# catching fish



## jordan_101 (Mar 21, 2010)

I have 2 fish I need to remove from my aquarium and I don't want to remove all the rocks again so I was wondering what the best thing to do to remove these 2 would be any sugestions


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## iwade4fish (Jan 5, 2009)

One 1-liter water bottle
Cut off top 25%, save.
Invert cut peice 180degrees 
Place ontop of bottle and gently press to secure it inside.
Place favorite food inside
fill bottle with water.
IMPORTANT; tie string or line to bottle for efficient removal
let bottle sink to bottom of tank
sit back and take bets on who is going in first!!
You may not get the fish right away so, have a bucket of your tank water ready for all unwanted targets and replace when desired fish is caught
Been doing this for years as I, too hate moving 200lbs of rock to get a fish or two.


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## jordan_101 (Mar 21, 2010)

Wicked ill try it when I get home


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## Pali (Dec 22, 2009)

iwade4fish said:


> One 1-liter water bottle
> Cut off top 25%, save.
> Invert cut peice 180degrees
> Place ontop of bottle and gently press to secure it inside.
> ...


Sounds like a neat little fish trap, could you post a picture of yours plz ?

Thanx


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## nauTik (Mar 18, 2009)

Pali said:


> iwade4fish said:
> 
> 
> > One 1-liter water bottle
> ...


http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/fish_trap.php


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## jordan_101 (Mar 21, 2010)

This did not work for me at all I sat and waited for 3 hours and nothing I finally got pissed off and used my net and corners him and now he's off to my lfs tonight


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## tires_6792 (Mar 25, 2005)

here is another little idea:
http://qcfishkeepers.com/forum/viewtopi ... 8&start=10

(Germitune post)


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## KaiserSousay (Nov 2, 2008)

tires_6792 said:


> here is another little idea:
> http://qcfishkeepers.com/forum/viewtopi ... 8&start=10
> 
> (Germitune post)


I used the same plastic mesh, but used it as a tank divider. 
Cut off the fishes escape to the rest of the tank.
Only had to remove one small pile of rocks and there he was.
Badda bing, he was netted.


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

I'm with Kaiser on a method to catch fish. Most of the time I want to catch fish is because they are holding mouthbrooders. That petty much does away with using food as bait. In a tank with even twenty fish, the one I want would most likely be last. Two nets and low water is the only way I see working.


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## tires_6792 (Mar 25, 2005)

PfunMo said:


> I'm with Kaiser on a method to catch fish. *Most of the time I want to catch fish is because they are holding mouthbrooders. That petty much does away with using food as bait.* In a tank with even twenty fish, the one I want would most likely be last. Two nets and low water is the only way I see working.


i have females that can eat while holding. The white lab in question in that linked post was one of them. My afra magunga and ruby red females eat every holding. This is what drew her out in my particular case. The afra magunga would actually hold a pellet in her mouth and then "push" it in off a rock in the tank. I always thought that was neat to watch.


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

I've always thought my mouthbrooders were getting some food but they never seek it out in any way I can see. Everybody else seems to get there first. Tearing down to catch holding fish has always seemed the downside of not having to nurse new fry so carefully as egglayers sometimes need.


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## iwade4fish (Jan 5, 2009)

There wasn't a mention that the fish being sought were holding...my idea wasn't for them. Works good for me... sorry, no pics. Follow the link in the bottom of nauTik's post above for a pic. Glad you got your fish anyway!! Helps to not feed for a couple of days to drive their hunger up.


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## jordan_101 (Mar 21, 2010)

I still got a few more to remove I removed that **** disturber and now I have a few more that arose from the "dead" aka their shyness and are now picking on my others so let this be a lesson to the people starting all male tanks make sure they consist of all haps and peacocks or all mbuna do not mix them as it will turn into a bloody mess and a nightmare trying to keep the peace and those of you that have suceeded props cuz I have yet to master it


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## KaiserSousay (Nov 2, 2008)

*those of you that have suceeded props cuz I have yet to master it*

If they co-exist is just luck.
I`ve had fish that should have torn each other up, but lived peacefully, well as peaceful as Mbuna get, for years.
I`ve had fish that were supposed to get along act like Ã¢â‚¬Å"Bloods-N-CripsÃ¢â‚¬Â


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## jordan_101 (Mar 21, 2010)

That's a good way to look at it ill get pics of all my fish and show them and illl get everyone to let me know what they think


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## magic_cichlid (Jun 30, 2003)

Here's what I do for holding females: I just put several 2" pvc 45 degree elbows in the tank and wait for her to go in one. Once inside I just reach in, put my palms over each end to seal her inside, then lift it out. Even out of the tank there's water inside the elbow because I still hold my palms in place, so it's less stress for her. Then I carry it over to a new tank and put it inside. This way it's less stressful for the fish and she stays submerged in water the whole time.


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

The PVC elbow sounds like a good deal. Do you find elbows work better than straight pipe? Had not given thought to it but it does seem my holding females are always searching for an out of the way spot so they might be likely to go for the PVC even as a last resort spot to release if no other safe spot was there. Thanks for the idea. I have two holding now but was not planning to tear down again just to save the fry. Now I will try this and see where she goes. I really did not want to clean the other spare tank but some things just have to be done. :roll:


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## magic_cichlid (Jun 30, 2003)

I use elbows because in my head I think she may not be as stressed by not looking straight at my hand. It may not make a difference though. Heck, try both and see what happens...


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## nauTik (Mar 18, 2009)

magic_cichlid said:


> Here's what I do for holding females: I just put several 2" pvc 45 degree elbows in the tank and wait for her to go in one. Once inside I just reach in, put my palms over each end to seal her inside, then lift it out. Even out of the tank there's water inside the elbow because I still hold my palms in place, so it's less stress for her. Then I carry it over to a new tank and put it inside. This way it's less stressful for the fish and she stays submerged in water the whole time.


that's a pretty darn good idea actually, although with my luck the fish I wanted would never go in :[ lol


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## magic_cichlid (Jun 30, 2003)

They'll definitely need a little bit of time to get used to them being there if they've never seen them before. I bet if you put them in a few hours before you want to catch them they'll figure out that it's a cave rather than a threat. I glue substrate on them, bury them halfway, and leave them in permanently because the larger males can't get in and the females have a sanctuary. It makes it really easy when it's time to get them since they're used to going there to escape.


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

Humm?? Maybe my fish are too smart for me? Got several holding that I would catch and remove but it is not worth the hassle of tearing down. So I'm trying the PVC. Always seem to have a supply of short pieces so I put three small sections in to try. So far nobody goes in until I put some of their favorite algea wafers inside. They can smell them and finally tracked it down and ducked in to snag it out. No chance I would ever catch them inside. So far I'm catching the dominant male yellow lab, two small cyrtocara moorii, and the algea eater twice! 
 
So far the holding females spend their time searching the top and sides for a safe place to release fry.


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## magic_cichlid (Jun 30, 2003)

Any luck 1 day later?


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

No luck. Seems if there is not food there, they totally ignore the pipes. I may have too much rock for my own good . Idea was to make them feel right but it also makes them very quick to hide in the rocks. As it stands, the females will have to figure it out. I'm not tearing down this soon just to save fry. Almost out of tanks for the fish I like better anyway. :wink:


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## Joephish (Oct 28, 2005)

I've always found that providing hiding places for the fry is easier than trying to catch a holding female. Lot's of little holes in the rockwork and an area of artifical plants that are tough to get into have always worked for me. Once a large enough grouping of fry exist, they start to come out and explore, especially at feeding time. They don't know what a net is and can be pretty easy to catch with a big scooping net.


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## KaiserSousay (Nov 2, 2008)

magic_cichlid said:


> Here's what I do for holding females: I just put several 2" pvc 45 degree elbows in the tank and wait for her to go in one. Once inside I just reach in, put my palms over each end to seal her inside, then lift it out. Even out of the tank there's water inside the elbow because I still hold my palms in place, so it's less stress for her. Then I carry it over to a new tank and put it inside. This way it's less stressful for the fish and she stays submerged in water the whole time.


That I would love to see.


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## magic_cichlid (Jun 30, 2003)

I'm about to move so I've sold my breeding group and will start a new one once we're settled in. It may be a few months but I won't forget this thread. Never posted a video before but I'll figure it out. :wink: It's pretty easy if they're used to the "caves".


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## jordan_101 (Mar 21, 2010)

Wow your rude poor fish you couldn't take them with you lol you know fish have feelings to hahaha jk good luck on the move hope you get some more cichlids soon


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## magic_cichlid (Jun 30, 2003)

Ha, I must admit...it was hard to sell them. The last time I moved I lost most of the group so I didn't want to chance it. Oh well.


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