Where on long island can i go to collect a clean up crew

[watchedout]

Anyone know any spots I can go to collect a clean up crew

 

[bigsink]

Pets Warehouse, Aquarium Village, or Tropical Island.

 

[watchedout]

I ment able to catch and collect them

 

[Waleedwale1]

Pets Warehouse, Aquarium Village, or Tropical Island.

Lol

 

[bigsink]

Sorry for being a wise guy. Where are you located?

 

[BAD FISH]

any place there is a bay really my friend does it all the time. I just don't trust these Li crabs. Lol

 

[vio]

I ment able to catch and collect them

Try to pm Paul B. ( around Port Washington) he knows , also the right time .lol.

 

[watchedout]

I live south short by valley stream and it's all good should have been a little more specific and ok ill pm him thanks

 

[Cu455]

Check out the docks in the area during low tide. I launch my kyack from the Woodmere docks. I always see mussels, snails, horse shoe crabs and ghost shrimp.

If you are a good swimmer grab goggles and check out the jetties in Long Beach or the Atlantic Beach bridge.

 

[Paul B]

It depends on where you are on Long Island. The mud snails that live in bays will live forever but the hermit crabs will not. Grass shrimp will live, but jump out. The crabs will live, except for the hermits but all but the fiddlers will eat your fish. Fiddlers will only live in a tank that is half water and half sand or rock. Amphipods are out of season

 

[REEFSTA]

most likely going to die they can not handle water temps as warm as your reef tank

 

[Koyfam16]

I saw a bunch of snails and hermit crabs at tobay beach (bay side) but was reluctant to put any in my nano.

 

[Cave Dweller]

I know when fishing in the back bay area of East Rockaway (Bay Park) that the circle crab traps tend to drag the bottom and lift up a substantial amount of snails/hermit crabs.

Going along with the thread, I'm guessing you would have to QT and/or "temper" for lack fo a better term these before adding them to the tank no?

 

[sgdcover]

Will they survive?

most likely going to die they can not handle water temps as warm as your reef tank

This was my question as well. Will these guys survive in a reef environment? I figured the water quality and temp would factor in their survival rate.

I do love the idea. I frequent Florida (my family is out there) and I'd be willing to make some collections next time I'm out there and bring stuff back for everyone.

Anyone interested? We can just meet somewhere once I'm back and divvy up the spoils . Really like this idea.

 

[Paul B]

They will all survive except the local hermit crabs. I have kept a local tank for almost 50 years on and off. I collected a bunch of tiny fish just now at my marina to feed my fish. Fish loved them.

 

[Cave Dweller]

They will all survive except the local hermit crabs. I have kept a local tank for almost 50 years on and off. I collected a bunch of tiny fish just now at my marina to feed my fish. Fish loved them.

Paul thanks for the info. I too have caught local shrimp and spearing etc to feed to the grouper I had, but they key words I took from you above are "local tank". In that stand point sure I can see stocking up etc. But what about a FOWLR/reef tank with "imported" livestock? Would any other prep need to be done? All info as always is greatly appreciated.

 

[Paul B]

In my reef are 20 or so local mud snails, thousands of amphipods, grass shrimp and mud that I add every couple of weeks. I have also used codium seaweed but it only lives for a few months and local urchins live about a year as I had 29 of them once. (I used to have an urchin collecting business)
Many other fish such as flounders and sea robins will live but they grow very fast and a sea robin will eat everything else in your tank. Local hermit crabs don't do well nor does barnacles, anemones, clams or mussels. But all the other local crabs from bays will survive. Shore crabs such as mole crabs found in the surf will die as will horseshoe crabs. Grass shrimp will live a year or so but they jump out. Local pipefish are very hard to keep but local seahorses are hardy.

You can see some codium seaweed here from the east end of Long Island




Local butterflies will live.


This guy got so large I gave him to a public aquarium


Local urchin


Tide piool where I collect.


These rock crabs live forever, but get big.


Grass shrimp are great.


Beer cans are my favorite

 

[Cave Dweller]

Thanks Paul B. Was just trying to play it on the safe side so its not like I add a bunch of local stock and they all die. Last thing i would need is numerous items, no matter how big or small, dying in the tank and creating a small graveyard in the corner to dedicate to their empty shells.

Parents a long time ago kept flounders, clams, and even a handful of blue claw crabs in a local tank. Haven't read about anyone attempting the sea robin though and would assume it would need some space and ample sandbed.

Hell even tempted to take a blowfish or 2 which are quite easy to get in the circle traps if I wasn't afraid they would nip at the eel in boredom.

 

[ReefLord]

The coast guard are on to paul B. He has single handily wiped out longs islands amphipod population.

 

[Cu455]

The puffer is awesome looking. Why do you say horseshoe crabs won't survive? They can be found all the way down to the Caribbean's. As long as the are getting fed they should be fine.