[pixievixi]

Morning,
So yesterday i went to the beach a collected a few hermit shells for my hermits to move into and switch around. I also got some cool rocks to add. So will i have to boil these things first to use them? Or is it not a good idea to put these things in the tank? The rocks are really small. I went to the beach to check out some migrating humpbacks but did not see them, seen dolphins instead

 

[payrion]

I have several rocks and shells I have collected over the years from mexico, I cleaned them very well before putting them in ...They were actually 4plus years old before I set up my tank...Its pretty cool when one of my hermits jump in a shell I collected from another part of the world...

 

[newman8r]

What size rocks and what beach? Do they have any growth on them? I believe you can cook the rocks.For the shells I have heard of people soaking them in RODI water and brushing them off and throwing them in the tank.

 

[pixievixi]

Awesome the rocks are about the size of a muffin. I went to pigeon point between half moon bay and santa cruz.

 

[payrion]

I read somehwere online that your not supposed to boil them but I did anyways..I boiled for about 10 minutes..A bunch of crap came out of the rocks..Then soaked them in distilled water and brushed....

 

[ynot65]

I'd be cautious what I would add, I'm in Florida and on the nightly news I saw a story about starfish dieing off for some unknown reason, just a thought. We have pretty strict laws here on possession and owning many of our reefs critters. One I just found out about was mangrove seeds or pods, you can take all you want as long as they are floating in the water but once they hit the shoreline it's a $500 fine for each one you have. I don't know if all the boiling and scrubbing you could do would clean off the gunk from our latest BP oil disaster not to mention all the so called detergents that caused the oil to congeal as sink in little balls forevermore rolling around the Gulf of Mexico. Good luck on your collecting.

 

[pixievixi]

I'd be cautious what I would add, I'm in Florida and on the nightly news I saw a story about starfish dieing off for some unknown reason, just a thought. We have pretty strict laws here on possession and owning many of our reefs critters. One I just found out about was mangrove seeds or pods, you can take all you want as long as they are floating in the water but once they hit the shoreline it's a $500 fine for each one you have. I don't know if all the boiling and scrubbing you could do would clean off the gunk from our latest BP oil disaster not to mention all the so called detergents that caused the oil to congeal as sink in little balls forevermore rolling around the Gulf of Mexico. Good luck on your collecting.

Im not interested in collecting live things from the sea, i have taken many science courses and my major is environmental conservation. None of the rocks had growth, and the shells are for the hermits i have all ready. I was getting shells and small rocks to aquascape. I live in California and our laws are pretty strict too, but i went to a public beach not a marine reserve so i think im ok. Thats crazy about the 500$ fine thing you said. But im glad there are in place.