I need any and ALL Ideas to catch a fish

rostato

rostato

Active member
I have been vigorously trying to catch a 3" regal tang in my tank since Thursday after noon. This guy is fat, smart, and very skid-dish.

I have tried a fish trap (caught every other fish) he won't go near it

The lights out and blind trick (too many hiding places for the fish)

Drained ALL water out of the tank (again too many hiding places)

Baited 20 gauge hook (too smart...just rips the food off the hook without biting it)

I have caught my pylei wrasse like 20 times already, and have it secluded in an in-tank breeder so it's out of the way now.

I have had a fish net floating in the tank for 2 days (with food in it), but its still too scared to go near it.

Any other drastic ideas?

I absolutely cannot tear the tank down because I would destroy several coral colonies, and would never be able to fit it all back in there.

I want this fish out so that I can get a male pylei wrasse for my female.
 
I usually use a regular fish trap like the Aqua Medic fish trap.
I will place the trap in the tank for a week before even trying to catch the fish. After a couple days, I will start putting food inside the trap with the door open. In your case, you could try a veggie clip with some nori on it. The suction cup should keep the food from floating out. I would really cut back on the amount of food you feed the tank untill you catch the fish.
Once the fish seems to be ok with going in, I will tape some towels over the front glass to block the fishes view of you. Bait the trap and stand there and wait to drop the door.
It may take a day or two, especially since the fish already knows you have bad intentions and is wary.
Plus you probally will catch every other fish first, but eventually the tang should get careless.
 
The fact the tang is in there has nothing do do with the topic...the point is that it is getting re-homed...
 
mfinn said:
I usually use a regular fish trap like the Aqua Medic fish trap.
I will place the trap in the tank for a week before even trying to catch the fish. After a couple days, I will start putting food inside the trap with the door open. In your case, you could try a veggie clip with some nori on it. The suction cup should keep the food from floating out. I would really cut back on the amount of food you feed the tank untill you catch the fish.
Once the fish seems to be ok with going in, I will tape some towels over the front glass to block the fishes view of you. Bait the trap and stand there and wait to drop the door.
It may take a day or two, especially since the fish already knows you have bad intentions and is wary.
Plus you probally will catch every other fish first, but eventually the tang should get careless.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the input. I basically already did that. But I have a homeade trap with a 2 liter bottle.

I havn't fed a regular amont of food since thursday. I may try the nori in the trap, but this tang doesn't eat much of it.
 
i've finally had to break down and buy a nice acrylic trap in order to catch my 3" atlantic blue tang, it's supposed to arrive today.
 
Problem is that this fish has to go by thursday night. My LFS is over an hour away, and is only open on Fri, and sat...

I just wish this fish was as dumb, and friendly as my pylei wrasse...
 
What I've done in the past is take a piece of acrylic and used it to create a "wall" in the corner. To try and better explain this, the piece of acrylic is used in a corner to create a triangular section. Leaving a relatively decent sized gap for fishes to move in and out, I leave it there for a few days to get the fishes used to this wall. Every day, I feed into this area so the fish see food coming out of it. Once fully accustomed, they won't think too much about this and will readily move into it for food. I've caught many fish this way in my 50 gal. I've tried other methods, but something like a fish trap is too tough for larger fish because you're trying to trick a fish into a little closet.
 
chem-e said:
What I've done in the past is take a piece of acrylic and used it to create a "wall" in the corner. To try and better explain this, the piece of acrylic is used in a corner to create a triangular section. Leaving a relatively decent sized gap for fishes to move in and out, I leave it there for a few days to get the fishes used to this wall. Every day, I feed into this area so the fish see food coming out of it. Once fully accustomed, they won't think too much about this and will readily move into it for food. I've caught many fish this way in my 50 gal. I've tried other methods, but something like a fish trap is too tough for larger fish because you're trying to trick a fish into a little closet.
Click to expand...

Great Idea. I will try that!
 
rostato said:
The fact the tang is in there has nothing do do with the topic...the point is that it is getting re-homed...
Click to expand...

Well, it sort of IS on topic. How were you planning to get a fish that reaches 12 inches out of that 45 gallon tank? You should research before buying and have an exit plan if there is a problem. Now, draining the tank is probably your best option. It will not hurt the corals and will allow you to capture the fish.
 
snorvich said:
Well, it sort of IS on topic. How were you planning to get a fish that reaches 12 inches out of that 45 gallon tank? You should research before buying and have an exit plan if there is a problem. Now, draining the tank is probably your best option. It will not hurt the corals and will allow you to capture the fish.
Click to expand...

lol I bought it when it was about a half inch long, and now its like 3 inches... I caught it numerous times when it was smaller, but now it is being a PITA. I thought I had an ext plan, but I was utterly wrong!

I already drained the tank once, to no avail. My tank is PACKED with rock, and coral, so there are TONS of places for the tang to hide, and get away from me, even with no water in the tank. I can't reach in every nook and cranny

I am weary of trying this again, because my anemones did not enjoy being out of the water.
 
Do a "tank move." If you really want this fish out NOW, get some buckets and fill em with water and pull the rock. It's only 45g. Can't be that much in it to put back together. If it's not a hurry, keep the trap in the water all the time. When you feed, only feed in the trap. In a week or three you will catch your fish.

On a side note, you mentioned you bought it at 1/2" long...so about the size of a dime? I've never seen a tang that small for sale.
 
rostato said:
Problem is that this fish has to go by thursday night. My LFS is over an hour away, and is only open on Fri, and sat...

I just wish this fish was as dumb, and friendly as my pylei wrasse...
Click to expand...

I don't understand why that makes this an urgent problem.

Anyway, if you haven't tried it yet, turn on all the lights at about 2am or so, or well after lights out. Or you can try a really bright flashlight in its hole. The fish sometimes wake up a bit stunned and you can easily pull/net them out.
 
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