# Bring out your genius to catch a mbuna



## hiyamoose (Nov 24, 2011)

I recently reworked the rockscape in my mbuna tank after removing everything to get two fish into a hospital tank. I also retrieved another to strip her of fry. Of course another female is carrying and I do not want to pull out all the rock again.

So, anybody have ingenious ideas on how to trap a female mbuna in a heavily rocked tank?


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

dig a pit in the sand drain the water..
try an hour after lights out..

I have no luck catching holding fish in display tanks. If they aren't holding I can gettem.


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

I drain the tank, insert a divider into the tank and use it to 'shoo' the fish to one end, then insert the divider and start removing rocks from that end until it's empty and I can start netting.


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## fmueller (Jan 11, 2004)




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## hiyamoose (Nov 24, 2011)

Thanks. I did not think of a divider and only deconstructing half the tank. Can live with that I suppose.

My son was begging me to let him use some power bait and a #16 hook. Will have to break the news to him.


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## chopsteeks (Jul 23, 2013)

hiyamoose said:


> Thanks. I did not think of a divider and only deconstructing half the tank. Can live with that I suppose.
> 
> My son was begging me to let him use some power bait and a #16 hook. Will have to break the news to him.


Might work, except he will never hook the female holding eggs.....lol.


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## apmorgan93 (Jan 29, 2013)

What I do to catch mine is I put a flower pot upside down in sand with just a slight opening stick out. Just enough for the female to slip into the pot. Chase her in and then push it down into the sand to trap her in. I then slip a net through the sand to cover the opening of the pot before pulling it all up and out of the water.


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## wortel87 (Apr 15, 2014)

if i want to catch a fish and if its eating. mbuna are hungry little rats. i take a few nice sinking high protein pelles (they can withstand them ) put them in the net. and just stand there untill the fish i want swims in. works all the tiime


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

GTZ said:


> I drain the tank, insert a divider into the tank and use it to 'shoo' the fish to one end, then insert the divider and start removing rocks from that end until it's empty and I can start netting.


Plus one. :thumb:


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