best large tang removal tricks

[RyanSweatt2004]

I need to remove a 6-7 inch desjardini sailfin tang out of a 220 gallon resturaunt tank I maintain. Is there any easy tricks to get out a fish this size without tearing out the rock structure. And fishing isn't an option. Nets and patiance are just not working. Any ideas would help.

 

[TrojanScott]

Do you have the option of draining the tank? I've done that a few times with my 180 for any pesky fish, and the bigger, the easier it is. I just take a Brute trash can or two and drain the water level. It gives them less room to run around. When caught, I just pump the water right back in.

 

[WETFISH]

What works for me is:Large clear plastic container with mouth on top.Holes in container (to let out water),attach string to container.Feed fish with syringe so food floats around and down into container.Eventually fish goes down into container after food and will become disoriented,pull container up so mouth is out of water.It helps to put an leave container into tank so fish will get use to it and trust it.

 

[AngelsAnonymous]

Put a mirror at one end of the trap. Food takes to long,but if the salfin sees another "salfin" he'll be fighting it all the way out of the water.

 

[gildorph]

I have had success catching all my fish, including 2 tangs, with the ultralife fish trap. Just stop feeding for a few days, put food in and you can catch anything. It did require rigging a counterweight to the trap door.

 

[jmccown]

Nope. Easiest method is to go in after all the lights have been out for a good while and use a good size net and a flashlight. The fish will be in sleep mode and never expect a net. This is my choice method. So easy. I've tried all the other methods and this is the easiest.

 

[LKGRenegade22]

This is mainly opinionated stuff. Different people have varying results with the same practices. I have used all of the above in different situations.

The mirror sounds like the best bet for a sailfin of that size. Fish traps do work if the fish are bold and will go in them. I have caught bigger tangs (like the Naso I sold about a month back) with a net and a stick in a matter of a minute and had other fish where that was a lost cause.

 

[gerald31]

Do it after the lights are out. I managed to catch my Burgess butterfly & yellow tang in my sps setup. I woke up in the middle of the night(2am) and on the actinic lights. The fishes will be in a daze and start to drift into the open. That's when you net them out. Good luck.

 

[SMOOTHIE]

Yep lights out. Turn them on after they have been off for a few hours and the fish will "sleep walk" out to you

 

[Carant]

And fishing isn't an option. Nets and patiance are just not working. Any ideas would help.

RyanSweatt2004,

Not sure why fishing is not an option.

The sailfin that I have came from a heavily stocked SPS tank and the owner could not tear it apart. Within 5 minutes with a small barbless hook he had the fish caught with only a small wound in the lip. He had to get rid of it as it was starting to nip at the clams that he had.

He thought it was originally a cruel idea ... but afterward would not think twice about doing it again. Now of course do not let the fish swallow the hook ... Issue is keeping the other fish away and only catching the one the you want.

Cheers,
Bruce