Locations to Collect Chasmodes Blennies?

[Josh Carter]

Hello Reef2Reef Members!

I'm reaching out to all fish lovers out there and more specially blenny lovers. I was wondering if anyone had experience catching Chasmodes blennies and if so how and where did you catch them? I'm a researcher from Texas A&M University studying the genetics of the Chasmodes clade and need to collect them throughout their ranges. I'm looking to collect some Striped blennies (Chasmodes bosquianu) from the east coast and Stretchjaw blenny (Chasmodes longimaxilla) from the northern GoM. I'm willing to drive to any reliable coordinates. I prefer shore-based collecting so any oyster reefs or seagrass beds accessible from shore. I typically dive or snorkel for these fish so as to not impact the reefs and seagrass beds.

If anyone has any reliable information on the whereabouts of these blennies I'd really appreciate it! They are a very understudied group and my aim is to understand why current distributions exist and how C. saburrae and C. longimaxilla interact in their area of range overlap.

If anyone has any questions I'd be happy to answer and elaborate.

Cheers!

 

[eatbreakfast]

There is a member here that may be able to help. @Chasmodes

 

[Chasmodes]

Josh, I have found them in the Chesapeake Bay near Solomon's Island, Point Lookout (on both sides, in the Bay and in the Potomac River). I've collected them along the beaches next to marsh grass around muddy undercut banks. I've also caught them around dock pilings. I've used several sized dipnets to catch them. The large dipnets work well around piers and pilings, while smaller ones work best around the undercut banks along the beaches. I have yet to collect along an oyster reef. Others have documented catching them in other Bay locations as far North as Baltimore, and also along the backwaters (Assawoman Bay) around Ocean City.

I've used seines in those areas, but have yet to catch any blennies using them. I think that I can increase my catch rate by pairing and gluing oyster shells together, placing them in a milk crate and drop them next to dock pilings, then just haul them out after leaving them there for a while. I already gained permission to do this at a couple locations.

Edit: also, because of their large mouths, they can be caught on ultralight fishing tackle via hook and line. Anglers in Maryland sometimes catch them and report them to the DNR after misidentifying them as northern snakeheads. A little chunk of freshly cut oyster, mussel or clam on a small hook should tempt them nicely when fished around shoreline structure.

 

[chris85]

Are you still looking for a striped/stretch jaw blenny?!! I live on galveston island and can bring you right to them!!

 

[Josh Carter]

Are you still looking for a striped/stretch jaw blenny?!! I live on galveston island and can bring you right to them!!

I am, but not so much on Galveston anymore. I collected what I need on the island. Just out of curiosity, where do you find them? I found good numbers of them near Sportsman Rd. next to the sweetwater preserve.

 

[chris85]

99th street next to the airport, crash boat basin, 103rd st, sportsman rd, pelican island, jamaica beach and a few others.

Well if you ever want to go collecting I would love to have someone to go with!!! I went a couple weeks ago on seawall and got about thirty blennies freckle, crested, and molly miller. Just let me know I also have a collection thread on our local reef club if you want to check it out!!!

 

[Chasmodes]

Well if you ever want to go collecting I would love to have someone to go with!!! I went a couple weeks ago on seawall and got about thirty blennies freckle, crested, and molly miller. Just let me know I also have a collection thread on our local reef club if you want to check it out!!!

I'm so jealous of all of the blenny species y'all have down there!!!! I'll have to live through you. Do you have a tank of fish that you collect Chris?

 

[chris85]

Yes I sure do I will try and post some pictures later.

 

[chris85]

I am here if you wanna go!!! You know you want to visit texas.

 

[Chasmodes]

[QUOTE="chris85, post: 372
I am here if you wanna go!!! You know you want to visit texas.[/QUOTE]

Now I do! Awesome pics, and what a cool tank! Man, that one molly miller is huge! Is that one in your tank too?

 

[chris85]

No I don't like to keep the big ones!!( breeding purposes) The ones in the 2 to 3 inch range get accustomed to aquarium life better. I have two almost that size now one molly and one crested!! There is alot more than that down here!!!

One question for you guys!! What is a good food source for the stretch jaw blenny? I have quit keeping them because they only last 6 to 8 months I have seen them eat shrimp, crab, hermit crab,clam,and a few others all food wild caught! Maybe it is the salinity do you know what they prefer?

 

[chris85]

Can you guys help me ID?!!! I think it might be tessellated blenny!?!

 

[happyhourhero]

Can you guys help me ID?!!! I think it might be tessellated blenny!?!

I do not think that one is a tessellated. The markings on the lip and the lack of the dark spot behind the eye make me think it is something else. Either way, that is a beautiful fish and I hope it fares well for you!

 

[happyhourhero]

Hypleurochilus springeri maybe?

 

[chris85]

Hypleurochilus springeri maybe?

Not sure I will look when I get off. I caught it about three weeks ago in the gulf inshore of the coast of texas if that helps any!!! This is a new one for me!!!

 

[Chasmodes]

Hypleurochilus springeri maybe?

Just looking at the pic, I think that you may be right, HHH. It would be easier to ID if we could see the whole fish, but that isn't as easy as it seems, I suspect. Beautiful fish!!!

Chris, did you figure out the diet preferences of Chasmodes longimaxilla yet? My thought when you posted that is that they're like the Chasmodes near me, being opportunistic feeders and feeding on any live food, or chopped fresh seafood that you can give them. C. bosquianus will readily convert to prepared foods too. I've even seen underwater crab pot videos where C. bosquianus raids the baits (chicken next, cut fish, etc.).

 

[Chasmodes]

I ordered my "Perfect Dipnet" and received it a couple weeks ago. I figured out that, unless I'm willing to wade chest deep to chase blennies, I'd need handle extensions so I can collect effectively off docks. So, I ordered them yesterday and should get them in a couple weeks. Once that happens, I'll be able to cover a lot more collecting area (wading with hand nets or my large dip net, collecting off docks or piers, or even a boat, and also setting fish traps). I've been doing the latter, but the big dip net gives me much more options.

 

[chris85]

Just looking at the pic, I think that you may be right, HHH. It would be easier to ID if we could see the whole fish, but that isn't as easy as it seems, I suspect. Beautiful fish!!! Not yet I wanted to figure out what I did wrong first because I have had three or four that lasted only a few months!! We have plenty of fish that do great in my tank and I don't like to have fish suffer because of me!! I have a ten gallon hooked to my system with local pipefish that I am going to give away soon so maybe I will try another one this year.

Chris, did you figure out the diet preferences of Chasmodes longimaxilla yet? My thought when you posted that is that they're like the Chasmodes near me, being opportunistic feeders and feeding on any live food, or chopped fresh seafood that you can give them. C. bosquianus will readily convert to prepared foods too. I've even seen underwater crab pot videos where C. bosquianus raids the baits (chicken next, cut fish, etc.).

 

[chris85]

I ordered my "Perfect Dipnet" and received it a couple weeks ago. I figured out that, unless I'm willing to wade chest deep to chase blennies, I'd need handle extensions so I can collect effectively off docks. So, I ordered them yesterday and should get them in a couple weeks. Once that happens, I'll be able to cover a lot more collecting area (wading with hand nets or my large dip net, collecting off docks or piers, or even a boat, and also setting fish traps). I've been doing the latter, but the big dip net gives me much more options.

I use the five dollar dip net and zip tie a bike innertube around it. I go through probably ten nets a year they get expensive quick. I have a few different methods that I am using this year so I will let you know what works best for me!!!

 

[chris85]

Just looking at the pic, I think that you may be right, HHH. It would be easier to ID if we could see the whole fish, but that isn't as easy as it seems, I suspect. Beautiful fish!!!

Chris, did you figure out the diet preferences of Chasmodes longimaxilla yet? My thought when you posted that is that they're like the Chasmodes near me, being opportunistic feeders and feeding on any live food, or chopped fresh seafood that you can give them. C. bosquianus will readily convert to prepared foods too. I've even seen underwater crab pot videos where C. bosquianus raids the baits (chicken next, cut fish, etc.).

Not yet I wanted to see what I did wrong the first time!!!! I don't like to make fish suffer because of me there are plenty of fish here that do great in my tanks. I do have a ten gallon setup with local pipefish I am about to give away the pipefish so maybe I will give it a try by the end of summer.

I think you guys might be right about the species, but I am going to continue to research.

@Josh Carter do you know a dustin or carlos in galveston?