Share your fish catching/trapping skills!

[Menagerie]

Some interesting ways to catch and/or trap fish were being shared in another thread, so I thought it would be a great idea to get all the ideas together. If you have a "proven" method for catching your finned friends, share them with us!

 

[TankGirl]

For netting, I remove large obstructions, lower water level if possible, and once I confine the target fish to a corner, I slide in a tank divider to make the escape zone smaller.

For catching smallish fish I take a 16 or 20-ounce soda bottle, cut off the top right below the neck, take the piece I cut off and put it back in, inverted, so that the neck of the bottle is now inside it. I put some delicious food in there, and the fish swim in the small opening but can't figure out how to get out. You catch unwanted fish sometimes but usually it is pretty fail-safe.

Great thread, Menagerie!

 

[Menagerie]

I should add my method
I have caught my young convict, mollies and bettas this way from the community tank. First, I put the net in the tank and walk away for a few momments, then I use food to lure them out and I try to grab them.
The other method I like when just moving fish is to grab my biggest net and haul in as many as posible. This works best when the water level is lowered and decor is removed.

 

[tbonem91]

I have 2 nets: 1 Large one and 1 small one.

I put the large one in a corner area and use the small net to chase the fish into the large one, then out they come

 

[rubysoho]

When I was transferring my Zebra Danios (fast little things!!) I just slowly hearded them towards one side of the tank with the net, slowly angled the net under neath them and brought it up, and I was able to catch all of them without chasing them around the tank. The key was moving slowly and being patient (took maybe a minute).

 

[Jdills1347]

Well I tried a couple of methods such as herding with two nets, luring with food and trying to swipe him up with a big net but my Kenyi cichlid was too smart for me. I even tried taking a fish bag (the ones you get them in) and tied some food in the bottom bag with a string and then took a needle and thread and wove it around the top of the bag so when I pulled on the string it would close the bag. I put it in the tank horizontally and left the sting long enough so I could close it a ways from the tank. Unfortunately everyone but my Kenyi visited the bag so I abandoned that project. I should have tried TankGirls method and see if that worked. Someone also mentioned catching the fish at night when they are lethargic, that sounds like it could be effective.

Either way I have too much rock in my tank that can't be removed easily so I came up with a over-the-top trap. It was actually kinda fun though overboard, but it WORKED. Basically I took a small breeder tank (shown below and available at petsmart) and taped the top so it would hinge on one side. I then drilled a hole in the front of the tank so that a string could be tied to the unhinged side of the top and could come out the whole so that when the string was pulled it would pull the top down (see pic below). I put a few river stones in the bottom it and cut up a small brine shrimp net and packed it with food,tied it off with a rubber band and put it under the river stones. I put the sucker in the tank and luckily the top had enough buoyancy to stay open without any strings needed to pull it up. I made the string long enough so I could sit on my couch and watch tv and made it just taunt enough to give plently of room for the fish to get in. Finally he went in it , I looked over and gave the cord a pull and got him. I was soo happy hah! I'm sure there are much better methods but in actuality it was easy and luckily it worked. Have fun.

 

[TankGirl]

Brilliant! I love this

 

[RogerMcAllen]

I am a big fan of the 2 net system.

 

[Devilishturtles]

I hardly take any of my fishies out of the tank, but, if I must say so myself...I'm a slight pro at catching the little things, lol. But, I've had plenty of practice!

I usually let the net sit in the tank for a few minutes, with my hand still inside, then when the fish moves close enough, just pull up and catch them. Catch them off guard is my trick! Has been fail-safe so far!

Great thread, Menagerie!

 

[Guest]

The other method I like when just moving fish is to grab my biggest net and haul in as many as posible.

If all else fails, use commercial fishing methods. It's been proven to work for years.


I like the two net method for tanks with few decorations, or ones that can easily be removed.

I've learned on heavily planted tanks were you really don't want to remove plants, decor etc... Is to make dang sure whatever you introduce to that tank is going to coincide with the rest of the tank.

It's no fun chasing around a very fast fish, in a very big tank with lots of cover. Nor is it fun to uproot all your plants, remove rocks, driftwood and lower your water level to catch a fish that does'nt play fair with the rest of the community. Trust me, it's not fun.

 

[Atlarge]

Months of working at a petstore.
"So you want that specific coolie loach?"

 

[TankGirl]

You are so right! If I had to catch a particular fish in my heavily planted 55, I don't know if I could do it. There is hardly room in there for them to swim as it is, LOL! I would have to tear the tank down if I wanted to get one of the plecos.

 

[Apocalypse_Gold]

I have a pleco that is almost impossible to net. He's fast, runs for corners (behind the ugf up-tubes), and is outgrowing my net. My new method for moving him is to get him to hide on the ceiling of my little Flinstones-house-like decoration. Then I turn it upside down and pull it out. For some reason he doesn't try to escape.

Another note, when you have managed to get the fish scooped into the net, rather than continuing to scoop, pulling the net closes the opening so they don't swim out. Also you won't scoop out others.

 

[William]

Only time I ever scoop fish is when I'm moving tanks and the tank their in has to be drained.

Then, depending on the size of the fish inside, I lower the water to within half an inch of them [ Say, if the fish is 2 inches from top to bottom, I lower the water to around 2 and a ahlf inches ]

use my biggest net, and herd them into the corner . By which time they can't escape up or down, so I juse close in and pick up.


This is the ONLY way I can catch my Bala Shark OR my Pl*co without them jumping out and smacking me in the face [ don't ask ]

 

[krap101]

oh... its not that hard imo. just takes like 15 mins. err for my tanks. for me i just dont put the net in the water and when a my fish comes out into the open just like stab it into the water. thats the easiest way for me for those top dwelling fish. for the bottom ones... i guess i gotta pull that driftwood out

 

[Mr Burns]

i had a hell of a time trying to get my 14" pleco out the tank when i re-did everything. i lowered the water about 2/3 of the way then i cut out a 18"x24" section of vinyl window screening and lowered it into the tank. the trick is to get the screening spread out flat across the bottom while keeping the biggin' above it. once that's accomplished, it's simply a matter of pulling up on all corners and quickly moving to the temporary tank.

this method worked very very well. it was pretty low stress for both of us, mostly b/c there is no awkward net to get tangled in, and no chasing involved. i couldn't imagine trying to grab this pleco with my bare hands!

 

[krap101]

ow that would hurt

 

[Mr Burns]

i'm not worried about pain...i'm worried about hurting my fish! he/she seems so strong that i would really have to clamp down to get a firm hold, and i'd be afraid of injuring it that way...

 

[Cherry Barb]

I have to add a little of my own here. When I was given my 55g tank I had to move it and its inhabitants to my house. 2 decent sized gouramis, a bala shark, an iridescent shark and a quick little pictus. The pictus I cornered into a dixie cup of all things. The rest were too big for the net or cup so I had to grab them by hand. An interesting experience if I do say so myself. The gouramis were easy, they were really still when they knew they were caught. The bala however, was stronger than he looked and it took a few tries to get him.

 

[gone fishin]

Just place your net in the water, and watch where the fish hide. Place your net as close as you can to that spot, and leave it there. Then use a plastic rod from a miniblind to herd them in. It works great for in around plants. I have also heard of a clear glass "bulb" that europeans use, the fish can't see it, you just take your finger off and it sucks them in.