is it viable to collect or have a diver collect cuttlefish eggs from the reef.

How diificult is species identification of eggs?

i would have to supply the diver with pictures...any idea where i could get them from

(sepia mestus/or latimanus)

Eggs would probably ship better but it would be hard to tell species just by looking at the eggs, they look pretty much alike.

thanks!, but could you tell me what books or other sources would be a good place to look?

in the end if it is the wrong species i can just take them back to the diver to replace them at the dive site. but it would be helpful to have some idea of identification.

as i understand sepia mestus is easier than most to identify as its regular colour is a reddy/orange

shipping isnt much of a problem as they are based out of brisbane where i live. the main reason for wanting eggs is to rear them from birth for both the experience and because they will be less aggressive toward each other.

thanks for you help joel and everyone else

I'm not reccomending this but you could go scuba diving when giant cuttles ( sepia apama) mate, there's sure to be alot of eggs but i doubt they'd let you. Sadly the giant cuttle population has declined. There's a recent thread around here on that.

sepia apama are a bit south of where i am.

also they grow far too big up to a metre total length!!! :cry:

Latimanus isn't too far off, Apama are usually only 1m long when it comes to breeding time, they just wanna look larger by spreading their tentacles, normally their arms aren't quite as long.