saw puffer fish in bay at seaside

[ryanpal]

hey guys.

while swimming in the bay at seaside heights, i saw a few puffer fish. i was able to catch one with my hands to take a closer peak. it was the size of my thumb nail and had a range of colors. it's belly seemed to cover a wide range of colors. from green to orange in a pattern that looked like reptile skin. maybe even an alligator or something.

at any rate. two questions:

1. anybody know what type this might be?
2. would you be able to add him to our reef tanks or would the environment be too different from it's natural habitat? (it was a pretty cool looking fish)

 

[Phyl]

He is probably FROM the tropics. Lots of the little ones wander north on the jet stream only to die in our cold waters. Not sure what type it is from the description. Maybe you can find a photo of a similar one online somewhere? Very cool!

 

[albie611]

nice find...its most likely a blowfish...we used to catch they by the bucketfull when i was a kid...i havent seen them around in a few years, so its nice to see they are still around.

as for adding to our reefs....i would think the temps would be to high for them but if you were to set up a tank for local spiecies then it would do great...i did this when i was a kid and had all kinds of critters from sandy hook bay.

happy reefing.......al

 

[ryanpal]

i used to catch blowfish off of point pleasent inlet when fishing for flounder. they were bigger and orange (brownish?) if i recall.

this guy was alot smaller and had very different skin. i'm still searching for pictures but haven't come up with any.

if i were to catch another...what would you guys recommend as far as quarantine..treatment etc.? i was under the impression many didn't do this due to parasites etc.

 

[Hawkeye]

I read somewhere...I forget...New England had some kind of scuba club and they went out towards the end of summer (right before the jet stream shifts and cold water comes back) - they caught a ton of ornamental fish (juvenile butterflies, angels etc.) to be placed in tanks because they would have died out there anyway. It's possible your puffer is a tropical species.

Before considering catching - I'd try and check out a book like Fenner's Conscientious Aquarist, or a pocketbook like Marine Fishes: A PocketExpert Guide by Scott W. Michael.

This way you can at least know whether the fish is reef safe or compatibility wise - makes sense for your community.

 

[panmanmatt]

It was most likely a juvenile blowfish. The colouration you have described is very common for them. Since the waters have been cleaning up over the last few years their colours have become more vibrant.

I highly doubt it is a tropical puffer as the waters are nowhere near warm enough for them to venture up this way yet.

As for keeping them in a tank, just remember they are sub-tropical and don't do well at normal reef temperatures. Also they will consume any and all shrimp, crabs and smaller fish you have in your tank.

 

[ryanpal]

It was most likely a juvenile blowfish. The colouration you have described is very common for them. Since the waters have been cleaning up over the last few years their colours have become more vibrant.

I highly doubt it is a tropical puffer as the waters are nowhere near warm enough for them to venture up this way yet.

As for keeping them in a tank, just remember they are sub-tropical and don't do well at normal reef temperatures. Also they will consume any and all shrimp, crabs and smaller fish you have in your tank.

thanks panmanmatt. do you happen to know the name of them? i'd like to confirm from a picture if possible.

ryan

 

[panmanmatt]

Sphoeroides maculatus, Northern puffer

 

[jonathan.]

I read somewhere...I forget...New England had some kind of scuba club and they went out towards the end of summer (right before the jet stream shifts and cold water comes back) - they caught a ton of ornamental fish (juvenile butterflies, angels etc.) to be placed in tanks because they would have died out there anyway. It's possible your puffer is a tropical species.

Before considering catching - I'd try and check out a book like Fenner's Conscientious Aquarist, or a pocketbook like Marine Fishes: A PocketExpert Guide by Scott W. Michael.

This way you can at least know whether the fish is reef safe or compatibility wise - makes sense for your community.

Dude, you can go to Belmar where the bridge is by the beach and catch them there as well. Blue angels, queen angels, porcupine puffers, lionfish (yes, they are in the Atlantic now, unfortunately!), butterflies, etc.

You can go out to Seaside and catch boatloads of Lookdowns to sell.

But every year I go to Belmar to catch some fish. Donate and/or sell them to local shops before the temperatures get cool. Good time to do it is in August. Very late August.

I've heard there are a lot of pieces of coral that grow on the side of the inlet also, but I've never really checked.

 

[ryanpal]

Sphoeroides maculatus, Northern puffer

i checked the pictures on this species. i must say it didn't look similar. the belly of that species seems white where as its various colors on the one i saw.

 

[ryanpal]

I read somewhere...I forget...New England had some kind of scuba club and they went out towards the end of summer (right before the jet stream shifts and cold water comes back) - they caught a ton of ornamental fish (juvenile butterflies, angels etc.) to be placed in tanks because they would have died out there anyway. It's possible your puffer is a tropical species.

Before considering catching - I'd try and check out a book like Fenner's Conscientious Aquarist, or a pocketbook like Marine Fishes: A PocketExpert Guide by Scott W. Michael.

This way you can at least know whether the fish is reef safe or compatibility wise - makes sense for your community.

Dude, you can go to Belmar where the bridge is by the beach and catch them there as well. Blue angels, queen angels, porcupine puffers, lionfish (yes, they are in the Atlantic now, unfortunately!), butterflies, etc.

You can go out to Seaside and catch boatloads of Lookdowns to sell.

But every year I go to Belmar to catch some fish. Donate and/or sell them to local shops before the temperatures get cool. Good time to do it is in August. Very late August.

I've heard there are a lot of pieces of coral that grow on the side of the inlet also, but I've never really checked.

wow. you have to let me know when you decided to do this. i would love to come along.

what do you catch them with? i can't even catch the fish in my tank ;]

 

[harlequinreef]

jet stream is for jets-----> gulf stream is the warm water current

 

[GregW]

jet stream is for jets-----> gulf stream is the warm water current

jet stream is for flying fish

 

[Phyl]

Ahhh. One typo and everyone get a good laugh. ;D

Glad I could help!

 

[ryanpal]

anyone know jonathan? (not sure he checks PMs)

i'm still looking into this. i want to prepare so i can possibly catch these fish.

 

[jonathan.]

anyone know jonathan? (not sure he checks PMs)

i'm still looking into this. i want to prepare so i can possibly catch these fish.

Sorry, I do check them just sometimes forget to reply.

I'm not sure I'll be around much late August, this year unfortunately. I never had any permits when I did it which is probably illegal as hell, but I used simply 2 large pool nets cut off to barely any handle and a mask/snorkel/fins combo.

There are actually quite a few people who do it there and it's a good chance that, if you go, someone will be there!

 

[ryanpal]

no problem jonathan.

i could rig up something like that. i thought you would have to use some sort of clear capturing buckets or something. i'm not sure i'll be able to catch these guys considering i can't even catch them in my 150gal tank.

by large pool net i'm guessing you mean something like this: http://pooltechguy.com/images/pool net.jpg

are these gentle enough not to harm the fish?

lastly, any chance you can be more specific to what bridges you're referring too? i go to the manasquan inlet weekly for spear fishing.

thanks again ;]

 

[jonathan.]

no problem jonathan.

i could rig up something like that. i thought you would have to use some sort of clear capturing buckets or something. i'm not sure i'll be able to catch these guys considering i can't even catch them in my 150gal tank.

by large pool net i'm guessing you mean something like this: http://pooltechguy.com/images/pool net.jpg

are these gentle enough not to harm the fish?

lastly, any chance you can be more specific to what bridges you're referring too? i go to the manasquan inlet weekly for spear fishing.

thanks again ;]

It's the Belmar Bridge that bridges Avon and Belmar together. But right at the ocean inlet on Ocean ave.

 

[DaveK]

Sorry, I do check them just sometimes forget to reply.

I'm not sure I'll be around much late August, this year unfortunately. I never had any permits when I did it which is probably illegal as hell, but I used simply 2 large pool nets cut off to barely any handle and a mask/snorkel/fins combo.

There are actually quite a few people who do it there and it's a good chance that, if you go, someone will be there!

Here is the like to NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife 2008 Marine issue of Fish and Wildlife Digest, which contain the regulations for fishing - offsite like - http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/digmar.htm

I'm far from an expert here, but since the species people from here would be interested in collecting, and since none of them are listed species, I suspect they would all be covered under the "bait fish" section of regulations. Here is a test excerpt -

Bait Fish
No license is required for the taking of baitfish for personal use with the following
gear:

Dip nets 24 inches diameter or less for the taking of herring for live bait.
1. Bait seines 50 feet long or less.
2. Cast nets 20 feet in diameter or less.
3. Lift or umbrella nets four feet square or less.
4. Not more than five killipots.
5. Not more than two miniature fykes or pots for the taking of eels for bait.
6. Fish taken in this manner may not be sold or used for barter unless a commercial
bait net license is in possession.

No person shall take more than 35 alewife or blueback herring in aggregate per day by hook and line or the above listed gear.
No person shall take or attempt to take fish by any means from the Deal Lake flume, Lake Takanasse spillway or Wreck Pond spillway on any Monday, Wednesday or Friday during the months of April and May.

- end of excerpt.

It would seem that the only limit would be that you couldn't sell or barter what you collected. However my questions would be, if you took it home, and kept it in your tank, at what point does it go from being a "bait fish" to being an "ornamental tropical SW fish"?

Now just imagine coming home with about 10 "bait fish" of the species Holocanthus ciliaris. (grin)

 

[dyl825]

That would be so cool to catch tropical fish in the atlantic. I go to shore like every weekend. My grandfather remembers catching puffer fish in the bays by Sandy Hook and Point Pleasant area.

-Dylan