Port Aransas

[NateDogg]

My family and I took a trip to Port Aransas with some friends. We went for the day and just got back. That was a lot of fun!! We caught a fish.. don't know what kind though. Can any one tell from this pic? We thought it was a frog fish. Regardless, we let it go. unfortunately, we left our pump and bucket at home. I have never put anything that I caught into my tank. I know that some people do. What are the downfalls to that? What is the right way to do it? The second pic is of some snails that bury in the sand. Would those be bad for my tank? Just kicking around ideas.
http://i675.photobucket.com/albums/vv116/nbwoehler/IMG_0338-1.jpg
http://i675.photobucket.com/albums/vv116/nbwoehler/IMG_0358.jpg

[NateDogg]

BTW... this is what happens when your wife doesn't watch where she is putting the sunscreen!:what_smile::redface:
http://i675.photobucket.com/albums/vv116/nbwoehler/IMG_0359-1.jpg

[Mr Cob]

Very cool. Nice burn too!

I had one of those snails from Port A for over two years in my 120 reef. It would come out at night and did a great job cleaning. I thought it was some type of conch snail...???

[FossilReef]

Those are olive snails, pretty good for sandbed turnover. As to the frogfish, it looks like a sargassumfish to me. I've got one that I caught down on Padre Island, awesome fish, and pretty easy to keep...so long as you don't plan on anything that isn't immensely larger than them surviving. I was actually out at the Port A jetties today and got some really awesome snorkeling pics.

[Third Coast Tropical]

sargassum fish..Histrio histrio.
Olive snail

[NateDogg]

so.. you just put the snail in your tank? Do you have to worry about bacteria or anything like that? What about a hermit crab? The one I caught looks a little agressive. Ya'll are good with these ids!! That is exactly what it was, Sargassum Anglerfish.
http://www.fishbase.org/images/species/Hihis_u7.jpg

[rockmp]

cool sun burn! looks like the islands theme! LOL

[subsailor]

Those are olive snails, pretty good for sandbed turnover. As to the frogfish, it looks like a sargassumfish to me. I've got one that I caught down on Padre Island, awesome fish, and pretty easy to keep...so long as you don't plan on anything that isn't immensely larger than them surviving. I was actually out at the Port A jetties today and got some really awesome snorkeling pics.

wheres the pics?

[NateDogg]

wheres the pics?
first post.

[NateDogg]

cool sun burn! looks like the islands theme! LOL
you got to clown yesterday!!.. It hurts:what_smile:

[Squiers007]

I was out at Port A yesterday too doing some snorkeling! The visibility was amazing. Only new thing we saw though was a grey trigger, otherswise just the normal stuff. Going out there again today! Man I love this weather!

[Jarob]

YUP I was out yesterday and will be going out today too!! So many sea turtles were out yesterday it was crazy! and believe it or not I think my sunburn is even worse!!! :( thats what happens when im too stupid to put any on

[NateDogg]

were you by the jetty? Snorkling?


YUP I was out yesterday and will be going out today too!! So many sea turtles were out yesterday it was crazy! and believe it or not I think my sunburn is even worse!!! :( thats what happens when im too stupid to put any on

[Jarob]

I was at the jetty in Corpus, JP Luby. It was my second day there in a row, and I saw probably even more turtles the first day, im guessing around 40 or 50 ranging in size from a dinner plate to about 3ft.


Is Port A. a better place to snorkel? I wouldn't think the two jetties would be too different, am I mistaken?

[Third Coast Tropical]

the jetties in port a are bigger/longer
same organisms, just alot more area....and for those that dont live here...the water has been clear for almost a week now.......collecting/snorkeling/fishing/spearfishing/etc. is very nice right now....ok...now that i have said that....just dont all come at once ;)

[Third Coast Tropical]

the olive snails will just burrow into your sand, you will never see them again until you pull the sand out or grade it with your fingers.....bacteria could be a concern in this area......but your are probably ok......that sargassum fish will eat any of your fish that are the same size as it......be careful.....

[glennr1978]

the jetties in port a are bigger/longer
same organisms, just alot more area....and for those that dont live here...the water has been clear for almost a week now.......collecting/snorkeling/fishing/spearfishing/etc. is very nice right now....ok...now that i have said that....just dont all come at once ;)

last wednesday, or thursday, i don't recall exactly, had the best visibility i've seen in 3 years. it was unbelievable for a few hours before that crazy storm blew through in the afternoon. you could EASILY see 25'+. it was pretty cloudy, had the sun been out i'm sure the visibility would have been even better. water looked like a sheet of glass.....

personally, i hope the visibility goes to complete crap!! snorkeling is cool and all, but i'd much rather be surfing. we've had some pretty good days in that department this month as well, i really can't complain.

[msmith619]

I was in Florida about 20 years ago when a storm blew in a lot of Sargassun weed. I had a 10 gallon tank and was grabbing hand fulls of sargassum weed and shaking it over the tank. Had dozens of file fish, lots of cool colored shrimp, pipefish, juvenive jacks (cool shiny gold fish with black vertical stripes), and about 10 sargassum fish. I had never seen them before and thought I could bring them home and trade some for other stuff. I packed them all in an ice chest and got on the plane for home. When I got home I had one BIG FAT sargassum fish. These guys can swallow a fish every bit as big as themselves! The 10 ate all the other fish, then ate each other.....in one gulp! That was my first exposure to sargassum fish. They are very cool how they 'walk' thru the sargassum weed but, need to be in a tank by themselves or with MUCH bigger tankmates.
Mike

[Squiers007]

Well, visibility today was not as good as yesterday, but still got to see some neat stuff. Plus the waves were a little bigger due to stronger wind, lots of jellies again too, but thankfully I didnt get stung again like yesterday!

[OrionN]

No rain lately thus the blue water really move in close to shore. The beach are best at this time for a long time. Did you see the 100's turtles along the Packery Chanel?

[Squiers007]

No, I missed it, we were only at Port A. That would have been fun to see though. We did see a couple groups of dolphins though.