So how DO catch fish without destroying your planted tank??

[NorCalAl]

I would like to move a couple of my current 65g inhabitants to my new 29g. One of them, a fiesty little synodontis, is proving very difficult. The gouramis were easy - I put some food in the net and they basically did the rest. The syno isn't that dumb. Without pulling everything out (or giving up!), how DO I catch the little bugger?

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Here's what I did with my 75G Heavily Planted to catch my Bolivian Rams.

Get the biggest net that will fit in the tank. Put it in and let it sit for a while, so the fish get comfortable with it there. Then use a bare hand and slowly go through the large plants to flush the fish you want out with as little stress as possible. Once you get him near the net, you can sometimes chase it into the net, then grab the net and pull him out.

Other fish like plecos you can use small containers, and do the same. They will see the container as cover, and you can easily spook them into the container.

Just a couple ideas I've used. I tried using the 2 net trick, but in a planted, just did more damage than good, so now I just use a bare hand. Easier on the plants, and easier on you.

 

[hulkamaniac]

Try the fish trap I tried. Basicallly you take a pop bottle (2 liter) and cut the top off. Then turn the top upside down in the bottle. Punch a couple of holes to allow water in, but not too far down as you want to be able to transport the fish in the bottle. Put some food in it and put the bottle on the bottom. When the fish comes in (sooner or later, sometimes later), he can't figure out how to get out and you lift the bottle and your fish out of the tank.

 

[maxwell1295]

Interesting. I will have to try that one of these days...

 

[imrandome1]

I agree with lonewolf that using 1 net and a hand is better than 2 nets, u just end up looking at 1 net and destroying your plants with the other, i have not done the fish trap, but il give it a go sounds good as long as u can wait long enough for it to swim in lol

 

[NorCalAl]

I can wait, I'm in no real hurry. He's just one of the fish I want in the 29g long-term so I thought I would move him. Next is the rams and discus. More fun.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

What's his favorite food? Put some of it in the trap. Should attract him.

 

[LindaC]

Boy, I sure wish I read this post before I partially destroyed my 10 gallon tank trying to catch 3 apistos and 2 rams this morning, what a probject that turned out to be!

 

[Plantbrain]

Do an 80% water changes, it there is no water, there is no place to run, you can catch anything using this method.

And the tank looks good after a large water change.

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[sherry]

Tom, I was just about to post this crediting you

Has anybody welcomed you properly? We are so glad to see you here. My tank is mUCH more beautiful since I found EI, Co2 Mist, stopped buffering Kh, and started adding a little gh booster.

 

[sherry]

acutally now that I think of it.... do you recommend 1/4 teaspoon of gh booster or 1/8 of a teaspoon of gh booster and 1/8 of a teaspoon epsom salts.. tank is 1.5 kh, 1.5 gh without adding anything. NYC water.

 

[Resurgent]

I find panda cory's the hardest fish to catch. They are the fastest fish in my tank.