Catching a Plec!!!

[RossyBoy]

Gunna be moving appartments soon, when i bought them i noticed the pet shop guy spent about 15 mins trying to catch the little plec lol

Any tips? coz they're an absolute nightmare.

Here's a pic of what i have, (2 of)...
http://www.aquarticles.com/articles/ponds/Gordon&Stuart_Coldwater_Fish.html
(the first pic down)

 

[bs6749]

If you are going to be moving you are probably going to be taking most if not all of the water out of your tank right? That is the easiest way to catch fish IME because there is less room for them to travel.

I would drain all but about 4-6" of water from the tank, and using 2 larger nets (one in each hand) come at the fish from both sides and get them in a corner. This is what I did with my fish when I moved and it worked perfectly. This works for fast fish as well, such as the danios in my case. Hope that helps.

 

[HitTheRoadJack]

Agreed. I use that method when I clean my tanks, and when I am doing water changes. Great tip bs6749, I was planning on getting danios that helps :]

 

[DanD]

I've had some luck going after them after the tank has been "lights out" for an hour or so in a darkened room. If you can completely darken the room, leave *all* the lights out, and look for the pleco with a small flashlight that has most of its lens covered. If it's managed to attach itself to the front or side glass, it's relatively easy to net it. Idea is to keep the light level to an absolute minimum - mine scurries at the least hint.

If this sounds more like a safari than anything else, it's not you - it's the fish!

 

[bs6749]

Most plecos are nocturnal, I believe, so they will be more active during the night and will most likely be able to spot you right away. When I turn the lights on in my room awhile after the lights have gone out in the tank I usually see my female BN pleco dart for cover when I move. She can see me right away.

 

[jsoong]

When I re-did the tank, this is what I did: Remove all decor & plants & most of the water. Put a jar on its side under water (non transparent one prob work better, but my clear one worked too). Put my hand near the pleco, it ran for cover inside the jar. Pick up the jar & the fish is caught, without any stress as it was never out of water.

BTW, I like to use mason jars rather than nets to move my fish. As the fish is never out of water, it is less stressed.

 

[plecoperson]

He's actually a hillstream loach. I just read that the best way is to wait 'til they are stuck on the glass, position the net, and then use a credit card to kinda (gently!) "scrape" the fish off the glass and into the net.

 

[RossyBoy]

great guys thanks!

N yes i am aware they're nocturnal... however mine seem to have their own little rules lol and come out when they like!

How do you tell which is male or female? Will they breed?

I've noticed, when they're stuck onto the glass... one has a huge mouth opening (really wide and flat) with sort of little whiskers, whilst the other has a tiny little circular mouth with no whiskers?