PaulB's amphipod collection thread

[johnmaloney]

I am with you Paul. I only use natural seawater in my hobby tanks, (I am into nanos, lugging 80 gallons of sea water is another thing though, get me some salt!), and it works great.

I have been doing a similar method as yours to catch copepods and amphipods down here too, (I am in Florida), great way to mature a tank! Easy too.

 

[Paul B]

It's the only way to go

 

[BZOFIQ]

I recommend Plum Beach for people living in Brooklyn. Tons of stuff to find there. Go during low tide and just lift anything that lays flat on the bottom.

For fishing with seine, go under the bridge to Far rockway. Plenty of stuff there. Silversides of course will fill 95% of the net but you get, puffers, pipefish, star grazers, file fish, and other weirdest looking stuff on earth.

 

[cowfish]

I have been using our local snails all of my life... I don't use them in my reef, I have them in a seperate tank. The batch of snails I have now are going on three years old.

What temp do you keep the tank with the local snails?

 

[Paul B]

Room temp, about 80

 

[kool-cat]

Those local black nassarius snails don't last long in temps of 80F. I've only been able to keep them up to like 3 months in my reef tank. I put those ghost shrimp/grass shrimp in my reef tank before and had them in there for like 6 months. They got hungry and killed my crocea clam. The baby grass shrimp that I use to harvest right around this time is good for feeding fish. My clown fish liked eating the baby shrimp. I have one of those fine drop umbrella nets, which i drop from the marina.

 

[boozeman]

When I was a kid I used to go dipnetting at the foot of the crossbay bridge. I would always catch lots of copepods, amphipods, grass shrimp ect. and study them in a large jar...back then I didn't have a tank. Although I live just a few blocks away, I havn't been there in many years, but I'm sure it is still a great collecting spot.

 

[Paul B]

Too Many amphipods

I collected way too many amphipods today. In all of my 50+ years of collecting I have never seen so many amphipods.
I collect in a tide pool that is a few acres across and a few inches deep. There are usually thousands or maybe millions of tiny fish that I ignore because they only last a few minutes in a bucket but they were not fish but amphipods. I have never seen them free swimming like this. I usually collect under rocks but with a few scoops of a net I collected about a pint of them. Thats a pint of amphipods without the water, just solid amphipods.
I released a few hundred into my tank and am keeping the rest as there are just too many.
I also took snails, shrimp and crabs.
I will go out again collecting next week and I can bring 6 people if anyone is interested.
Of course if you live in Mississippi or Idaho it would be a long trip. I am in New York and my Boat is in the Long Island Sound.
Have a great day.
Paul
By the way that trip would have to be during the week. My weekends are booked for the entire summer

 

[NYreefNoob]

wish you was closer paul

 

[Paul B]

Yeah, Peekskill is a little far and my boat makes a lot of noise when I take it across mountains:tongue1:

 

[Paul B]

I collected these amphipods today in a couple of minutes
All of that dark stuff is amphipods.

 

[Paul B]

I am trying to organize a trip next week during the week if anyone wants to come collecting and maybe take a little scenic sail.

 

[natureboy1]

same here , im deff up for going i get out of work at 4:30 and im right near the belt parkway ,pm me when you go next

 

[chazertis]

awesome offer

 

[Paul B]

I will let you know but I have to go during the week and it is low tide only in the morning this week. My weekends are booked for the entire summer.

 

[Aqua Pro Builder]

I would like to go to please PM me meeting place and contact info when you have decided on the date.

 

[Aqua Pro Builder]

I am trying to organize a trip next week during the week if anyone wants to come collecting and maybe take a little scenic sail.

I have applied for a spot in your boat in the other thread.

 

[Paul B]

OK Wingo I have 2 people now, if we could get 4 more we will try to go maybe wednesday,
Anyone else want to go for a cruise. I have a two people net also for fish but there will be no tropicals this time of the year.

 

[Paul B]

Now I have 4 people. I just came back from collecting again and the swarms of amphipods are still there. I think we will go this wednesday, I will find out about the tide. You will need shoes that you could walk in the water in because it is too rocky to go barefeet. PM me with your phone numbers if you diden't already.
I am having a slight boat engine problem but I hope to fix it tomorrow, Even If I don't, the collection place is only a short sail at 5 mph

 

[Paul B]

Wingo it is this wednesday, I will call you