Trick for netting a cichlid?

[CraigMac]

Ok, I have a 90 gallon African cichlid tank. Among my fish are 10 yellow labs. I wanted to decrease this number so I'm selling a few. Anyway, I just spend 30 minutes trying to catch ANY of my yellow labs! It took forever. !

I also have a couple holding females I'd like to move to their ow tank, but if it took me 30 minutes to just catch any fish, how am I going to catch one specific fish !!!

Any tricks of the trade you guys can share?

 

[MissSmish]

One smaller net, one larger. Use the smaller net to steer or chase the fish into the the larger net.

I hope that helps, or someone else has a better idea.

 

[Cichlid Kid]

Yep. The steering method works somewhat.
Also you could try it after lites out when they're a little disoriented.

 

[reefdiver]

Wait till you do a water change gives them less room to swim.

 

[CraigMac]

Thanks all, I'll try to put all of these recommendations into one effort and give it a go!!

 

[Cichlid-dude]

I put a clear plastic cup in the bottom of the tank and chase the fish i wantnout towards it. They think its a spot to hide and go right in. Then just put your hand over the top and youve got your fish.

 

[Cecil2010]

I had the same problem when I had to get one specific fish out of my 45g I can only imagine a 90! But I chased him around the tank for about 45 minutes, tried to steer him into the larger net with the smaller one but it's like he knew that I was after him. He did not go anywhere near the open part of my tank. But after chancing him for 45 minutes I got aggravated and took every single rock that was in the tank out, mind you that I just did a water change the day before and was not happy about this lol. But after the rocks were out it was pretty simple with just the big net.

Hope this helps, next time I'm going to try to do it when the lights are off, that seems like it might work.

 

[CraigMac]

Yeah my concern is when the lights are off most of the fish go into the rockwork so I'm still going to have to remove most of the rocks I think.

 

[Cecil2010]

Yea i see what you mean, i would just wait till your next water change if possible.

 

[HUKIT]

Yeah my concern is when the lights are off most of the fish go into the rockwork so I'm still going to have to remove most of the rocks I think.

One of the happiest moments in this hobby was getting rid of the rift lake rock dwellers, I dont miss the breaking down and removing all the rocks for a single fish. It seemed that a toaster still plugged would complete the task at hand much quicker. But atlas lower the water as low as you can to manuver the net.

 

[Snoskiur]

I put a large net in and let them get used to it. Then I feed them in front of the net and when the fish I want swims in to eat, he's mine!