Fish hitchhiker help

[Rhino883]

Walking on the beach and found a shell that my girlfriend

Liked and had to have brought it home and found this guy

In it

http://i1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa479/...ty/1aa08088.jpg

http://i1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa479/...ty/d0022fd3.jpg

http://i1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa479/...ty/e79e9d3e.jpg

Sorry about the crappy pictures but it's all I've got till I get a new pc

Thanks for the help

[fishman65]

Where was the beach? Panama city?

[Rhino883]

Where was the beach? Panama city?

Yeah Carl grey park or what ever it's called behind gcc

[iball1804]

You found a fish? In a shell?

 

Keep the shell, but put the fish back. It already had an established environment and food source. He looks stressed!

[fishman65]

I agree, take the fish back to the beach. It could have a parasite or may not accept food in an aquarium setting.

[iball1804]

I agree, take the fish back to the beach. It could have a parasite or may not accept food in an aquarium setting.

Exactly. Poor thing. Please put it back!

[Rhino883]

Will do.... Now I feel really bad for even taking the shell....

Any idea on what it is though just for curiosity sake?

Also now I want to setup a biotope for this area how do i do

That? Can I collect locally or buy aquacultured specimens?

[Zeadon]

I say keep it if you like it and if its legal. All wild caught reef fish (which is the majority of reef fish in the industry) were removed from the ocean, so this is no different.

 

in terms of the chances of it having a parasite, then thats the risk you should consider yourself.

[Rhino883]

Well vary true and it's legal to my knowledge so far....

I have my sw fishing licsence and trying to figure out species now

Parasites and desise are a 50/50 shot anyway right? Even with aquaculture?

[iball1804]

If anything, parasites or not, I just feel bad for it.

[DaJMasta]

Only keep it if you can meet these conditions:

You find out exactly what it is

Your tank is big enough to house it when it gets larger

You can provide the proper food and it accepts that food

You accept the risk that it carries parasites, disease, or other pests (which can kill it, other things in your tank, or worse).

 

The chances of a really bad parasite is pretty low, the the chances of it bringing in new things to your tank is around 100%.

[awpong]

Can you get a better picture? It's too hard to ID with those three. But I'd guess somewhere in the scorpionfish family (One of these three genera probably: Scorpaena, Scorpaenopsis, or Scorpaenodes)

[Rhino883]

Well if I can figure out what it is I will know if I can do all of it

Foods not an issue nether will the tank size ( I'm sure unless it

Grows to a ridiculous size ) nor parasites being it's the only thing

In there right now....well other then 3 snails

[iball1804]

How big's your tank?

[Rhino883]

I'll try to now

[fishman65]

Ive been looking and looking to try and ID this guy, I agree maybe in the scorpion fish family.

[Rhino883]

It's in a 10 gallon but have a 29 and a 55 if need be...

Have a 75 on hold if need be I can Change to a bigger tank

[sublunary]

I disagree with the people telling you to put it back. There's a chance the fish could pick up something in your aquarium that isn't native to the area and take it back to the wild. So releasing things you've put into your system is in general not the best thing to do.

[Rhino883]

I can't seem to get any better pictures... (darn camera phones)

And can't use my t2i cause no computer to upload pictures to...

 

 

Very true...

[patback]

I disagree with the people telling you to put it back. There's a chance the fish could pick up something in your aquarium that isn't native to the area and take it back to the wild. So releasing things you've put into your system is in general not the best thing to do.

This. Around by me, if you go freshwater boating in one pond or lake, and a year later go to another, and there is some dead plant life on your trailer.... You would get fined by the dec for introducing new species. This is in ponds, much smaller than a huge ocean, but still te same principle.

 

I also agree, at least 75 percent of anything other than coral in your tank is wild caught. Some of your corals too, probably.

[altolamprologus]

I disagree with the people telling you to put it back. There's a chance the fish could pick up something in your aquarium that isn't native to the area and take it back to the wild. So releasing things you've put into your system is in general not the best thing to do.

Yep, it's actually illegal almost everywhere to release aquatic organisms once they're in captivity. There's way too much risk of introducing a disease into the wild that the native species have no resistance to.

[Rhino883]

Ok well that narrows it down to keeping it.

Lesson learned for next time.

Side note found out why it was in the shell

Eggs tons and tons of them little orange ones the size of a .

[Rhino883]

Could it be a blenny?

[bushybeaver]

toadfish?

[BlackSumbel]

Pardon the obvious response, but could it be a "Florida Blenny"? Then again, it looks way more like a Florida Blenny.

 

Regardless, my vote's a Blenny.