How to catch a large fish in a reef tank

[Treebeard]

I used apop bottle trap with a rock in it to weigh it down. It worked great when I wanted to catch the first chromis that was misbehaving, but the second chromis caught on and wanted nothing to do with it. But the boxfish was more then happy to eat the mysis in the trap.

Originally Posted by Delphinus

Tom I'd love to see pictures of your ARM container trap too.

Do you use something to weigh it down?

I've used a pop bottle (with the top cut off) in the past with great results but right now I want to relocate my CBB into an aiptasia ridden tank and it's not working out so well. The problem is it's too light and floats around in the current. When I used it last time I would just hold it in my hand. But this time he remembers that "container being held by human" is something you don't want to swim into. Although my hawkfish is all too happy to swim in anyhow. Doh de doh de doh, yum yum mysis!!! Doh de doh de doh.

[my2rotties]

The ones you don't want in the trap will always go in. That is why I worry about the hook idea too. I feel bad enough about the fish I have to catch, let alone the others.

I would need a HUGE bottle to get this fish into it, I'm not kidding we can eat this fish easily she is so huge now. I'm sure in certain markets they are eaten since I saw that Foxfaces also are eaten as well as Emperor angels and tangs.

Once I am done my all day cleaning I will be putting the trap inside to let everyone get used to it.

Last question what did you use for bait? She eats everything, but is a herbivore.

[my2rotties]

By some sort of miracle I trapped the rabbitfish today... I was not prepared for it and was running around like a chicken with my head cut off getting a pail. She is about 14" long and I have to sadly take her to the LFS tomorrow. They are closed on Thursdays (of course), and I put her in my 90g tank for now. The trick will be getting a large tuna out of that tank tomorrow.

The fish trap works even though this fish was so big she could not turn around and banged herself up pretty badly. It probably would have been much worse if I hooked her since she had the trap bashing all over the tank.

One down and one more to go...

[Trigger Man]

congrats on catching the fish, one less stress for you to worry about in the tank.

[marie]

Originally Posted by Delphinus

Tom I'd love to see pictures of your ARM container trap too.

Do you use something to weigh it down?

.

I've read that you can use a mag float to hold it in place against the glass. I was going to build one to catch my regal angel.

[xtreme]

Originally Posted by marie

I've read that you can use a mag float to hold it in place against the glass. I was going to build one to catch my regal angel.

I've had success catching a couple dwarf angels this way. Also caught my yellow tang numerous times, even though I wasn't trying to.

[my2rotties]

I had three larger sized live rocks on top of the trap... she is just that big and strong. I have had it in for three days now and have done all my feeding from it aside of the puffer food. She is much longer then the trap and was stuff in there like a sausage.

She is a nice fish but has the bioload of four fish. Doubling in size in four months has me concerned. She will still get bigger. Very peaceful and quiet... until you get her in a trap. There was water all over the place, and I peed in my pants just a little bit...

[Lance]

Originally Posted by marie

I've read that you can use a mag float to hold it in place against the glass. I was going to build one to catch my regal angel.

Marie, I have a DIY trap that works well if you ever need it. I caught my Foxface and Sailfin in one evening when I moved them to the big tank, and the Foxface a couple of days later (he's not too bright) to put him in QT when he was bullying the Tuskfish.

[Skimmerking]

Diana I know with all the fofaces that i have had i caught mine all at night. fox faces will sleep towards the top of the water like mine did. if so just wait til you see the lights go off and I had a night light tin my tank a blue one, it was very hard for the fish to see me.
Then I waited and then netted or use the contaienr and it was done. PM me your number I will talk to you about how easy it is for foxfaces too.

[Delphinus]

What trap did you use in the end?