Catching a Sohal

[travis32]

I have a buyer for my Sohal tang, (about 5" - 6" roughly).

I have to get it out of my 230G reef though. Tearing down the rock is not an option. I've got two nets in there now that have been in there for 24 hours. I go up to the tank when he's out in open water, open the canopy and feed or do nothing then walk away, everytime he hides. I'm hoping at some point he'll get conditioned to me working in the tank, but, that could take a year... I have some patience, but, not that much...

He loves eating algae, so he might love nori.. Wondering if I could use nori with a net? I don't know he'd fit in a bottle so Not sure the 2 liter bottle idea would work.

I was hoping to net him, but, he's fast, and is willing to stay in hiding for hours...

So I think I might just move the nets around while he's out a few days and then try again. Not sure what else to do... He chases my hippo tang around constantly. I should trap the hippo and use the hippo as bate!!! hmm....

 

[MitchSutherland]

LMAO then you will be posting a thread on how to catch a blue hippo

 

[Shan69743]

good luck on that, persistence pays off in these cases.

 

[Rea17]

I have a clear acrylic aquamedic trap that works well. Feed only in the trap, and the fish will be caught within a few days.

If I'm in a big hurry to catch a fish, I will sometimes put several nets in the water, blocking major cave entrances and such. With these escapes closed off, it is generally really easy to drive the target fish to the corner of the tank then up the wall.

 

[travis32]

I'm a little afraid of blocking off his normal home, may increase his agression towards my hippo... He's tried kicking the hippo out of its him before, and so far the hippo has won and has rights to its own cave, if the sohal has no home, he may become more agressive to take the hippos home.... However, I don't see any other way to catch him than to force him into more open water...

 

[SomeDude12]

I can typically, feed and catch any fish while they are distracted. This typically only works, when they've been around long enough to be familiar with you and the coalition between humans and feeding.

 

[Rea17]

I'm a little afraid of blocking off his normal home, may increase his agression towards my hippo... He's tried kicking the hippo out of its him before, and so far the hippo has won and has rights to its own cave, if the sohal has no home, he may become more agressive to take the hippos home.... However, I don't see any other way to catch him than to force him into more open water...

This is a quick catch. IME the longest it has taken using this method is 5 minutes.

 

[Allmost]

1. Aquamedic trap.

2. sectioning off tank.

3. at the middle of the night ... turn on all lightings, the fish will be in sleep mode and wont be able to see anything for about 3-4 mins, if you know where it chills at nights, you can catch it fast that way.

 

[benjc]

+1 on the lights out method. What I do is adjust my LEDs real high then turn them off. I leave the room lights off and a couple hours later (when the fish would be sleeping anyways), flip the lights on and everyone is stunned. Using one hand to get the fish out of the rocks, and a net in the other hand. I was skeptical that it would work; having tried it though, I'm converted.

 

[Marshall O]

Catching a Tang with a bare hand is probably not the best idea in the world; they are called surgeonfish for a reason! Definitely wear a full length glove.

 

[Dr Colliebreath]

I suggest using either the lights on method and catching the fish when stunned but the lights going on, or draining half or more of the water from the tank into plastic containers and catching the fish in the reduced swimming area.