Tanking fish out of community tank?

[ouch]

Hi I have a planted community tank and I am trying to take out a couple lemon tetras but everytime I stick in the net they goto their favourite hiding places I dont wanna rip my plants out...I know this is a difficult task but was wondering if anybody has an ingenious method of doing this without pulling the plants out. Thanks

 

[krap101]

be really quick

pretty much there isnt any unles you set a trap with 2 nets or those commercial ones ive never heard anything about

 

[Fishyfanatic]

I bought one of those big 12 inch nets and do a little chase scene with a little net directly into the big net. Works every time. I used to be able to net about 6 or 7 fish at a time in the 55 gal. Now I get maybe 2 or 3 in the 150.

 

[fishyrican]

A couple things I try, each of which requires a healthy dose of patience:

1. I bait a clear bottle with food and put it on the tank floor. When the targeted fish swims in, I remove the bottle and pour into a larger container. More often than not, I get other fish in there too. Even so, I find it is easier to net one fish out of the large container with two or three other fish, then spooking 20-30 schooling fish while trying to hunt one down with a net in a planted tank.

2. For surface swimmers, I do the same but with a ziplock bag floating on the surface.

I have to be patient, though. It may take a little of time.

 

[Mazdaman]

I've heard of the clear bottle method but with one extra step. Take a pop bottle (rinsed of course) and cut the top off and push the top into the bottle (so the opening is facing inwards. Bait it with food, the fish swim in but usually can't get out. Much cheaper than buying one of those traps that I've heard don't really work anyways...

 

[Meredith]

I usually use a clear plastic container to scoop the fish out, it seems like they cant see that as well as the net. But using net or some other scooping device, I noticed if I just leave the thing in the tank for a little while so the fish get used to seeing in there, its not as hard to grab them.

 

[malkore]

drain most of the water
use 2 nets
turn the lights off for a half hour before hand, and they'll start to go into sleep mode...easier to catch then