Tips for transferring from QT to DT

[Raoul5Duke]

So I finished up my 4 week QT period for 6 Bartlett Anthias yesterday and while everyone is in the DT and seems to be eating well the transfer was a bit of a disaster. I tried to get all six into a container without using a net so I could acclimate them again even though the DT and QT tank parameters are very close. In then end I had to just net most of them and put them into the display.

Anyone have any tips for a less stressful way to do this? I'm guessing future acclimations will be easier if I am not dealing with 6 fish at one time that are prone to jumping, but this was a real PITA.

 

[jbvdhp]

^I've only dealt with 3 Tierra anthias at a time, but when I had to move all three I put a coffee mug into the tank, they all swam into the cup, and bingo! Moved them all. Probably luck, but nothing was in the tank but the fish and the coffee mug.

 

[Dmorty217]

Look at getting a collander that will fit in your tank to catch the fish and transfer them over to a bucket for acclimation

 

[Betta132]

Use QT hiding places that can be blocked off and lifted out.
Actually, jbvdhp gave me an idea. Find some coffee mugs that haven't been painted or anything, just pure white ones, and use those as hiding spots? Food-grade containers are safe to use for fish. Colored glass could work, too.

 

[JoelA7]

I use the PVC tube trick if the fish will hide in it. If not a clear plastic container - rectangular is best - to more or less box the fish in. Heh heh. My QT has everything removed when I do this. And I use my hands to transfer the fish from the container to the DT.

 

[Betta132]

Careful hand-capture with wet hands is an option, especially if you have something that can get tangled in a net. Not an option for venomous things, of course, but it works fairly well for others. It's good for spazzy things you're afraid will be smushed if you try to catch them with a container, for one thing. I'd use it with gobies, personally, they cram themselves into corners and are prone to making darts for freedom... I'm always scared they'll get mushed. Much harder to mush a goby with your bare hands.
It's also good for small shrimp, crabs that are large enough to grab from behind, and basically anything that won't bite, sting, or otherwise harm you.

 

[Raoul5Duke]

Thanks for the suggestions. I did try one of the clear containers that hook on the side of the tank, I see them all the time at LFS but I can't remember the name. So far all the anthias are doing well, eating and staying together. I only have one male so hopefully it remains that way in the big tank.

 

[Nina51]

i use a net breeder. the netting is very soft and "tight" to where fins can't get caught in it. i drain the qt water down to a few inches, lay the net breeder inside and just wait for the fish to swim in. i just scoop him up and he's none the worse for wear. since my qt and dt are the same temp/salinity, i put him straight into the tank, breeding box included.
<a href="http://s6.photobucket.com/user/Ninapearl/media/TANK/Picture001_zps90aeb145.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y203/Ninapearl/TANK/Picture001_zps90aeb145.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo Picture001_zps90aeb145.jpg"/></a>

i use it for an acclimation box.
<a href="http://s6.photobucket.com/user/Ninapearl/media/TANK/wrasse_zpsda109732.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y203/Ninapearl/TANK/wrasse_zpsda109732.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo wrasse_zpsda109732.jpg"/></a>

 

[lagatbezan]

I hate using nets since somehow the fish manage to get tangled in them. I got myself a specimen container to catch and transfer the fish. I take the fish and put them in a bucket and acclimate them to the display specs. then transfer them to another bucket that has water from my display and then to the display they go. its easy to catch the fish with the clear specimen container and I put my hand over it and dump the water out and just transfer the fish with minimal water being transferred.

 

[Raoul5Duke]

I tried the specimen container (couldn't remember the name) but once i had 4 in there it got tough. I was worried they would jump when I was trying to get the other two in ��. I think I might try one of the breeder nets Nina mentioned, hopefully it won't be so tough with fewer fish. I also like the collander idea. Thanks for all the suggestions.