# Catching fish



## Andyuk (Sep 7, 2011)

Hi i keep malawi's with a load of ocean rock. Is there any easy way of catching the fish without taking all the rocks out im rubbish and they just hide behind all the rocks! Any tips?


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## dsouthworth (Sep 7, 2011)

you could pay a friend to do it. tell him 5$ a fish. that should be enough motivation. other than that i cant think of anything. your sorta outta luck. 
But maybe somebody else has an amazing idea?


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## newforestrob (Feb 1, 2010)

How many of them do you want to catch,is it a particular one?

If you want to catch all of them,best to drain half the tank,remove the ocean rock,and I find using two nets work best,

If you want to catch one in particular ,you could take your chances with a plastic coke bottle,I have had some sucess with this method
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/fish_trap.php


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## Andyuk (Sep 7, 2011)

Hi nice little link. I am after a holding female i might have to strip the tank again!!
Thanks


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## dsouthworth (Sep 7, 2011)

how large is the net your using? if your having this problem frequently, you should buy the biggest one that can be used in your tank.


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## Andyuk (Sep 7, 2011)

Hi i got all sizes of nets its the rock work that's the issue.


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## dsouthworth (Sep 7, 2011)

And im assuming youve just tried to wait it out? 
There really should be a solution to this. quick and easy. 
i laugh at the guys working in aquatics shops, the hardest part of their job is catching the fish demanded.


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

Not something I have found yet, either. Holding females are hard to get into a trap when they are not eating! Best I have found is a DIY divider and setting the tank rocks in such a way that I can place the divider in the tank center. Yippee! I only get to take half the rocks out each time. 









At one point, I set out to build a trap that fish would enter and did get that done. Trouble was in who entered. I had about fifteen fish in that tank and caught fish 20+ times! Just never the holding female! Be glad to hear about anybody with a good method. I've given up!


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## Ahab (Jan 20, 2010)

Id buy a cichlid stone or something similar & chase them into it then put your thumb over the opening & pick up the rock! I have like 30 of them in my 75 & it's not always easy but I don't ever use a net! You just have to coax the right one in a particular rock! It works for me!


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

You must be one sweet talking fellow! Every time I try to get a certain fish into a certain place there is always another fish there first. All my fish are independant thinkers that just do what ever they please, when they please! My wishes have little effect on them. In fact, many times they just prove they know a whole lot more about living in water than I do.


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## JimA (Nov 7, 2009)

It's funny the one you are trying to catch always knows your after it and hides. While the others just swim around with out a care. I have even had some swim into the net knowing I will let them go. :lol:


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## Sand Man (Oct 12, 2006)

JimA said:


> It's funny the one you are trying to catch always knows your after it and hides. While the others just swim around with out a care. I have even had some swim into the net knowing I will let them go. :lol:


+1


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## coonie (May 23, 2011)

make a fish trap with a 2l pop bottle....always works for me....from fry to adults


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

How do you get a holding female that doesn't appear to be eating to be the one going in the trap? Never happens in my tank. My holding females get very protective at that time.


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## Sand Man (Oct 12, 2006)

PfunMo said:


> How do you get a holding female that doesn't appear to be eating to be the one going in the trap? Never happens in my tank. My holding females get very protective at that time.


+1


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## PaulineMi (Apr 3, 2008)

Go to the mountain and contemplate the meaning of life....perhaps you will find your answer. Other than that....drain water, remove rocks and catch your fish. :wink:


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