Advice: How to remove a lunare wrasse?

[steri]

I have a very large fish tank. For a long time it has been a FOWLR. Recently I have tried adding some things to it. Some with success, some not so much. Here is the quick summary of what has been tested:

Mexican Turbo Snails: Doing great after a few weeks. Clean tons, looking strong.

Hermit Crabs: All dead within a few days.

Leather coral frag: Doing well

Xenia frag: Frenchy ate it.

I know that given the species in my tank, some of this may be impossible (to add inverts or any kind of coral).

For a while I was perplexed about the crabs. Why would the snails do so well, but the crabs die so fast??? Well, I found the answer. My lunare wrasse is eating all of them. Not sure why he is eating crabs but not snails.

My wrasse is pretty big, a solid 6+ inches. How the heck would I go about catching him if I wanted to get him out of the tank?

Oddly enough, given everything in my tank, this is the only fish that is posing a problem. I mean, my French Angel ate the xenia, but my french angel is also 12+ inches and is a show piece in my tank, so my tank will revolve around what works for him, my other angels, and my eel.

It is clear to me that I would be able to keep crabs in my tank if only I could get the lunare wrasse out, but given his size, the size of my tank, and the 100 or so caves in my tank, I am not sure how to accomplish this mission. Any advice would be appreciated!

 

[steri]

Just in case anyone wanted a pic (I recently took a few pics of my angels). Side view of the tank:

<a href="http://s137.photobucket.com/user/kobeshaqsosafan/media/Fish%202.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q226/kobeshaqsosafan/Fish%202.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo Fish 2.jpg"/></a>

 

[wantsalotta]

Ice fishing jig with his favorite food on it.

 

[steri]

Ice fishing jig with his favorite food on it.

Favorite food :lmao:

This dude eats EVERYTHING! He eats so much that afterwards, he lays down in the front of the tank leaning up against the side of the tank for a while, all bloated and such, just to let his food digest some. You might think this is a good time to catch him. It's not, as soon as anything loves near the front of the tank, he darts away from the spot.

90% of the time, he is moving 100% of the time. :lmao:

 

[tthouston]

I think your tank is LRWFO so this the way you can catch my fishes.
1- Cut 2 pieces of egg crate same width and height of the tank.
2- Move the fish to one end then put the first egg crate down to divide the tank.
3- Move some rocks on fish side close to egg crate to the other side. Your fishes will move and hide to other rocks at the end of the tank at this time.
4- Use another egg crate to divide other half, then move all the rest of the rocks to another side.
Now, all your fishes are swimming in small area without the rocks, using the net to catch your fish.
Good luck.

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[tikireefer]

Favorite food :lmao:

This dude eats EVERYTHING! He eats so much that afterwards, he lays down in the front of the tank leaning up against the side of the tank for a while, all bloated and such, just to let his food digest some. You might think this is a good time to catch him. It's not, as soon as anything loves near the front of the tank, he darts away from the spot.

90% of the time, he is moving 100% of the time. :lmao:

Your fish actually has a food coma after eating!! lol That is hilarious!

 

[tenurepro]

I had good success catching wrasses with a bottle trap. Get a 1.5 l plastic bottle, cut off the top... enlarge the moth of the bottle so that it fits the fish you are trying to catch - wrasse are often torpedo shaped which is perfect for these types of traps. Ok invert the top of the bottle and insert into the bottom of the bottle, glue or tape the two pieces together. I like to make a hole in the upper part of the trap (hot pin pierces through plastic) for a bit of fishing line so you can yank the trap out of the tank without having to put your hands in the water.
Then go fishing! Reduce the ciecuakriPut some food in the bottom compartment of the trap, put it in the tank, and watch closely from across the room. It may take a while, but it's always been effective in my experience


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[DanCorals]

I used a small fly hook. Works immediately with no damage to the fish.

 

[Ladipyg]

I use a sabiki rig hook, tipped with a small piece of squid. Be sure to bend the barb down or file it off, in case he is piggy enough to swallow it. I've gotten many, many fish out of the tank like this...without damage to the fish or the rock work.

 

[ostrow]

I use a sabiki rig hook, tipped with a small piece of squid. Be sure to bend the barb down or file it off, in case he is piggy enough to swallow it. I've gotten many, many fish out of the tank like this...without damage to the fish or the rock work.

You ex-cops all think you are so tough! :spin2::spin2::spin2:

 

[steri]

OK. So I admit the first time I read catching him with a hook, I assumed it was a joke. You guys are serious?!?!?!

Huh! I honestly never would have thought of that as an option. Interesting. Though I admit being tempted to try the egg crate idea first. IMO, he is too big to try the bottle cap method. He's pretty wide and a solid 6+ inches.

 

[ostrow]

I wouldn't do the hook. Large trap.

 

[Sullyman]

An ultra light ice fishing pole with tiny hook and you could have quite an epic episode.....

 

[blowmecius]

#12 or smaller trout hook tied to 4 - 6 # mono filament. Get one fresh shrimp and cut off one leg. Thread that severed shrimp leg onto the hook so it completely covers the hook. (Cook shrimp if too mushy to stay on hook, but a leg should be fine.) Lower baited hook into tank and when he grabs it, pull the fish out in one smooth motion. Don't jerk it, just pull all the way out in one motion.

You will be amazed how easy it is. Just try this for 5 minutes before draining the entire tank.

 

[lolgranny]

I had good success catching wrasses with a bottle trap. Get a 1.5 l plastic bottle, cut off the top... enlarge the moth of the bottle so that it fits the fish you are trying to catch - wrasse are often torpedo shaped which is perfect for these types of traps. Ok invert the top of the bottle and insert into the bottom of the bottle, glue or tape the two pieces together. I like to make a hole in the upper part of the trap (hot pin pierces through plastic) for a bit of fishing line so you can yank the trap out of the tank without having to put your hands in the water.
Then go fishing! Reduce the ciecuakriPut some food in the bottom compartment of the trap, put it in the tank, and watch closely from across the room. It may take a while, but it's always been effective in my experience


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THIS^ exactly how I caught my wrasse.


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