early christmas presents

[jks1]

I went to the beach yesterday and caught a few things for my tank. I have no idea what this is, any ideas?

 

[jks1]

Also managed to catch this dragonet:

 

[jks1]

Also picked up 2 small sand dollars and some snails they call Florida rock snails, I'll have to keep an eye on those.

 

[mwrager]

John, On the first pic I have no idea. Looks nice. Keep us posted on how it looks.

 

[wooddood]

kool,is'nt that illegal?lol

 

[JeepersReefers]

Remember, nothings illegal until you get cought

 

[Curtswearing]

GET IT OUT QUICK!!! (j/k)

I counted the number of polyps so it is obviously an octocoral of some kind and it has a stolon. It looks to me to be a clavularia of some kind but I haven't found it yet. (I can find numerous clove polyps that look similar but they live in Antarctica so I doubt you collected them off of the coast of Florida).

I just got a new set of books called corals of the world by Jen Vernon. I'm looking in there right now but I'm also at this website at the same time.....

 

[jks1]

I apprciate everyone looking. We were actually hunting shells, and there arent any general regulations I am aware of, just some species you cannot collect (conchs for ex.) Found several tulip snails and a olive snail too but they are predetory. I did keep two moon snails but i couldnt get a pic because they burried themselves so fast.

 

[jks1]

Discovered the first picture is a Sea Pansy (Renilla reniformis), its an octocoral (you were right Curt) and is a relative of the Sea Pen. Doesnt seem to be harmful- is a filter feeder, so I feel better now that I know what it is.

 

[ReefLady]

That first one is very very cool!

 

[Maxx]

John....beware of cone snails.....if your snail hunting I'm assuming you have at least a passing knowledge of the cones....
on the off chance that you dont, they are cone shaped, (duh..) but are EXTREMELY poisonous. Many fatalities attributed to these animals when un-informed people grabbed 'em up w/o knowing the pretty shells were deadly. For the record the fat side of the cone is the safest side to touch if you must. The narrow end has a proboscisis (nose/tentacle) that has the poisonous radula (tooth/dart) that these animals use to hunt/defend themselves with. I've seen a large textile cone hit a large squrriel fish, kill, and eat it, in just under 3 minutes...pretty impressive.
Nick
yes, I'm that big a nerd that I timed it.....

 

[wooddood]

thanks nick,only 3 minutes.lazy snail.lol.

 

[Boomer]

John

Here is a bunch of info on the pansy

http://www.whitney.ufl.edu/species/seapansy.htm

Lookin' for the fish

It is not a Dragonet, mouth and eyes wrong, some kind of Blenny

Ok, it is a Seaweed Blenny Parablennius marmoreus

http://www.graysreef.nos.noaa.gov/fishguide/Group9/Group9.html

 

[mnreefman]

great link boomer...

 

[mnreefman]

Originally posted by Maxx

yes, I'm that big a nerd that I timed it.....

lol shoulda called me i woulda been right next to you timing it... then after it was over we coulda compaired notes lol

 

[Imperial]

John, where in florida did you go to collect those? I also live in jax.
Thanks

 

[Craig Manoukian]

Cool stuff and great links! Not even close the tropics here in Nevada!

:smirk:

 

[jks1]

Boomer, thanks for the help- those were great links.

Imperial- I'm in the Navy so I was on the beach side of the south jetty in Mayport. We'll have to get together and go hunting sometime.