Proper method of netting fish?

ahullsb

New member
I hear there is "etiquette." I've had a fish catch a gill while being in the net and I just held it in the water until it freed itself. Is that all you can do? This was a very fine mesh that I hoped would avoid that but it didn't work...
 
The best way to net a fish is not to net a fish.

Get a square (clear) plastic container, herd the fish into the corner, and trap him in the container. Once in, slide the container up, wait for him to be swimming at the end opposite from the opening, invert it, and pull it out :)

--Me
 
The plastic container works if your transferring the fish from your tank to another tank you own.

When you bring a fish back from the LFS then you can't really use the container trick due to water contamination from the LFS to your tank.

So yah, I'm interested in a response too. I've had tangs catch their upper fin in the net and other small problems. What is the proper way?
 
I use my bare hand on 'safe' fish, but not on rabbits, tangs, lions, fanged blennies, marine catfish, blue ring octopi, etc.

You might get a plastic colander [that plastic mesh pan used for washing vegetables and use a pour-through technique for the ones you don't want to handle.
 
I'm in the process of changing tanks and had to catch the fish 2 wrasses, 2 clowns and three large tangs and I noticed sometihing very interesting I first net them and put them in a large tub and they got as expected, stressed and excited as they were going to be hold in the frag tank while the tank is switched a friend and I took the tub downstairs. As I was ready to net them out of the tub he asked me to try catching them with my hands. I put on some cotton black gloves and to my surprize as I closed my hands around a fish it stood up very still and as I pulled it out of the water it did not even move as it they could not see the black or feel they were being pulled out. This was with all fish, it just took a minue to grab them and transfer them.
Next time I will try the black gloves again.
I wonder if a black net will be more effective. I have also noticed that the fish do not get scared when I use a black towel when cleaning the outside of the tank.
 
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