wild! is it safe for my tank?!?!

chadski · 05-17-2007, 06:25 PM

i went to the beach and picked up a piece of rock which i want to put into my quarintine tank and eventually in my showcase tank or maybe just leave it in the quarintine. i kno it's risky because it can carry diseases but id much rather chance it than have to pay for something i can just pick up off the beach. any thoughts? are there any ways to prevent diseases or check to see if its safe?

what about catching wild fish or crabs? i know i can quarintine the fish but what about the crabs?

theplatypus · 05-17-2007, 06:40 PM

It isn't so much diseases, but pollution.

jenajet · 05-17-2007, 06:42 PM

Could you cook it? What is the difference in what he picked up off the beach and the stuff we buy from the lfs?

jph · 05-17-2007, 06:43 PM

regarding the fish or crabs, check with your local laws/regulations, it can be illegal to collect wildlife.

J.

betamed · 05-17-2007, 06:54 PM

It is illegal to collect live rock in the state of florida. I've taken dry rocks from the beach and put em in the tank with no issues.

chrisjet · 05-17-2007, 06:57 PM

hey as long as you dont get caught, I was thinking about that myself. They give certain people a license to do it. So what is the difference??? Its all leaving the ocean. My friend has crabs, snails, and LR from florida.

chadski · 05-17-2007, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jenajet

Could you cook it? What is the difference in what he picked up off the beach and the stuff we buy from the lfs?

i'd like to know the answer to these questions too. does anyone know?

motorslave · 05-17-2007, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrisjet

hey as long as you dont get caught, I was thinking about that myself. They give certain people a license to do it. So what is the difference??? Its all leaving the ocean. My friend has crabs, snails, and LR from florida.

Licensing is one way to keep track of things. Laws do serve a purpose especially when you consider the state of the reefs and oceans overall. I would think some level of responsibility would go along with the love of the hobby. There was just a big stink about a simular issue with some very well known "authorities" in the hobby...nuff said.

The pollution would be the issue in my book also. Lots of junk collects at the shore line. If the rock has soked any of it in, it could leach back into your saystem and in a closed system it doesnt take much.

Geoff · 05-17-2007, 08:49 PM

those that collect LR in the caribbean do it in a certain area, and that certain area is seeded with the rock, it is not wild rock at all. it is mined from the land and dumped into the gulf for growing.

this is in the caribbean. not sure what the laws are if you got it off of the coast of Georgia. what was the temp of the water where you got it?

G~

chadski · 05-17-2007, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by motorslave

The pollution would be the issue in my book also. Lots of junk collects at the shore line. If the rock has soked any of it in, it could leach back into your saystem and in a closed system it doesnt take much.

you think there is any way to clean it somehow or get rid of the pollution?

zero186 · 05-17-2007, 08:55 PM

you do live in FL which i know you cant remove LR from reefs there but not sure about up north

motorslave · 05-17-2007, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chadski

you think there is any way to clean it somehow or get rid of the pollution?

Coulnt say for sure as the pollutants could be anything or nothing. For just a piece here and there I really wonder if it would be worth the hassle and effort as opposed to getting rock from a reputable source. Its a bummer considering the cost of LR in some places. Ive seen it go for $10.00 a lb here.

Laggs2003 · 05-17-2007, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chadski

what about catching wild fish or crabs? i know i can quarintine the fish but what about the crabs?

You will need a salt water fishing license, and it can be for personal use only. Also you have to make sure you dont take anything that is protected. Im a scuba diver and I know they make special nets you can take with you to help you catch aquarium fish. When it comes to corals, all reef building corals are protected but some types of softies are legal to take.

Orient Master · 05-18-2007, 05:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chadski

what about catching wild fish or crabs? i know i can quarintine the fish but what about the crabs?

My cousin that used to live down i pensicola used to have a 10 gal. They would go down to the water line and pick up the hermit crabs and just throw them right in their tank. of course the tank was not a reef tank. a few small pices of rock (not even LR).

Loverotties · 05-18-2007, 07:03 AM

Cook it.But if your in Fl. I wouldn't.