Fish trap, easier way to catch fish?

[wildroseofky]

I have a 29 gallon with a lot of plants and moss "trees". My molly had babies and I made a deal with the local pet store to take them. I managed to catch 16 of them with two nets but I tore my tank up. Knocked plants and trees everywhere. I got frustrated and left around 10 in the tank. I really need to catch them before they get much bigger or my tank will be overstocked. Any easier ways to do that. I tried feeding them and netting them as they came to the top of the tank but they soon got wise to that. I was wondering if I could set up some kind of trap for them. Something like fisherman use to catch minnows for bait. The regular traps would be way to big obviously. I tried a water bottle with some food in it. All I caught was lots of ghost shrimp. Those little boogers will fall for anything. LOL Anyone have any ideas? I am thinking of removing any more fry while they are really small into a holding tank with only a small amount of plants. That way I can catch them easier.

 

[IsabellaRows]

If you leave them in there till one swims to where you can net him, you might be able to catch more that way. I say just leave them there until they are big enough to catch better. won't do any harm to the tank.

 

[Khuligirl93]

4 things that I have found help:
1) remove any decor that you can
2) lower the water level
3) use a bigger net
4) try to catch them late at night after the lights have been off and the room has been dark for a few hours when they are "asleep" they will be a lot slower.

 

[candymancan]

I use two nets... One big one small.. go really slow and scare the fish to your bigger net and corner them... Going slow is better then going fast

 

[Legit Fish]

um i dont think you have to worry about anything because your ghost shrimps will soon eat the babies

 

[wildroseofky]

My ghost shrimp have never eaten any of the babies. I have blue pearl shrimp that breed right along with the ghost shrimp and they never bother each other. This batch of molly babies started out big. The mother was a newly bought creamsicle molly and she had huge babies. However, even my dalmation molly babies were never bothered by the shrimp. I have ghost shrimp that are almost as big as my adult mollies and they never bother anybody. I will try waiting until they are asleep. I only have ten more to catch. They are around an inch and a half so they are big enough to go to the store. They have grown really fast. A lot faster than my other two mollies' fry. My tank has so much in it that it is hard to remove everything. I have three moss "trees" and several standing branches plus lots of plants. I really didn't think about having to catch fry. I am thinking about moving the next pregnant girl into a holding tank before she gives birth. I have several 10 gallon tanks I can use. Wish someone would give me another 29 g or bigger tank. LOL I have been lucky and gotten all my tanks for free from family. I have my eye on a 60 gallon tank that belongs to a niece-in-law. I am going to try all the suggestions. I tried the two net one but there is no room to maneuver in my tank.

 

[candymancan]

I eat babies.... just saying...

LOL


Cool looking tank btw I like the trees and the java moss for leaves

 

[Krissycakes]

Sorry this post made me laugh, I did the same thing wrangling up my guppies in my 20g.

Needless to say, cloudy water, water changed;D

★Try when they are asleep works for me.

 

[wildroseofky]

It's okay to laugh. I did after the frustration got the better of me. LOL outsmarted by fish.

 

[Coyne]

When I had to catch my Molly's fry, I just used an airline tube and just siphoned them out into a bucket. This probably wont work if theyre too big though.

 

[Krissycakes]

It's okay to laugh. I did after the frustration got the better of me. LOL outsmarted by fish.

XD true story lol

When I had to catch my Molly's fry, I just used an airline tube and just siphoned them out into a bucket. This probably wont work if theyre too big though.

Thats smart!

 

[wildroseofky]

I actually thought about using a vacuum tube. Every time I clean the tank the fish swim up to the vacuum hose and I have to fight them off. I actually sucked one up about a month ago. I use an electric vacuum and have no idea how it made it through the impeller part. When I cleaned the little bag that everything goes into, it was in there. I put it back in the tank and it was fine. I have a large diameter tubing. I might just try that. Give the fish a wild ride into a bucket. LOL

 

[Krissycakes]

Every time I clean the tank the fish swim up to the vacuum hose and I have to fight them off. I actually sucked one up about a month ago. Give the fish a wild ride into a bucket. LOL

One day I was cleaning my male bettas tank, and he got sucked up and stuck at the head part lol. I freaked out and ripped the hose out of the water to free him from suction.