Anyone have a better fish trap?

[mandarin chick]

Attempting to catch 2 yellow tail damsels in my 110. I currently have 2 traps: 1 the store bought box and 2 the homemade soda bottle.

Since trying to trap these critters last night, I have caught every other fish, at least once. Some, I have caught a few times using the box.

This morning, I made the soda bottle trap and put it in. I have caught 3 mandarins and 2 scooters at once - and I have had to chase them away from the trap several times. Mental note: if your fish are jar trained, there is a pretty good chance anything that looks like a jar will be swarmed by scooters and mandarins:spin2:.

The bottle trap is now elevated in the "swim column" much to the chagrin of my scooters and mandarins, only now, I have already caught the baby hawk twice, the orchid dottyback once, a couple of bangaiis (how they fit through the hole is beyond me since the hole is smaller than them, and at least half of the green chromis.

Anyone have a suggestion for a trap for the yellow tails that will not attract everything EXCEPT the yellow tails????

The score right now is

Yellow tails: 24
Mandarin Chick: 0

 

[Airwolf75]

I think you should try to catch all the other fish, and you'll catch the dansels.

 

[mandarin chick]

I think you should try to catch all the other fish, and you'll catch the dansels.

trying to avoid removing all the fish and live rock. hubby is threatening to remove all the rock and chase them down until they drop from exhaustions..

if anyone needs to catch mandarins, orchid dottybacks or green filefish, I certainly have a trick now... EVERYTHING except the yellow tails has been caught at this point... mandarins, dottyback and filefish repeatedly....

 

[snorvich]

You need a fish trap with a controllable (fish line) door. That way you can lower it if inappropriate fish try to enter and raise it when the right fish shows interest. But you can always drain the tank, saving the water, until you have about 3 inches of water left. Then capturing fish becomes a LOT easier.

 

[iamwrasseman]

many times you can find their favorite spot and remove some rock so there is a clear alley from front to back then put in a piece of Plexiglas to cut off the appropriate area and work from there . they will not be easy to catch but you can raise your odds by making the tank smaller . also you can get a fly fishing hook size 3 and some fly fishing line .simply remove the barb on the hook and file or sand down the sharp hook end and use a piece of PE mysis shrimp as bait . when they hit it you have to pull out quickly with even tension and they will be pulled out with no damage or harm at all . i have done this many times and its even fun to do too ! good luck to ya ~

 

[mandarin chick]

many times you can find their favorite spot and remove some rock so there is a clear alley from front to back then put in a piece of Plexiglas to cut off the appropriate area and work from there . they will not be easy to catch but you can raise your odds by making the tank smaller . also you can get a fly fishing hook size 3 and some fly fishing line .simply remove the barb on the hook and file or sand down the sharp hook end and use a piece of PE mysis shrimp as bait . when they hit it you have to pull out quickly with even tension and they will be pulled out with no damage or harm at all . i have done this many times and its even fun to do too ! good luck to ya ~

actually, i was pondering some way to blockade the 'nest' side to get the male but wasn't sure it would work. thanks for the validation of the idea.

hubby is to the point he might not want to remove the barb from the end of a hook :bigeyes: he has stood motionless by the tank for a chunk of the day insisting he could trap them but to no avail.

current score

Yellow Tails: 85
Humans: 0

yellow tang has struggled and strained enough to get in 3 times that I saw, and apparently a couple more that I didn't.

The question now is: Is this how fish have fun? Tormenting their humans?

 

[iamwrasseman]

yes as they have to get back at us for removing them from their natural setting in the great ocean ! the hook deal really works quite well i must say and again its fun fishing at home . i wish you the best

 

[michealprater]

This is why I tell people, unless you are a damsel lover..... never add them to your aquarium!!