How to catch my fish?

tangsandthangs · 04-26-2008, 01:53 PM

Ok I want to get my fish out of my tank without destroying my whole tank. I have 2 damsels and a tomato clown. I want them all out so I can trade them in at the LFS. Whats the easiest way to do this without buying fancy equipment?

rookie reefer · 04-26-2008, 02:02 PM

a net and patience

rookie reefer · 04-26-2008, 02:03 PM

you could try feeding them and when they come to the surface try scooping them up with a net.

Loverotties · 04-26-2008, 02:09 PM

Put a piece of plexi in one area so they can't get away,then net them.

tangsandthangs · 04-26-2008, 02:26 PM

a piece of plexi?

kwdelre · 04-26-2008, 02:54 PM

Plexiglass

Good luck on catching the damsels.....

Might want to fill a bucket from your tank for a wate4r change and put the rocks in it and catch them in a near empty tank. Could saves many hours...

ScruffyRubicon · 04-26-2008, 03:29 PM

Many LFSs will rent you a trap. A bit of food in the trap and some (maybe a lot) of patience, and you will have them caught.

tlgreve · 04-26-2008, 03:31 PM

I use the bottom of a kritter keeper (you know, the clear plastic thing you can put bugs into) I feed the fish every day with it in the tank, then after a few days they will swim right in to eat - then BAM! got yourself a fish.

tangsandthangs · 04-26-2008, 09:31 PM

Well patience eventually paid off and I caught them after about 1 hour. I have 2 small fish nets and I knocked over a rock or 2 and some coral, but they are out and new inhabitants are acclimating. I got 2 baby ocellaris clowns and a cleaner shrimp along with some more snails.

ScruffyRubicon · 04-26-2008, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tangsandthangs

Well patience eventually paid off and I caught them after about 1 hour. I have 2 small fish nets and I knocked over a rock or 2 and some coral, but they are out and new inhabitants are acclimating. I got 2 baby ocellaris clowns and a cleaner shrimp along with some more snails.

Congrats! Glad it went fast. I've had to be patient for a day or more.

Junkzoo · 04-27-2008, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tangsandthangs

Well patience eventually paid off and I caught them after about 1 hour. I have 2 small fish nets and I knocked over a rock or 2 and some coral, but they are out and new inhabitants are acclimating. I got 2 baby ocellaris clowns and a cleaner shrimp along with some more snails.

Ya got lucky, or you are a top notch fish wrangler!

Congrats of catchin them so fast.

Be careful now, being you made it public of your skills, everyone in a 100 mile radius will be calling ya to snatch their fish from their tanks. LOL

A lil tip to those reading this for info for future fish removal, if you use a fish trap (clear plexi box deal w/ trap door) if you stick a mirror to the back wall of the trap, you will have better luck in getting fish to get close/into the trap, 'specially with damsels n clowns (they hate any competition added to their tank, and will charge the trap with great intent to scare off the "new" fish.
Seen it done(adding the mirror) a few times, and have done to other hobbyist's traps when they told me they had no luck. add the mirror, catch a damsel in no time.

The mirror trick might even work w/out the trap, perhaps placing the mirror against the tank side, letting the fish see it, might give you a chance on netting it while it is fired up w/"attacking" it's image.
HTH.

tangsandthangs · 04-27-2008, 04:02 PM

I was thinking I would wear the fish out, but it really did not work that way. I was the one getting tired. I'm thinking I need at least one bigger net, although I think my 2 net technique is the way to go. It amazes me how the people at the fish store just reach in and get the desired fish, although they do not usually have half the structure thats in our tanks.