How to get Free Pods for mandarins and seahorses

ManotheSea · 01/16/2008, 10:21 PM

For anyone who lives near the ocean here is the souce for endless pods. Method to capture live pods is too easy.

Get three beach pails and a screen of any type. A frying pan splatter screen from the dollar store works well. Take two pails to the beach and fill them with handfuls of seaweed scooped up from the water. Make sure you fill the pails at least half way with water. Go home with them fairly quickly so they dont stagnate.

Next set up the third pail with the strainer screen over it. Pour the water from the seaweed pail into the empty pail straining through the screen. Dont dump out the seaweed, just the water. Every time you pour there will be dozens of pods caught on the screen. Shake it into your refugum and strain again. Repeat as many times as it takes until you see no more pods, shaking them into the refug after every time you pour.

You will have more pods than you can believe. A free endless souce of pods for mandarins and seahorses to those fotunate enough to live near the shore. If you want a whole lot of pods use 5 gal buckets.

I find much appreciation in knowing that I can so easliy keep such beautiful and difficult to keep creatures alive by living close to their natural food souce and utilizing it. So before one more mandarin or seahorse that lives in a tank near the shore gets hungry I thought I would spread the news about free pods.

demonsp · 01/16/2008, 10:26 PM

Crazy talk.If its at the shore then your polluting your tank.

ManotheSea · 01/16/2008, 10:44 PM

Oh come on now. You think that pods will polute your tank from the ocean? Im not suggesting you pour the water in. Just strain out the pods that live in the seaweed. Where do most of your corals and fish come from? Coral reefs are usually near the shore too.

I just see many threads about the difficulty of obtaing, keeping and feeding live pods to mandarins and seahorses. This is a great source for the many people who live within travel distance of the ocean.

JakeA08 · 01/16/2008, 10:46 PM

i dont live near the shore so there is no way for me to utitilize this info, but I would be interested in the opnions of others as to weather or not this would be harmful to the tank. It seems like it would because of chemicals and pollution in the water like demonsp said. What does every one else think?

demonsp · 01/16/2008, 11:00 PM

The reefs that they collect stock from are not near the beach.The beacj is the oceans natural filter and the most polluted.Having a reef tank in your house with the basic needs is fairly new and experimental ,the draw i recived and the key to having a long term succesfull system is your control.Collecting things from rock to pods on the shoreline means you no longer have or want control of your tank,Your a rebal and there are a few so GL and procede slowly as you could be breaking new rounds.Or Not GL...

ManotheSea · 01/16/2008, 11:08 PM

OK. I didnt mean to start any controversy. Two against one. You guys win. I sure dont want to be responsible for polluting any ones tank. So no more capturing pods.

One last thought before I pass-

Have you thought about what happens when a coral, invert or fish is collected? It is sent to the wholesaler the next day. They in turn ship to your local fish store the following day. You see the piece and want to get it before the next guy grabs it. You buy it rather than risk it being sold before you return another day. You just added something into your tank two days out of the ocean and collected near shore. But from now on we will just leave the pods in the sea where they belong.

chris1017 · 01/16/2008, 11:13 PM

that is why you should alway's QT before adding anything to your tank.

chris

scotmc · 01/16/2008, 11:13 PM

Not all beaches are polluted. You would have to find some water quality reports in that location to make sure. If there is an abondance of life at beach. The water quality is probally good. I would qt anything you get from a beach to make sure,

demonsp · 01/16/2008, 11:29 PM

All beaches are polluted one way or another.It may not be pooluted with made made stuff but will be with dead fish , ocean waste and other unwanted and unkown stuff.Beaches are the oceans bio filter and should not be used for any home tank.

scotmc · 01/16/2008, 11:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by demonsp
All beaches are polluted one way or another.It may not be pooluted with made made stuff but will be with dead fish , ocean waste and other unwanted and unkown stuff.Beaches are the oceans bio filter and should not be used for any home tank.

I have no idea what beaches you have been too. Your incorrect in your statements. I think you have taken the "beaches are the oceans bio filter" a little too far.

demonsp · 01/16/2008, 11:48 PM

Its not were ive been but a fact that beaches filter the oceans unwanted waste. In your home reef tank success is about control and collecting anything from a beach to add in your tank means you still dont understand the basics of a reef tank. Just because one guy used beach sand doesnt mean the next 100 people will be able to. Your taking a chance and with the amount of time and money invested im not willing to take that chance.

Its a fact that the beach is the oceans filter and ther is no way around that.With that in mind and you still want to chance it then its called irresponsible reef keeping. Though i say all this with a smile and no disrepect.

scotmc · 01/17/2008, 12:15 AM

If you had taken the time to read this thread. The authur states pods and seahorses, not sand. If you have pods and seahorses, chances are good the water quality is fine. these live in title areas which get good flow. I further stated, to get a water quality for that beach. All states have them. How any of this is deamed irresponsible reef keeping is beyond me. To state all beach life is not suited for a home tank is irresponsible. Your just promoting another myth into fact.

sundancer · 01/17/2008, 12:21 AM

I don't know enough to side with onw or the other but I am sure both views have merit.

Lance,you can't label someone who is entitled to his/her opinion as irresponsible without disrespect.

Remember, "Aquarium keeping is part science,part art and part voodoo." -Robert Fenner

demonsp · 01/17/2008, 12:23 AM

Beaches are a bio filter for the ocean are not a myth. And he states gathering pods from beached seaweed. Its not a good why for control.A refug.wold be the safe bet and most practiced with success. Just the facts , not a random experiance.

scotmc · 01/17/2008, 12:39 AM

Manofthe sea has a good idea. I hope people are smart enough to differentiate myth from fact. most people put pods in their refug, so I have no idea what that comment has to do with anything. Try and understand inforamtion, not just terms.

AquaReeferMan · 01/17/2008, 01:32 AM

IMO I see nothing bad coming out of doing what ManoftheSea suggested. I think it a great idea. I dont see how a handful of pods going to pollute a tank. Makes no sense to me.

R.L.Young · 01/17/2008, 02:07 AM

Isn't the live rock and sand the bio filter of the oceans? The beaches are more like the skimmer, so just don't collect the skimmate and you'll be find,and always remember not to overdue.

pledosophy · 01/17/2008, 02:57 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by scotmc
If you had taken the time to read this thread. The authur states pods and seahorses, not sand. If you have pods and seahorses, chances are good the water quality is fine. these live in title areas which get good flow. I further stated, to get a water quality for that beach. All states have them. How any of this is deamed irresponsible reef keeping is beyond me. To state all beach life is not suited for a home tank is irresponsible. Your just promoting another myth into fact.

Funny Guy. If you had taken the time to read the thread before criticizing someone else for not reading the thread, you would have seen the author does not mention capturing WC seahorses this way, just pods.

Despite wether or not it is a good thing for your tank, I beleive it is not myself as WC crustaceans have shown to be carriers for many pathogens and parasites so they should not be given out as food IMO, it is illegal in Florida without a permit.

Another side note, adult seahorses really don't eat pods as a staple of there diet.

Sangogo · 01/17/2008, 03:08 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by demonsp
The reefs that they collect stock from are not near the beach.

I am not sure I agree with this statement. Most SPS are from shallow areas, which are pretty close to the beach. Now, I'll totally admit that the beaches near most industrial areas are pretty gross, but I've been to some very clean beaches in Japan with some gorgeous coral literally just a few feet out from the beach.

IceWish · 01/17/2008, 06:00 AM

this is a great method, i wish i was living near a beach to try it...

ManotheSea · 01/17/2008, 06:03 AM

Wow! I didnt know we had Pod Police. They sure do spread a lot of myths. They are just shooting things off the top of their head with out bothering to look up the facts.

First Myth Busted: Collecting seaweed and pods for your own personal use does not require a permit in FL. It requires either residency or a $13 fishing lisence for non-residents... I am guessing now, but I think the rest of the ocean front property in the nation probably does not even have that minimal requirement on pod catching.

Second Myth Busted: Reefs are usually not collected from in deep water or areas far from population. This is economics. Boat gas and scuba gear cost money. Deep water and travel to remote pollution free areas cost time. I personally spoke to a man from Indonesia who told me he used to collect live coral for a living. He claims they held their breath or used a shared hose from the boat to get air pumped to them while collecting. This does not sound likely to be a deep water expedition. We dont have scientists with aqualungs and submersibles collecting our corals for us.

Beginning of a great idea: I agree that QT is very good practice when practical. There are other times when compromise has to be used. I figured out how to get the pods out of the sea. Can any one else figure a good way to get pods out of a QT? Then we will have generated a great idea to completion.

scotmc · 01/17/2008, 06:07 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by pledosophy
Funny Guy. If you had taken the time to read the thread before criticizing someone else for not reading the thread, you would have seen the author does not mention capturing WC seahorses this way, just pods.

Despite wether or not it is a good thing for your tank, I beleive it is not myself as WC crustaceans have shown to be carriers for many pathogens and parasites so they should not be given out as food IMO, it is illegal in Florida without a permit.

Another side note, adult seahorses really don't eat pods as a staple of there diet.

I am glad to see someone read the thread, but it really does not change anything. Thanks, for pointing that minuscule issue.

new_world_disor · 01/17/2008, 06:12 AM

sounds like a good plan to me. i live in the UK, nice big island. i may give that a go for my sisters sea-horsey tank. ( a 150 )

discocarp · 01/17/2008, 07:16 AM

When I had seahorses I would do something similar. I would pick up rocks in shallow water. The bottom of the rocks would be loaded with gammarus. Swish in a bucket and you get loads of them.

I did this for years and never had a problem.

scotmc · 01/17/2008, 07:21 AM

You could probally use a fry net to get them out. siphion the water into a fry net. That may work.

01/16/2008, 10:21 PM	#1
ManotheSea Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: FL Posts: 414	How to get Free Pods for mandarins and seahorses For anyone who lives near the ocean here is the souce for endless pods. Method to capture live pods is too easy. Get three beach pails and a screen of any type. A frying pan splatter screen from the dollar store works well. Take two pails to the beach and fill them with handfuls of seaweed scooped up from the water. Make sure you fill the pails at least half way with water. Go home with them fairly quickly so they dont stagnate. Next set up the third pail with the strainer screen over it. Pour the water from the seaweed pail into the empty pail straining through the screen. Dont dump out the seaweed, just the water. Every time you pour there will be dozens of pods caught on the screen. Shake it into your refugum and strain again. Repeat as many times as it takes until you see no more pods, shaking them into the refug after every time you pour. You will have more pods than you can believe. A free endless souce of pods for mandarins and seahorses to those fotunate enough to live near the shore. If you want a whole lot of pods use 5 gal buckets. I find much appreciation in knowing that I can so easliy keep such beautiful and difficult to keep creatures alive by living close to their natural food souce and utilizing it. So before one more mandarin or seahorse that lives in a tank near the shore gets hungry I thought I would spread the news about free pods.

01/17/2008, 01:32 AM	#16
AquaReeferMan Got Reef? Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Under the Sea, Pa Posts: 4,593	IMO I see nothing bad coming out of doing what ManoftheSea suggested. I think it a great idea. I dont see how a handful of pods going to pollute a tank. Makes no sense to me. __________________ Couple SPS/Zoanthid tanks and a couple of FW planted tanks. Current Tank Info: 5 pieces of glass with some silicone and plastic frames holding them together

01/17/2008, 02:07 AM	#17
R.L.Young Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Pennsylvaina Posts: 154	Isn't the live rock and sand the bio filter of the oceans? The beaches are more like the skimmer, so just don't collect the skimmate and you'll be find,and always remember not to overdue. __________________ R.L. Young Current Tank Info: 55 gallon reef

01/16/2008, 10:26 PM	#2
demonsp Moved On Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: el paso tx Posts: 7,634	Crazy talk.If its at the shore then your polluting your tank.

01/16/2008, 10:44 PM	#3
ManotheSea Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: FL Posts: 414	Oh come on now. You think that pods will polute your tank from the ocean? Im not suggesting you pour the water in. Just strain out the pods that live in the seaweed. Where do most of your corals and fish come from? Coral reefs are usually near the shore too. I just see many threads about the difficulty of obtaing, keeping and feeding live pods to mandarins and seahorses. This is a great source for the many people who live within travel distance of the ocean.

01/16/2008, 10:46 PM	#4
JakeA08 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 22	i dont live near the shore so there is no way for me to utitilize this info, but I would be interested in the opnions of others as to weather or not this would be harmful to the tank. It seems like it would because of chemicals and pollution in the water like demonsp said. What does every one else think?

01/16/2008, 11:00 PM	#5
demonsp Moved On Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: el paso tx Posts: 7,634	The reefs that they collect stock from are not near the beach.The beacj is the oceans natural filter and the most polluted.Having a reef tank in your house with the basic needs is fairly new and experimental ,the draw i recived and the key to having a long term succesfull system is your control.Collecting things from rock to pods on the shoreline means you no longer have or want control of your tank,Your a rebal and there are a few so GL and procede slowly as you could be breaking new rounds.Or Not GL...

01/16/2008, 11:08 PM	#6
ManotheSea Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: FL Posts: 414	OK. I didnt mean to start any controversy. Two against one. You guys win. I sure dont want to be responsible for polluting any ones tank. So no more capturing pods. One last thought before I pass- Have you thought about what happens when a coral, invert or fish is collected? It is sent to the wholesaler the next day. They in turn ship to your local fish store the following day. You see the piece and want to get it before the next guy grabs it. You buy it rather than risk it being sold before you return another day. You just added something into your tank two days out of the ocean and collected near shore. But from now on we will just leave the pods in the sea where they belong.

01/16/2008, 11:13 PM	#7
chris1017 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 110	that is why you should alway's QT before adding anything to your tank. chris

01/16/2008, 11:13 PM	#8
scotmc Moved On Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Maryland Posts: 765	Not all beaches are polluted. You would have to find some water quality reports in that location to make sure. If there is an abondance of life at beach. The water quality is probally good. I would qt anything you get from a beach to make sure,

01/16/2008, 11:29 PM	#9
demonsp Moved On Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: el paso tx Posts: 7,634	All beaches are polluted one way or another.It may not be pooluted with made made stuff but will be with dead fish , ocean waste and other unwanted and unkown stuff.Beaches are the oceans bio filter and should not be used for any home tank.

01/16/2008, 11:48 PM	#11
demonsp Moved On Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: el paso tx Posts: 7,634	Its not were ive been but a fact that beaches filter the oceans unwanted waste. In your home reef tank success is about control and collecting anything from a beach to add in your tank means you still dont understand the basics of a reef tank. Just because one guy used beach sand doesnt mean the next 100 people will be able to. Your taking a chance and with the amount of time and money invested im not willing to take that chance. Its a fact that the beach is the oceans filter and ther is no way around that.With that in mind and you still want to chance it then its called irresponsible reef keeping. Though i say all this with a smile and no disrepect.

01/17/2008, 12:15 AM	#12
scotmc Moved On Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Maryland Posts: 765	If you had taken the time to read this thread. The authur states pods and seahorses, not sand. If you have pods and seahorses, chances are good the water quality is fine. these live in title areas which get good flow. I further stated, to get a water quality for that beach. All states have them. How any of this is deamed irresponsible reef keeping is beyond me. To state all beach life is not suited for a home tank is irresponsible. Your just promoting another myth into fact.

01/17/2008, 12:21 AM	#13
sundancer Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: San Francisco Posts: 373	I don't know enough to side with onw or the other but I am sure both views have merit. Lance,you can't label someone who is entitled to his/her opinion as irresponsible without disrespect. Remember, "Aquarium keeping is part science,part art and part voodoo." -Robert Fenner

01/17/2008, 12:23 AM	#14
demonsp Moved On Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: el paso tx Posts: 7,634	Beaches are a bio filter for the ocean are not a myth. And he states gathering pods from beached seaweed. Its not a good why for control.A refug.wold be the safe bet and most practiced with success. Just the facts , not a random experiance.

01/17/2008, 12:39 AM	#15
scotmc Moved On Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Maryland Posts: 765	Manofthe sea has a good idea. I hope people are smart enough to differentiate myth from fact. most people put pods in their refug, so I have no idea what that comment has to do with anything. Try and understand inforamtion, not just terms.

01/17/2008, 06:00 AM	#20
IceWish Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Main Tank Fingering Frags Posts: 117	this is a great method, i wish i was living near a beach to try it...

01/17/2008, 06:03 AM	#21
ManotheSea Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: FL Posts: 414	Wow! I didnt know we had Pod Police. They sure do spread a lot of myths. They are just shooting things off the top of their head with out bothering to look up the facts. First Myth Busted: Collecting seaweed and pods for your own personal use does not require a permit in FL. It requires either residency or a $13 fishing lisence for non-residents... I am guessing now, but I think the rest of the ocean front property in the nation probably does not even have that minimal requirement on pod catching. Second Myth Busted: Reefs are usually not collected from in deep water or areas far from population. This is economics. Boat gas and scuba gear cost money. Deep water and travel to remote pollution free areas cost time. I personally spoke to a man from Indonesia who told me he used to collect live coral for a living. He claims they held their breath or used a shared hose from the boat to get air pumped to them while collecting. This does not sound likely to be a deep water expedition. We dont have scientists with aqualungs and submersibles collecting our corals for us. Beginning of a great idea: I agree that QT is very good practice when practical. There are other times when compromise has to be used. I figured out how to get the pods out of the sea. Can any one else figure a good way to get pods out of a QT? Then we will have generated a great idea to completion.

01/17/2008, 06:12 AM	#23
new_world_disor Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: cardiff, wales Posts: 1,393	sounds like a good plan to me. i live in the UK, nice big island. i may give that a go for my sisters sea-horsey tank. ( a 150 )

01/17/2008, 07:16 AM	#24
discocarp Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Winter Park, FL Posts: 2,707	When I had seahorses I would do something similar. I would pick up rocks in shallow water. The bottom of the rocks would be loaded with gammarus. Swish in a bucket and you get loads of them. I did this for years and never had a problem.

01/17/2008, 07:21 AM	#25
scotmc Moved On Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Maryland Posts: 765	You could probally use a fry net to get them out. siphion the water into a fry net. That may work.