Sargassum Drifts ... When?

[AuroraDrvr]

Anyone know when the heavy Sargassum drifts start washing on the beachs? I used to have a colony of Leander sp. shrimp that I collected in South Florida. I'm setting up the 25g seagrass/planted tank and need to collect more shrimp.

[Kresnahw22]

What all can you find in them. I'm interested in when they arrive also.

[AuroraDrvr]

Shrimp (of various species)
Frogfish (Histrio histrio)
Filefish
Triggerfish
Swimming Crabs
Puffers
Pipefish
Various other fish species


Basically, nothing you really want to keep in a reef tank, or FOWLR. The shrimp are cool (IMHO), especially in a dedicated tank.

[Kresnahw22]

Many options though for a species tank. I really want to find a frog fish or pipe fish. How/ where do you collect them. Also have you found out around when it'll be drifting in.

[AuroraDrvr]

Meh.

The triggers get big and ugly (they're usually just Ocean Triggerfish). The filefish are super plain. Histrio Histrio gets rather large, and the pipefish need too specialized of care for my attention span.

[Kresnahw22]

where do you collect it at and have you found out when itll be drifting in

[AuroraDrvr]

Mid-Late Summer

I just use a butterfly net, grab a bunch of sargassum as it's crashing in the waves, and shake it out in the net. A mix of dipping in the water and shaking usually gets everything out.

[Kresnahw22]

Ok thanks will all the animals that you can find drifting in it near florida come all the way up to gulf shores.