Best method for catching fish.

[losthere]

I'm sure there are many people with some very creative ways to catch a fish without breaking down the tank. What is your method?
I have some mean fish that I want out and have tried many things to attempt to catch them. I think they have caught on to what I am up too.
The method that catches my fish wins the prize. LOL!

 

[skibum9884]

I'd recommend buying/making a fish trap. Several places online sell them, but imagine an acrylic box with a trap door (guillotine-style) that can shut once the fish is inside (lured in by food).

 

[HndMafia]

My lfs owner makes acrylic fish traps and sells them cheap. He will even loan one out to his regulars at no charge. Mine is about 10" x 5" x 5" and he sold it for $20. Just put some mysis shrimp in it and let go of the string on the trap door when the offending fish went in.

 

[SMOOTHIE]

Wait until the middle of the night and then turn the lights on. The fish will "sleep swim" almost as if it were drunk right out into the open where you can use the net

 

[bglegs]

I've used a 2 liter bottle.Cut the top end off set in the tank so they get use to it.The next day I rubberbanded some nori to a rock and put it the bottle.Then I got ready with a net for when the fish went in and 10 mins later I had him.Of course the fish your trying to catch has to like nori.

I've also seen where a small hook and fishing line has worked.You can get a very thin hook at sporting goods store and file the barb down take some line put a piece of shrimp or clam and dangle in front of him.Won't hurt fish...
hope this helps

 

[d0ughb0y]

the common principle among various successful fish catching methods is the element of surprise.

 

[Aj Flip]

Wait until the middle of the night and then turn the lights on. The fish will "sleep swim" almost as if it were drunk right out into the open where you can use the net

Lol as if it were drunk

I also heard of some people who can just pick the fish up with their hands without any resistance

 

[losthere]

I have tried the inverted water bottle, with food inside. No luck. Very frustrating.
I will try the night light method, both of them sleep in the rocks so hopefully they come out.
I may have to try the hook method if it comes down to it.

 

[AquaKnight]

Drain the tank. A fish in an inch or two of water is quiet easy to catch :thumbsup:

 

[JHemdal]

An ice fishing pole and a #26 fish hook is great for catching some fish - including small anthias. It takes a bit of finesse, and you'll need a pair of forceps, a magnifying glass and two pairs of hands to tie the hook to the line (grin). Just be sure to crimp the barb down and keep tension on the line as you bring them up so they don't throw the hook too soon.

Jay

 

[vanna101]

+1 on the waiting until the fish are "asleep" to catch them. It has worked for me.

 

[corey c]

Wish i could catch all my fish without removing all corals and 400+lbs of live rock. lol None of these methods worked for me im just gonna have to destroy my tank.

 

[SDguy]

I'm like 7 and 0 with my trap, including anthias and blennies. IMO it's not the trap that fails, it's the patience of the trapper

 

[michael_cb_125]

By far....... the easiest way to catch fish:



~Michael

 

[michael_cb_125]

I train ALL of my fish to eat from containers and from my hand. Most fish learn very quickly and even very shy species (basslets, anthias, some angels, etc.) will figure out quickly that container=food.

Heck even my L. carmabi (candy basslet) will eat from my hand and containers.

~Michael

 

[snorvich]

I'm like 7 and 0 with my trap, including anthias and blennies. IMO it's not the trap that fails, it's the patience of the trapper

Amen. Also works well for mantis shrimp and other inverts. I just bring a chair and cold drink and W A I T

 

[snorvich]

However Michaels technique is excellent!!

 

[M88A2]

im not sure if this can apply to you but it worked for me. so here is the scen. I had a yellow clown goby who pecked and bothered my sps corals to the point where non were open at all and started losing color. unfortunaly he is a small little bugger and i have quite a bit of LR to hide in. every time i came around with a net he would run and hide. apparently all fish know about the net. so here is what i did. the day before, i left the net resting in the area where the goby spent most of his time. after a few hours he eventually came back to the spot. i left it in there over night, all of the following day, and into a third day. the day prior to catching him i did not feed the tank. on the day i did feed the tank, i dropped the food directly into the gobies hang out area. when the goby came to eat something in front of the net, i waited till he was close enough and facing away from the net and bingo-bango. half of me wanted to flush him for the frustration but i just gave it back to the LFS. i know this method takes a while but it was effective and costs nothing.

 

[michael_cb_125]

No nets and hooks for me

~Michael

 

[SDguy]

I'm not sure about everyone elses fish, but mine are naturally curious. Most of the fish are in and around the trap before I even add any food :lol: