Guess what we found on the beach today????

[Bug_Power]

Well we were walking down the beach and a guy came up to us and said look what I found. After some talking he decided to let us have it. We named her Winny! Anyone know what type she is. I'm calling her a sargasm just because that's what she was found in.

[Louie3]

what is it i cant really tell what it is. the pics are kind of blurry. in the second pic it looks like a SeaHorse

[cpreefguy]

Cool little pipefish. Not sure as to what kind though

[Louie3]

oh its a pipe fish

[GaryP]

We used to find sea horses in the sargassum all the time when I lived in Galveston. So what are you going to feed it?

[Louie3]

so its a seahorse then
im CONFUSSSED!!!!!!!!!

[GaryP]

Pipefish are a member of the seahorse family. What we were finding in the sargassum were true seahorses.

No, I never have tried that Joshua. There should be a lod of pods in the sargassum though. That's why the seahorses and pipefish are attracted to it. Remember that in the open ocean a lot of critters are attracted to structure. The only structure usually present is stuff that is floating, such as Sargassum. In the gulf, bottom structure is pretty much llimited to an occasional rock, oil platforms, and wrecks. Most of the bottom is just mud flats that are largely devoid of much fish life.

That's why dolphin fisherman always fish around any sort of flotsam or jetsam, including mats of sargassum. Even a floating piece of lumber or driftwood can attract a large school of dolphin that are feeding on the bait fish that are also attracted to it.

[cpreefguy]

^^^ Somebody watches OLN :)

[GaryP]

Not really. I have spent my share of time hanging over the side of boat checking for finny guys swimming around stuff offshore. I love catching dolphin. Big, beautiful, plentiful, great jumpers, fairly easy to find, and great to eat. What more can you ask for in a sport fish?

Another common place to find these kinds of predators is what is commonly called the tide line. This is where the outgoing tide and incoming meet and form a line of flotsam. There is usually alot of sargassum here. Besides dolphin, you can find other predators here like kings, spanish, and wahoo.

[Bug_Power]

yeah sorry it's a seahorse. I have it in my Fuge with LOTs of pods! He's looking good today!

[Louie3]

question to all! can the grass at the bay be used in a tank to lower nitrates and other harmful stuff?