Any Tips on Catching The #$%@#*

[Allyson]

So I made the decision to evict the Bicolor Pseudo....now how the f*** do I catch him without tearing down my rockwork? Do they make fishtraps? I tried putting food in a net & leaving it in the tank for a while but he didn't fall for it. My hubby said "Let me try I'll get him"....yeah right....threw his hands up after 30 mins. Maybe the net thing didn't work cuz we had already fed him trying to catch him while eating. Planning on trying again after starving him for a day or two....but any suggestions are appreciated.

Oh...a word of newly found wisdom...think out your fish purchases...it's a real pain trying to rectify mistakes.

[Alice]

Doesn't sound like much fun Allyson You can find fishtraps at most LFS and online suppliers. They aren't too expensive.

You can also try making your own trap out of a plastic pop bottle. Cut the top off, like a funnel, invert it and silicone it in. Put bait inside and sink it. I've also had some luck (with slow, stupid fish, LOL) by replacing the netting in an old net with a clear plastic bag, zip-tied in place.

Boy, I got lucky on my bi-color psuedo, he never bothered anybody.

Happy Hunting,

Alice

[Spanky]

Allyson,

Here's what we found works better than food. Pseudo's are extremely territorial - aggressive about it even.
Make the trap Alice suggested, BUT instead of baiting it with food, glue a mirror on the inside back end. Use a clear soda bottle, BTW.
Works for damsels, grammas, gobies, any territorial fish.

HTH
Jerel

[fishinchick]

I like moving my green chromis from one tank to the other from time to time. I catch these guys all the time using a glass.

Get a medium sized mason jar...... I use them for Iced Tea. Make sure its clean - very clean VERY clean (got that part?)

Now I feed formula one and two along with the rest of the reeftank menu. I go out of my way to NOT feed the tank in the morning so everyone is dying of starvation and wait until mid afternoon (this is always good on a weekend). I Chop the food up and place it in the botoom of the tank in a corner.
Hang out by the tank with a net and a bucket with tank water. You are going to probably catch a few fish you dont WANT out of the tank but just do the process of elimination thing until you get the one you want.

Works for me every time.
If you live in S. cal I will come over and show you.

[gweezpie]

I posted this once before....

When I could not catch my domino damsel who became way to aggressive towards my corals and other fish......

Since my domino was always the first fish to get to the food, I decided to catch him the old fashion way.....I hooked him....it took a couple of tries but a small fish hook and a mysis shrimp and whamo he was hangin from his upper lip.. ....I tried everything else for a year to catch this bugger....nothing! If your fish comes right to the food.....then I say HOOK'EM!

Good Luck
Joe

[jjharrisx4]

The fishhook is the only way to go. Use a very small hook, and pinch the barb with a pliers and you'll be fine. The hook does very little damage to the fish if the barb is pinched, and your nerves can unfrazzle.

[Allyson]

Thanks for all the tips....I'll try making my own fish trap with a bottle (he's really fast so the glass idea may not work Adrienne...he'd probably swim out before my slow reflexes would kick in) I'd prefer getting a credit from the LFS for a replacement, but definitely am not opposed to trying to hook'em should the bottle idea fail.

I've considered just keeping him, he is agressive, but hasn't really hurt anyone else (except for the pep shrimp) but I feel really bad that my banggai's can't leave their corner of the tank & I think something like maybe a firefish would be more compatible.

[jjharrisx4]

I'm not sure I understand...If you hook the fish you should still get the same credit at the LFS...You will not be damaging the fish permanently, likely you will not be able to tell the fish was even hooked. i have done this several times and usually the fish goes from the hook to the LFS within an hour or so.

[fishinchick]

If your manual reflexes are slow...... when they wander into the glass, take a net and slide it over the opening of the glass..... (make sure the net is big enough to fit over the opening). I removed a couple of rotten yellow damsels and a clarkii clown in this way that were lighting fast and very agressive.

It takes a little patience but ultimately it doesnt injure the fish. Hooking is hooking wether you remove the barb or not. The glass wont stress the fish like a hook digging into flesh - which is a good thing if you are planning on doing a trade in with it.

You also stand the chance of having a possibly overly agressive fish 'slapping' the bait and 'gilling' itself (or in the eye or side) or worse catching and injuring one of your fish that you really like in the previously mentioned ways. If I caught my sailfin in the eye

IMO I would tear apart a tank before dropping a hook in there. I fish..... I know what can (and does) happen.

[tdwyatt]

Originally posted by Spanky
... BUT instead of baiting it with food, glue a mirror on the inside back end. Use a clear soda bottle...

MAN!!!

What a great idea!!!! I hadn't thought of doing that!

THANKS Jerel!!!


and all this time if though you guys were just sitting by the lagoon sipping margaritas...