can't escape them in the Keys, they are everywhere it seems...and curious am -no i dont come across triplefins much, I think have seen one in my entire life outside the florida keys. they tend to live on coral too, so it is a pain to get I imagine. It is nearly impossible to collect a coral dwelling fish without touching the coral..maybe that is why you don't see them in the hobby much. They are a cool fish and pretty striking color. (for caribb fish at least) Never kept one though... The Rosy Blenny ihas similar behavior but with a greater range. (Looks different too, but a cool fish all the same, pappilose blennies are another one, I do see them every so often here, but still pretty rare.) yardboy - it does, remember those red anemones you had I wrongly identified as warty nems? i found those should you ever want more, i remember you said that spot may have disappeared, that happens every so often i think...anyway they are here and there, not many but if you wanted one I could get them for you. i can get most things on the list, but to target them is a problem. i am behind a lot these days, and to target an oddball item may take 5 hours or so, making it expensive. If you are willing to wait to luck out, I bump into all those species throughout the year, just be prepared to wait. (Sometimes it also takes additional gear - scaly tailed mantis for example needs a tickle stick, something i dont normally carry). But yeah, let me know in a list and I will let you know when I can get it. 12 month turn around time or less for sure, but you will still be in the hobby so who cares. (I have to learn how to ship fish too, I am still a little unsure about a few things...) see neya, no need to apologize for rambling^ Just thought I'd throw this in... My rosy blenny - Quote Link to comment
johnmaloney Posted February 16, 2011 Author Share Posted February 16, 2011 (edited) nice fish mudfish! He has nice color, is he shy still? Yeah warty nems are cool until they eat your sea robin, aggregating anemone and a st thomas mushroom. I no longer like warty nems... Probably my fault though... You know on your way back from Tom's if you want to swing through my area I can show you some things too. It will be summer then (?) and things will be slower around here so I could take the time to travel to a few places. Sure you can post there, once I get caught up I have to take a trip over to that forum soon.... I slipped off a ledge yesterday and landed on some oysters so I am short a hand at the moment, but next week I should be heading over there. Flip flops aren't work shoes apparently Edited February 16, 2011 by johnmaloney Quote Link to comment
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