Reef Animals in the Florida keys

chazman113 · 01/24/2006, 06:01 PM

I'm going to the Florida keys and want to pick up some critters fir my reef while I got snorkeling and canoeing. I know its illegal to take coral but I'de like to know some good spots to get mangrove pods, hermits, snails, anything really. Any suggestions?

LawnTodd · 01/24/2006, 06:32 PM

It is illegal to take mangrove pods in Florida. There are a lot of protected areas in the Keys where you can't collect anything.
LT

chazman113 · 01/24/2006, 06:52 PM

Even at the key from the james bond movie?

MinuteJohn · 01/24/2006, 07:16 PM

Which is the key from the Bond movie?

It's not illegal to take mangrove pods before they've sprouted. I you get caught taking a rooted mangrove however, you'll get 30 days in the electric chair. Here is a link to the fish and game regs for ornamentals in florida. Take note that if you are in Pennekamp or the national marine sanctuary the rules are a little different. Don't let this deter you though. Just do a little research first.

As far as where to find the stuff. Pretty much anywhere. Keep an eye out for floating mangrove pods there'll be plenty. There are shallow grass flats everywhere. Bring a fine mesh net and drag it through the beds. Something with a large opening and about a 4 ft handle, would be best. You'll find all kinds of stuff. Microstars, shrimp, crabs, pods, etc. Oh, and you'll need a fishing license.

Upper, middle or lower keys? I might be able to give more specifics.

chazman113 · 01/24/2006, 07:26 PM

I think it was Doctor No (or Dr. Gno?) I think it was crab key, I dont even know if its real

Thanks for the info! I am going to go anywhere in the keys that there will be stuff to get, anywhere you can suggest would be great. Also, know some good cheap campsites to go to? Me and a friend are sorta wingin it until we run out of money...

Ludwigia73 · 01/24/2006, 07:33 PM

Here's a sore spot with me. I pretty much grew up in the Keys. I used to collect there, different places, some before the majority of the sanctuaries were up. As I grew up, I noticed less and less to collect. That's when I stopped collecting. I guess I'm a little hypocritical, since I buy fish, and they were collected from other countries, but somehow it's different. I dive Broward's reefs, and they used to be amazing when I was 15, and now, I'm 33, and they're just depressing. I've watched diadema (longspine) urchins all but disappear, conchs are almost gone now, lobsters are getting to be rarer and rarer, etc. Now, there's still tons of brittle stars, so I won't complain about those in general, but I won't collect them anymore. When I dive Broward's reefs, seeing the cyanobacteria all over the place, covering dying coral heads, and realizing that collectors are taking tangs,angels, snails, hermits, gorgonians, tunicates, etc etc etc (algae eating and filter feeding organisms) It's almost sickening what we've done to such a great ecosystem. I still dive it, and I still wave off the cyano, and I still turn over rocks to see what I can find (more bristleworms than you'd ever care to see!). Anyway, I'm trying to appeal to everyone's sense of good nature and say leave the stuff you find behind, the ocean needs it more than we do.
A cool thing to do, on the other hand, is to tote a little raft or bucket around with you and shake out the sargassum weed. It's amazing the life you'll find in these, and most of it will end up dead on the shore anyway. I'll be starting a tank just for this stuff when the next FMAS show comes around. Tiny triggerfish, sargassum fish, pipefish, seahorses, shrimps, neat crabs that blend right in with the weed... I've even found tiny mutton snapper! Enjoy the sights, enjoy the wildlife. We conscientious divers have a phrase, take only pictures, leave only bubbles. It took me awhile to come around, but I understand we need the critters!

LawnTodd · 01/24/2006, 07:45 PM

Even seed pods are protected.

Fishfreak218 · 01/24/2006, 07:49 PM

nooo they cant be.. there is SO FRIKIN MANY ALMOST
EVERY TIME I GO TO THE BEACH.. what if they already washed up??

MinuteJohn · 01/24/2006, 07:52 PM

A few months ago I dove a shallow reef off islamorada I hadn't dove since I was a kid and it was sickening. No color, very little life. I use to snorkel right off Miami Beach. 20 yards out were rocks covered with hermits, snails, fish etc. Covered up by the beach renourishment projects(which I believe are the cause of your dieing broward reefs). JMO

That being said, collecting mangrove pods and dragging a net through the grass is about as low impact as it gets. People collecting for this hobby are not the cause of decline in south florida reefs. It's mainly pollution and pumping sludge onto beaches that covers coral and blocks out the sun; with careless boaters not helping any.

I feel as passionately on this subject as anyone but there is nothing wrong with responsible collecting. My opinion, I did not intend to offend.

MinuteJohn · 01/24/2006, 07:56 PM

As far as pods go, I do not have any proof that they are legal to collect. I do know however that numerous lfs collect them. And Floridapets.com collects them in florida and sells them over the internet. It is possible that everyone selling pods is breaking the law, I do not know, I do know that it is common practice to collect them however.

LawnTodd · 01/24/2006, 08:16 PM

I doubt anyone is going to bust you for collecting seed pods. There was a lenghty thread about this a year or so ago. If i was able to use the search button, I'd post the link here.

vee5_2000 · 01/25/2006, 02:16 PM

Dragging a net in the shallows and over grass beds is a great idea. I do this off the Pensacola beaches with great success, collecting pipefish, different shrimps, crabs galore and sometimes tiny flounders. It's a great way to put some life in the tank that doesn't have to be bought at the LFS.

01/24/2006, 06:01 PM	#1
chazman113 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 200	Reef Animals in the Florida keys I'm going to the Florida keys and want to pick up some critters fir my reef while I got snorkeling and canoeing. I know its illegal to take coral but I'de like to know some good spots to get mangrove pods, hermits, snails, anything really. Any suggestions?

01/24/2006, 07:33 PM	#6
Ludwigia73 Reef Reef Reef Reef Reef Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Davie, FL Posts: 4,841	Here's a sore spot with me. I pretty much grew up in the Keys. I used to collect there, different places, some before the majority of the sanctuaries were up. As I grew up, I noticed less and less to collect. That's when I stopped collecting. I guess I'm a little hypocritical, since I buy fish, and they were collected from other countries, but somehow it's different. I dive Broward's reefs, and they used to be amazing when I was 15, and now, I'm 33, and they're just depressing. I've watched diadema (longspine) urchins all but disappear, conchs are almost gone now, lobsters are getting to be rarer and rarer, etc. Now, there's still tons of brittle stars, so I won't complain about those in general, but I won't collect them anymore. When I dive Broward's reefs, seeing the cyanobacteria all over the place, covering dying coral heads, and realizing that collectors are taking tangs,angels, snails, hermits, gorgonians, tunicates, etc etc etc (algae eating and filter feeding organisms) It's almost sickening what we've done to such a great ecosystem. I still dive it, and I still wave off the cyano, and I still turn over rocks to see what I can find (more bristleworms than you'd ever care to see!). Anyway, I'm trying to appeal to everyone's sense of good nature and say leave the stuff you find behind, the ocean needs it more than we do. A cool thing to do, on the other hand, is to tote a little raft or bucket around with you and shake out the sargassum weed. It's amazing the life you'll find in these, and most of it will end up dead on the shore anyway. I'll be starting a tank just for this stuff when the next FMAS show comes around. Tiny triggerfish, sargassum fish, pipefish, seahorses, shrimps, neat crabs that blend right in with the weed... I've even found tiny mutton snapper! Enjoy the sights, enjoy the wildlife. We conscientious divers have a phrase, take only pictures, leave only bubbles. It took me awhile to come around, but I understand we need the critters! __________________ 14" cube (12 gal), LED's Current Tank Info: 125 gallon with 40 gallon sump, LED's

01/24/2006, 07:49 PM	#8
Fishfreak218 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: West Palm Beach Florida Posts: 1,412	nooo they cant be.. there is SO FRIKIN MANY ALMOST EVERY TIME I GO TO THE BEACH.. what if they already washed up?? __________________ -30g. Oceanic Cube Cuttlefish Reef -90g. Mixed Reef -14g Biocube FW planted tank -10g. frag tank (soon) Current Tank Info: 90g. Reef, 30g. Cube cuttlefish reef

01/24/2006, 06:32 PM	#2
LawnTodd Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: South Florida Posts: 1,228	It is illegal to take mangrove pods in Florida. There are a lot of protected areas in the Keys where you can't collect anything. LT

01/24/2006, 06:52 PM	#3
chazman113 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 200	Even at the key from the james bond movie?

01/24/2006, 07:16 PM	#4
MinuteJohn Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: P.S.N. Posts: 71	Which is the key from the Bond movie? It's not illegal to take mangrove pods before they've sprouted. I you get caught taking a rooted mangrove however, you'll get 30 days in the electric chair. Here is a link to the fish and game regs for ornamentals in florida. Take note that if you are in Pennekamp or the national marine sanctuary the rules are a little different. Don't let this deter you though. Just do a little research first. As far as where to find the stuff. Pretty much anywhere. Keep an eye out for floating mangrove pods there'll be plenty. There are shallow grass flats everywhere. Bring a fine mesh net and drag it through the beds. Something with a large opening and about a 4 ft handle, would be best. You'll find all kinds of stuff. Microstars, shrimp, crabs, pods, etc. Oh, and you'll need a fishing license. Upper, middle or lower keys? I might be able to give more specifics.

01/24/2006, 07:26 PM	#5
chazman113 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 200	I think it was Doctor No (or Dr. Gno?) I think it was crab key, I dont even know if its real Thanks for the info! I am going to go anywhere in the keys that there will be stuff to get, anywhere you can suggest would be great. Also, know some good cheap campsites to go to? Me and a friend are sorta wingin it until we run out of money...

01/24/2006, 07:45 PM	#7
LawnTodd Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: South Florida Posts: 1,228	Even seed pods are protected.

01/24/2006, 07:52 PM	#9
MinuteJohn Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: P.S.N. Posts: 71	A few months ago I dove a shallow reef off islamorada I hadn't dove since I was a kid and it was sickening. No color, very little life. I use to snorkel right off Miami Beach. 20 yards out were rocks covered with hermits, snails, fish etc. Covered up by the beach renourishment projects(which I believe are the cause of your dieing broward reefs). JMO That being said, collecting mangrove pods and dragging a net through the grass is about as low impact as it gets. People collecting for this hobby are not the cause of decline in south florida reefs. It's mainly pollution and pumping sludge onto beaches that covers coral and blocks out the sun; with careless boaters not helping any. I feel as passionately on this subject as anyone but there is nothing wrong with responsible collecting. My opinion, I did not intend to offend.

01/24/2006, 07:56 PM	#10
MinuteJohn Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: P.S.N. Posts: 71	As far as pods go, I do not have any proof that they are legal to collect. I do know however that numerous lfs collect them. And Floridapets.com collects them in florida and sells them over the internet. It is possible that everyone selling pods is breaking the law, I do not know, I do know that it is common practice to collect them however.

01/24/2006, 08:16 PM	#11
LawnTodd Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: South Florida Posts: 1,228	I doubt anyone is going to bust you for collecting seed pods. There was a lenghty thread about this a year or so ago. If i was able to use the search button, I'd post the link here.

01/25/2006, 02:16 PM	#12
vee5_2000 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Pensacola, Fl Posts: 34	Dragging a net in the shallows and over grass beds is a great idea. I do this off the Pensacola beaches with great success, collecting pipefish, different shrimps, crabs galore and sometimes tiny flounders. It's a great way to put some life in the tank that doesn't have to be bought at the LFS.