Collecting Plankton

[sgotz]

I live very close to Puget Sound so i've been contemplating using a plankton net to capture live food for my reef tank.

Should i be worried about introducing non-native species? Are there any negative consequences to doing this?

Regards,
Steve

[rshimek]

Hi Steve,

Nothing you introduce from Puget Sound will live very long at reef-tank temperatures. Don't sweat any potential survivals.

As for introducing non-native species to the Sound, rinse your plankton nets well, and allow them to dry between collecting trips and you will be fine.

[sgotz]

You mentioned that the plankton i add from Puget sound wouldn't live very long in a reef tank. Would the additions even be helpful?

Regards,
Steve

[rshimek]

Originally posted by sgotz
You mentioned that the plankton i add from Puget sound wouldn't live very long in a reef tank. Would the additions even be helpful?

That depends on the time of year, how you collected it, and where you collected it from.

Let me know the specifics of what you want to do.

I have taken a "few" plankton tows in the Sound, and am relatively familiar with the area, ecosystems, and water quality.