Fish Traps for Large Fish vs. Hooks & Monofilament

[Itchy Trigger]

I'm about to break down my 330g tank and need to catch all of the fish. Doing so with a net is simply not going to happen due to the depth and height of the tank, as well as other logistics, so I feel I have two options:

1. Buy a trap, preferably as large as possible. My largest fish is a 9-10" French angel, so he may not fit in any commercial traps, but I have several fish in the 5-8" range. The largest trap I've found so far is 11" x 7".

2. Pick up some small fish hooks and fishing line, bait the hook with krill or squid or some other food the fish love and pull them out that way.

Which would you guys do, or which have you had more success with?

 

[humaguy]

drop water a bit, take the rock and coral out, drop the water level much lower, remove fish with a catch and release net, try to do it in the middle of the night when the fish are asleep.

 

[Itchy Trigger]

drop water a bit, take the rock and coral out, drop the water level much lower, remove fish with a catch and release net, try to do it in the middle of the night when the fish are asleep.

Well, yes, that was going to be my last resort. And it may indeed come to that! :lol:

 

[tthouston]

Cut 2 egg crate the width and height are fit inside your tank
1- Move the fishes go one side of the tank, then put the 1st egg crate down (1/3 of the tank )
2- Move the rocks from fish area to the first part, but pick the rocks close at the egg crate. The fishes will keep move to the the side to hide to the rocks left.
3- put the 2nd egg crate to divide one more half, then move all the rocks to the 2nd part.
Now, all the fishes are swim in the small area without any rocks. You can use the net to take them out.


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[McPuff]

If you're breaking the tank down anyway, then it seems like the best idea is to drain the tank as much as possible, have some containers ready, and net the fish out. There is no other method that will be easier/faster.

 

[Dmorty217]

Never going to happen with rock in the tank. Most fish are too smart for a trap and those that aren't will learn quickly that the trap isn't their friend. Do what Ted suggested

 

[tthouston]

With a 330 gallons tank,I believe it should have a lots live rocks and lot of water to take out before catch the fishes. That is not easy if you want to keep them live.
Best option if you break down is sell your live rocks first, then your fishes and CUC next, then empty your tank last.
Otherwise, my way is easiest way to catch your fish in big tank.

 

[shaginwagon13]

Did any of the methods in this thread end up working?? I need to remove a large Naso Tang who os just terrorizing all his tank mates.

Breaking down the tank really isn’t an option I’m looking for a large trap to buy or make or some alternative.

 

[McPuff]

Did any of the methods in this thread end up working?? I need to remove a large Naso Tang who os just terrorizing all his tank mates.

Breaking down the tank really isn't an option I'm looking for a large trap to buy or make or some alternative.

If the tang is an aggressive eater (I assume it is) then try to hook and line method. Make sure to press in the barb though. The fish will be fine.

 

[shaginwagon13]

If the tang is an aggressive eater (I assume it is) then try to hook and line method. Make sure to press in the barb though. The fish will be fine.

Thanks for the reply.

What did you use as bait? My tang will eat pellets, flakes and nori but doesn't really touch meatier large pieces of food.

He has absolutely zero manners and has turned into the terror of the tank but not even he eats the food that's for my trigger.

This week he almost turned into a psycho overnight. He beat up my powder blue pretty bad yesterday and was swiping at everything, my foxface, yellow, even the live rock. He honestly was going crazy.

 

[McPuff]

Thanks for the reply.

What did you use as bait? My tang will eat pellets, flakes and nori but doesn’t really touch meatier large pieces of food.

He has absolutely zero manners and has turned into the terror of the tank but not even he eats the food that’s for my trigger.

This week he almost turned into a psycho overnight. He beat up my powder blue pretty bad yesterday and was swiping at everything, my foxface, yellow, even the live rock. He honestly was going crazy.

You could try to put a chunk of nori on a hook (folded up of course)... otherwise I would have said mysis but the trigger will go right for it. You could also try putting some pellets into a net and waiting for it to swim into the net. This may take a few days to get it used to the net. I've done this before with tangs and it will work.

 

[shaginwagon13]

You could try to put a chunk of nori on a hook (folded up of course)... otherwise I would have said mysis but the trigger will go right for it. You could also try putting some pellets into a net and waiting for it to swim into the net. This may take a few days to get it used to the net. I've done this before with tangs and it will work.

Ya good call. I will try the pellets in the net first and if nothing, I will try the nori on a fishing hook.

I tried to bait it yesterday with a large 2 gallon contained and placed the Nori clip inside but it was a hard fail. Every fish in the tank was so spooked they hid almost all day..... except for the powder blue who felt relieved the Naso was nowhere in sight he was actually swimming around a bunch.

 

[McPuff]

Ya good call. I will try the pellets in the net first and if nothing, I will try the nori on a fishing hook.

I tried to bait it yesterday with a large 2 gallon contained and placed the Nori clip inside but it was a hard fail. Every fish in the tank was so spooked they hid almost all day..... except for the powder blue who felt relieved the Naso was nowhere in sight he was actually swimming around a bunch.

You might just need to leave the net in the tank for a few days before even trying to bait it. But I'd give it a shot right away with whatever the tang eats more greedily.

 

[shaginwagon13]

You might just need to leave the net in the tank for a few days before even trying to bait it. But I'd give it a shot right away with whatever the tang eats more greedily.

Ya I agree.... just worried that the powder blue won't make it a few more days unless I can get either him or the Naso out. It has turned into just a relentless attack which came out of nowhere and its not like these guys are hungry I feed A LOT so its not that.

I have 3 mirrors on the tank now, which has seemed to scare the Naso enough to not come out for now which is giving the Powder Blue some relief. I might go to the store this afternoon and gran some small hooks and try my luck with that.

Any hook size you recommend? or the smallest kind I can find?

 

[McPuff]

Ya I agree.... just worried that the powder blue won't make it a few more days unless I can get either him or the Naso out. It has turned into just a relentless attack which came out of nowhere and its not like these guys are hungry I feed A LOT so its not that.

I have 3 mirrors on the tank now, which has seemed to scare the Naso enough to not come out for now which is giving the Powder Blue some relief. I might go to the store this afternoon and gran some small hooks and try my luck with that.

Any hook size you recommend? or the smallest kind I can find?

I want to say #22, something very tiny is best. And go with very fine monofilament line as well (2#). Is it possible to split your tank with egg crate/light diffuser so powder brown and naso are on opposite sides? That may make it easier to reduce/eliminate aggression with other fish as well while you attempt to catch the naso.

 

[shaginwagon13]

I want to say #22, something very tiny is best. And go with very fine monofilament line as well (2#). Is it possible to split your tank with egg crate/light diffuser so powder brown and naso are on opposite sides? That may make it easier to reduce/eliminate aggression with other fish as well while you attempt to catch the naso.

Awesome thanks for the input.

As for splitting, it is not really an option. There is rock work and caves that run down the middle of the tank and each fish could just run from one side to the next. Right now the mirrors are keeping them at bay. I turned off the lights also for the time being.

 

[Reefer wanna be]

I hope you find something I have like a 5 inch checkerboard wrasse an yes he has been getting aggressive an my 125 is like a forest now please help