Live Rock from Hawaii

[Rufio808]

Picked up some small pieces of live rock at the reef today, while snorkeling. Should be good to help seed all my base rock. They have coralline and green algae on them :D Saw a lot of angelfish and 2 large wrasses. Makes you appreciate how great the hobby is.

 

[Kazarko]

I wouldn't recommend taking anything from the reef except pictures.

 

[Zissou]

I wouldn't recommend taking anything from the reef except pictures.

Agreed. (But I can't say I wouldn't be tempted either. :D)

 

[ltljoker]

There's another guy on here who collects angels from the (Florida) keys all the time. I would grab all the free stuff ( that was legal ) that I could carry in a bucket:bowdown:

 

[ccCapt]

Better be careful of what you take and I hope you know the laws.

Hawai`i Department of Land and Natural Resources
"State law prohibits the breaking or damaging, with any implement, any stony coral from the waters of Hawaii, including any reef or mushroom coral. HAR 13-95-70
It is unlawful to take, break or damage, any implement, any rock or coral to which marine life of any type is visibly attached. HAR 13-95-71
The taking of sand, coral rubble or other marine deposits is permitted in certain circumstances. The material may not exceed one gallon per person per day, and may be taken only for personal, noncommercial purposes. HRS 171-58.5, HRS 205A-44"

I see coralline algae on all those rocks...and that is a visible marine life form.

 

[Rufio808]

Would it help to say that these weren't broken off anything and that they were exposed on the beach? I'd plan to return the rocks after my base rock was seeded as no online store is allowed to ship live rock to Hawaii. Pretty much all people here are really limited in the hobby even though there's so much reef life surrounding us.

 

[Bifferwine]

I think it's fine. I'd just keep them in your tank though. You don't want to return it to the ocean after you've had it in your tank.

 

[Rufio808]

So rock from my tank could harm natural rock? I just want to make sure.

Another point: is it fair for live rock, corals and fish to be collected at other reefs in the U.S. (another post mentioned Florida)? I mean, I see how HI is very strict but maybe all reefs should be that protected? Just a random thought

 

[sen5241b]

So rock from my tank could harm natural rock? I just want to make sure.

Another point: is it fair for live rock, corals and fish to be collected at other reefs in the U.S. (another post mentioned Florida)? I mean, I see how HI is very strict but maybe all reefs should be that protected? Just a random thought

I do not think your rock could hurt the natrual rock.

Yes all reefs should be protected. There are reefs in Asia (I've seen them) that have been fished for centures and there is nothing left of them. (Note my signature).

Also, if you put something live from the Ocean into your tank you run the risk of introducing some parasite or pest into your tank. But with so much free stuff out there in HI it may be worth the risk.

 

[Rufio808]

Yea I love all reefs and I hope they all can be protected. Here in Hawaii the LFS never carry live rocks or any corals and no online store usually ships here. Its a hard hobby to come by here

 

[fastrd400]

Better be careful of what you take and I hope you know the laws.

Hawai`i Department of Land and Natural Resources
"State law prohibits the breaking or damaging, with any implement, any stony coral from the waters of Hawaii, including any reef or mushroom coral. HAR 13-95-70
It is unlawful to take, break or damage, any implement, any rock or coral to which marine life of any type is visibly attached. HAR 13-95-71
The taking of sand, coral rubble or other marine deposits is permitted in certain circumstances. The material may not exceed one gallon per person per day, and may be taken only for personal, noncommercial purposes. HRS 171-58.5, HRS 205A-44"

I see coralline algae on all those rocks...and that is a visible marine life form.

Agreed. You could face federal charges. I know first hand of someone that was arrested and in federal court for the same thing. Check the laws, as a hobbist you can take certain thins for your hobby, but never ever for sale.

 

[sen5241b]

If you take one gallon of rock or rubble a day that's plenty. Be careful though becuase some people have said that volcanic rock is not the best choice because it may leach toxic minerals into the water. Dead coral skeletons are the best type of rock. But you can save a lot of money if you collect your own rock.

 

[Rufio808]

Could someone define "other marine deposits" ? It's kind of vague. Do they marine dead marine deposits? I'm pretty sure they do. I'm thinking of just returning the rock today. It's not worth the hobby to be breaking a law.

 

[bjohanson1234]

Since you already have the rock, keep it. No point in getting busted trying to return it to where you got it. Also if it has been in your tank, there could be some foreign disease or parasite on the rock that could devistate the local ecosystem.