# Need HELP catching fry/young adults in decorated tank



## 3daffodils (Jun 16, 2009)

I have a beautiful pair of breeding brichardi. Every month another set of fry emerges from the rocks. All are very happy and there seems to be no aggression but.....they are overpopulating my 30g tank!!

What is the best way to catch these suckers?? the fry and young adults, i mean 

I have found a lfs willing to adopt them  but I am really struggeling to net them! I hate to disturb the pair.... so i have been trying to net the fry over the past month.... and have only caught 5!! I am frustrated! At this point i have my pair along with six or seven fry generations ranging in size from 2+" to pinheads....

Is the best plan to remove some water and all the rocks and plants?? 
Is this going to stress eveybody out more than my attempts at netting??

Thanks for any advise


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## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

> Is the best plan to remove some water and all the rocks and plants??


Yes



> Is this going to stress eveybody out more than my attempts at netting??


Only briefly, they'll re-settle after.


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## mamospreng (Apr 26, 2011)

Also use two nets its much easier.


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## 3daffodils (Jun 16, 2009)

tried the two net thing before i asked for help - thanks though  the brichardi are rock dwellers so when comfronted they all duck for cover.

the crazy thing is that the breeding pair seems to be pushing the young towards the net and away from cover.... i guess the 3 of us just aren't quick enough to catch the lil guys :roll:

i'll pull the tank apart in a couple days, when i have the time....

wish me luck..

i see the pair 'building' again...so i'm bound to have another set of babies within a week 

i'll update


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## mgreen44 (Dec 27, 2011)

I have 2 mbuna tanks and most of the time I have to take all the rocks out. I have a trick with a piece of plexiglass, I divide the tank with the ones I want to keep in and only remove the rocks from one side, that way it is still a pain but you dont have to disturb all the fish. I try to do this when doing a water change. Most of the fish get used to you if you change the water once a week. I have fry in my community mbuna tank most of the time and they are at risk when I remove the cover but what else can you do they would over run my tank if I let them and I dont want all blue colored fish. The pet store will take them for free and sell them for 7 bucks. I just hope they go to a good home. Good luck and I know it is sad to see them go.


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## brinkles (Jan 30, 2011)

I've made a fish trap a few times out of a soda bottle - cut the top off, add a couple rocks, invert the top, and stick it back in. I generally catch the wrong fish, and give up and tear the tank down.

Since you have so few "wrong fish", this might work for you!

Don't leave the trap unattended for too long, they may tear each other up inside it. You can put some food in it for bait.


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## Guest (Mar 4, 2012)

my "brichardi types" (neolamprologus marunguensis) do the same thing.. they are impossible to catch... i find that if you put 2 nets in the tank and then just leave them there the fry and juvies come right back out..they dont hide for a long time like cyps do or peacocks do... jus put the nets in the tank and dont move them they will swim in front of them soon (less than a minute) then just scoop them out.. they will still get away from you even when they are right in front of the net.. i did that a few times then i got impatient and mad and jus ripped the cichlid stones out and cornered the fast lil buggers... cyps are the worst man they are impossible to catch without ripping the whole tank apart


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## pikayooperdave (Jul 10, 2009)

One swipe at feeding time...hope you get lucky.

I have had some success cathing fish in the dark. Once the tank/room has been dark for a couple of hours and the fish are asleep, turn on the tank lights and immediately try to catch the fish. they are often dazed/slow/blinded for a few seconds.

You can also leave the tank dark and use a very small flashlight so you can see to try to catch the fish.

Once they are aware of you trying to catch them you might as well give up and try again later.

The fish trap can also be successful, especially since most of the fish in your tank are ones that you want to catch.

In most cases tearing down the tank is the easiest way.


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## Anthraxx8500 (Feb 11, 2011)

just leave the two nets in there for a day. then come at em every hour or two when u get a chance. they tend to not worry about em when its been in there for awhile. also when u turn the lights on and stir em all up and outta bed is another good time to catch em. GL, id leave the pair in the tank with as little rock as u can that they already claim (so u dont screw up their breeding) and let them chase em out to me.


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## Asami (Aug 9, 2011)

I use a two liter soda bottle. I cut the drinking end off so the opening is nice and wide. Then I remove the wrapper around the bottle so it is just clear plastic. Then I put it by the rocks in the tank and use my other hand on the back side of the rocks so they come out the front and POW into the bottle. Then I quickly put my hand over the end of the bottle and bring them out. This works well for adults. I've never tried with fish under the size of 5 inches. I can catch most of mine within 2-3 minutes with this method.


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