I thought Garibaldi damsels where prohibited under California state law? (I know they made it their state fish, as it only resides in the kelp beds on California's coast). Yet I still see it in an LFS once and a while. Can someone verify if this is legal or not?
Importing garibaldi damsels
- Thread starter tazdevil
- Start date
These are collected in Mexico, either the Sea of Cortez or off the Baja coast and shipped in. they really shouldn't be sold at all however. Not because the are protected in California, but simply because they get WAY to big for aquarium use. Full size garibaldi's easily stretch 18"
Some of us poor fella fishing off rocky shores in CA have caught these beautiful fish from time to time. Hey, who knows if they decided to bite your bait. I have a "friend of mine" that got fined for hooking one up and a warden (un-uniformed) cited him a fine right on the spot.
It's not uncommon to hook one up in excess of 18". A "friend of mine" feels the fight it gives is way more exciting than hooking up a sand bass. Although that "friend of mine" never attempt to bring it home, but have heard from the friends of the "friend of mine" that it's a very tasty fish.
Garibaldi is very common along the california and Mexican coast. Go to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, you will see plenty of them, huge ones, in the display.
I don't think they will like the warm water we normally keep for our reef tanks though.
It's not uncommon to hook one up in excess of 18". A "friend of mine" feels the fight it gives is way more exciting than hooking up a sand bass. Although that "friend of mine" never attempt to bring it home, but have heard from the friends of the "friend of mine" that it's a very tasty fish.
Garibaldi is very common along the california and Mexican coast. Go to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, you will see plenty of them, huge ones, in the display.
I don't think they will like the warm water we normally keep for our reef tanks though.
Maybe a species only-tank of around 175+ gallons? Wait, you said possibly 18 inches? Guess at least 300 would do. Do you have a juvie pic? I think thats what entices people, then, a year or two later, they discover that they're a behemoth!!
When I take a closer look, they remind me of KOI, the decorative ultra-expensive freshwater goldfish. UH oh, now I did it, I just compared a reef fish to a carp (however nice looking carp they are). Bound to be flamed for sure!
[ December 19, 2001: Message edited by: tazdevil ]</p>
When I take a closer look, they remind me of KOI, the decorative ultra-expensive freshwater goldfish. UH oh, now I did it, I just compared a reef fish to a carp (however nice looking carp they are). Bound to be flamed for sure!
[ December 19, 2001: Message edited by: tazdevil ]</p>
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