HACKED BY CYBER-ATTACK - ALPERENBTN

[Joe R]

I Am fixing to start a large saltwater aqaurium and would like to keep all native species.We've collected some beautiful anemones and fishes around the jetties and was wondering if anyone else collects native creatures for their tank.Thanx, joe

[Big John]

I got into saltwater aquariums that way, and switched over to store bought when I moved to SA. Now that I am back, I plan to start another take using live rock and sand taken from our beaches, and stock it with native fish and other sealife.

Are you using live sand and rock from the area or store bought figi?

There are a lot of great fish around here. Watch out, as the Sergeant Major Damsels you find at the jetties (the yellow, black and silver striped fish) are very aggressive. Also, if you catch an little brown fish with red eyes that are angular in shape, throw them back. They are vicious and will eat the fins from all the other fish.

Last warning, don't buy fish at the store and put them in a native tank. The native fish and water may cause the store bought fish infection, or diseases or worse.

Try a push net in the grass beds of the Laguna - you find some really interesting things in their. Also, scraping a net against the seaweed growing on the rocks will yields some interesting fish, as will grabbing large bunches of sargassum as it floats in and shaking it out over a 5 gallon bucket.
_________________
Give a man a fish, feed him for a day.

Teach a man to fish, he'll be broke and hungry the rest of his life!

John Sullivan
Native Corpus Christian
Currently Displaced in San Antonio

[Joe R]

awsome!,thanx for the tips.so far I've been collecting mostly rock,anemonies,snails,etc. until my tank is completed it's gonna be a whopping 800 gal.the sand,and water will be native .I've got some books on native fishes but am having trouble finding a good book to help identify all the other crazy little crustaceans and critters you can catch here.I mostly mix my fishing with collecting,but would like to find other aqaurium hobbiests/fisherman interested in making some collecting trips and probably do some fishing too.

[Big John at work]

There is a book called "Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico" that will help you identify fish. I'm not sure how thorough it is about crustaceans and other critters.

800 gallons! Wow!

When you get it set up and filled, I'd love to see that bad boy!

[Mike S]

Joe R and Big John If you really want to get some great native fish for your aquariums stop by Clem's Marina and talk to Jeff Kratz. Croaker season is starting for the shrimpers and he gets all types of native fishes
when he drags for croaker. He brings alot of them back to the marina. I'm sure he wouldn't mind putting a few in a bucket for you.

Mike S

[Joe R]

I have the Fishes of the gulf of mex. book it only has fish.I'll definetly be going by clems.I've been there before and would'nt mind having a batfish like the one that was there.appreciate the info guys. thanx,Joe

[Big John at work]

Unfortunately, it will be a few months before I can get mine going. I think it might be past croaker season then, but I stopped in Clem's a couple weeks ago, and they only had one lone angel fish in their tank.

[Joe R]

Thats a shame.It's been a while since I've been there.I usually catch my own bait or throw plastic.The Tank a friend & I are setting up is going to be In a new steakhouse going up here in kingsville.only the front is going to be glass, used bank windows to be exact.all the sand,rock,water,& critters will come from the island.the only thing I have not figured out is how to get 800gal. of my favorite water from the surf to my tank.

[Yankee]

Hey Joe I have two Native and 2 Reef tanks in my house. In the Natives I have a puffer, Sgt. Majors, arrow crab, rock shrimp, and a Frill Fin Goby, in the other tank I have a Piggy Perch and a Toad Fish. Everytime that I go down I get more and more stuff. I know that for IDing stuff, Beach Bum ID's all of mine. You have to watch out what you put in there because some of them eat everything in there. My toadfish will clean out any small fish and my Piggy will eat all the shrimp. The best way I have collected my critters is in the tidal pools at night on the jetty's with a headlamp and a net. This year I will snorkle the jetties for starfish and any other fish that I might be able to catch while holding my breathe. Also always check the seedweed and shake them out over a 5 gallon bucket.

[Big John at work]

Yeah, you have to be careful about that. I shook out a sargassum fish out of a big ball of sargassum, and when I put him in the tank, he ate everything else. Those fish will eat anything that is the same size as them or smaller.

Joe, I'm out seeing clients in Kingsville every so often about once every two weeks. After your resturants open, I'll have to stop in.

As far as transporting that much native water at once, it might be better to go down to PETCO and pick up bags of salt mix, and make your own.

Remember, put the sand and rocks in first and let the tank cycle for at least a month before adding any fish.

Man, if you're using a wet dry filter, I bet the sucker is at least a 50 gallon sump to handle that tank!

[Guest]

hey joe id love to go w u let me know when ur ready

[fred]

Where in Kingsville is your new steakhoue going to be located?

[-Zano]

Joe, Big John, and the native collecting gang, is this legal collecting native species out of state (or the feds) waters? I ask because it's illegal to fish (by any method or means) w/o a license (except in private fresh water ponds). In salt water (& public fresh waters) we need a license to engage in the act of fishing, whether or not we catch anything or if the fish is classified as a "game fish" or not. Same for hunting (or trapping), even if for pigs (private property - not game animal), etc. Just curious if you've checked this out.

Also, I can't imagine even thinking about how many endangerd & threatened fish species there are in our waters and having to research that all out and make sure I didn't get any in my net/bucket/tank. It's bad enough worrying about getting busted with all the complex fish/hunt regs now, much less that to worry about too. -Zano

[Big John]

Zano,

I am sure if someone is on this board they likely have a fishing license. I am also sure that no one intends to put an undersize fish in their tank.

I am not sure exactly how many threatened species we have here. I haven't heard of any species in this area that are threatened except local populations of snook and tarpon, but again - person's on this board should all have fishing licenses and know the rules anyway, which apply to keeping only one slot sized snook and catch and release of tarpon only.

In South Padre there is a limit on catching certain species of mullosk and other inverts during certain times of the year, but none of that applies here in this case.

This is a smiply and fun activity, and I believe you are just working much too hard to make it stressful and difficult.
_________________
Give a man a fish, feed him for a day.

Teach a man to fish, he'll be broke and hungry the rest of his life!

John Sullivan
Native Corpus Christian
Currently Displaced in San Antonio

[Joe R]

The Steak house I speak of is going to be on King st.& university blvd. It's gonna be called uncle joes & the food and atmosphere are going to be reflective of my 2 favorite places the beach & the ranch.We're hoping to be up and running by aug. I'm hoping the aquarium is'nt too much of an eye sore at first as I know it's gonna take a while to establish such a large tank & the whole reason I wanna use beach water is so I won't have to cycle synthetic water,but know I may have to.I think having native fishes shows off the beauty of our own wild species which are fun to collect at our favorite spots.showing that you don't have to spend hundreds of dollars to have beautiful healthy fish in your aquarium.I think I might even start a native aquarium hobbiest club.I think it would be great to be at home,look through the glass & be in the gulf of mex.