How to catch a chromis?

Recife · 06/06/2006, 01:10 PM

I tried this post in another forum before and didn't have luck with replies.
I'm looking for suggestions on how to catch a chromis in a big deep (30") tank that has a lot of hiding spots. I tried everything I could think of.
I'll consider options that will even kill the fish. I just really need to get it out of my tank to clear it from an ich infection. It's the only fish left, but I have a lot of inverts and corals.

Fusch13 · 06/06/2006, 01:13 PM

I know my chromis come out for a good frozen food meal....did you try that?

jdbassin · 06/06/2006, 01:19 PM

i belive they make a fish trap that you can buy online or at a local petstore, Never used one though.

jd

shoddyk · 06/06/2006, 01:19 PM

Get a large square fish net and cut off the handle of it. Tie fishing line to all 4 corners and bring all lines into 1 so when you bury the net under the sand and pull it up it will be level. After you bury the net wait an hour or two so the fish forgets about it and place some frozen food or something that it will eat, over the hidden net and pull u8p really fast as soon as the fish swims low enough over it. You have to be very fast because they will swim right out of it. It worked for me.

Saltcity · 06/06/2006, 01:38 PM

I have had a fish in my tank since it was new, 9 months, aggressive......and I haven't been able to catch him yet! I've tried traps, nets, bottles, shop vacs, you name it but I've never caught him, he is the smatest fish I know!

shoddyk · 06/06/2006, 01:46 PM

I have been able to catch every fish that I have need too. Try the hidden net way.

Saltcity · 06/06/2006, 01:49 PM

That is the only thing that I haven't tried.....

Stupid fish

shoddyk · 06/06/2006, 01:58 PM

It may take a few trys but it really does work. If you can't get it in a few trys then wait a day to try it again. After a while the fish gets smart and stays hidden.

Saltcity · 06/06/2006, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by shoddyk
After a while the fish gets smart and stays hidden.

Yeah.....If I even get close to the tank he's gone! Buried in his own little Live rock paradise

jleichtman · 06/06/2006, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Reeforbust
I have had a fish in my tank since it was new, 9 months, aggressive......and I haven't been able to catch him yet! I've tried traps, nets, bottles, shop vacs, you name it but I've never caught him, he is the smatest fish I know!

or... the fish is smarter then you... MAHAHAHAHAHHAH

sorrry.. said with luv

Good luck on getting that bugger out.

z_rivers · 06/06/2006, 02:57 PM

get a very small hook and bend the barb down. put some food on it and toss it in. make sure sure you dont catch the other fish.

Saltcity · 06/06/2006, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by z_rivers
get a very small hook and bend the barb down. put some food on it and toss it in. make sure sure you dont catch the other fish.

That just feeds the fish..........My wife thought I was crazy with that one!!

I even bought the 3 sided hooks and tried to spear him with it.....

Recife · 06/06/2006, 03:31 PM

shoddyk, that idea sounds promising. I will give it a shot.
I got this close many times to catching it, but always failed in the end. Damn chromis!!

shoddyk · 06/06/2006, 03:33 PM

I hope it works for you.

Recife · 06/06/2006, 03:35 PM

So do I.
This is stupid. I'm starting to feel like the coyote from roadrunner!!

Sk8r · 06/06/2006, 03:47 PM

Lower the water level to 6 inches, dig a deep well in a corner, keep lowering the water level all the way if need be. Fish will go to the well. Net fish. Pump water back in rapidly, put fish in tank with some of tank water.

Corals and inverts are not harmed by 5-10 minutes out of water. Fish are not stressed by this procedure. Just use a big horse pump to make sure the water goes in and out in a speedy fashion. Brute tubs will preserve your water quality during this procedure, but stand by to test and buffer your water after this procedure. Buffer first, then test for calcium, et al.

Kigs · 06/06/2006, 04:18 PM

miy chromis comes up to the surface whenever i get near. i think he got used to me pouring formula one/two flakes from the cup. often times, i have to be careful of them jumping into the cup lol.

thorsen · 06/06/2006, 04:18 PM

one of this months articles is specifically on your question. The article went over quite a few methods of catching a fish, some I'd never heard of. You should read it, it may give you a solution better than tearing your tank to pieces to catch it, which I have done twice now.

jenzabear · 06/06/2006, 04:55 PM

When I had a sleeper goby that I had to get out of my tank beacuse he was harassing my new Jawfish, what I did that worked the first time was put some of there regular food in to the net and then slowly lowered it as close to the fishes normal hiding spot and held it there very still for a couple minutes until the goby came out and smelt the food and went straight in to the net.

kraze3 · 06/06/2006, 05:00 PM

try this:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...hreadid=707656

Recife · 06/06/2006, 07:46 PM

Thanks all for the replies.

kraze3, I read that thread before and those ideas didn't work for me. My tank is way too big (125gal) and deep to remove teh water. I also have sponges in it.

Someone suggested I try a lionfish. Hehe. Then next week I will post a thread on how to catch a lionfish!

I will try the net idea. Wish me luck!

06/06/2006, 01:10 PM	#1
Recife Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Bellevue - WA Posts: 282	How to catch a chromis? I tried this post in another forum before and didn't have luck with replies. I'm looking for suggestions on how to catch a chromis in a big deep (30") tank that has a lot of hiding spots. I tried everything I could think of. I'll consider options that will even kill the fish. I just really need to get it out of my tank to clear it from an ich infection. It's the only fish left, but I have a lot of inverts and corals.

06/06/2006, 01:13 PM	#2
Fusch13 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Centerville ohio Posts: 7,606	I know my chromis come out for a good frozen food meal....did you try that? __________________ Gas....Coral......Gas....Coral...ahhh who needs to go anywhere...CORAL!!! Current Tank Info: JBJ rl nano 20, aq ax360z. Still building.....

06/06/2006, 02:57 PM	#11
z_rivers Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Cranberry Twp, PA Posts: 1,240	get a very small hook and bend the barb down. put some food on it and toss it in. make sure sure you dont catch the other fish. __________________ -Aaron Current Tank Info: 75gal display, 30 gallon sump/refugium, 2x 250w Hamilton 14K MH, 4,000 gallon koi pond

06/06/2006, 03:47 PM	#16
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Lower the water level to 6 inches, dig a deep well in a corner, keep lowering the water level all the way if need be. Fish will go to the well. Net fish. Pump water back in rapidly, put fish in tank with some of tank water. Corals and inverts are not harmed by 5-10 minutes out of water. Fish are not stressed by this procedure. Just use a big horse pump to make sure the water goes in and out in a speedy fashion. Brute tubs will preserve your water quality during this procedure, but stand by to test and buffer your water after this procedure. Buffer first, then test for calcium, et al. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

06/06/2006, 04:18 PM	#18
thorsen Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Danville, PA Posts: 204	one of this months articles is specifically on your question. The article went over quite a few methods of catching a fish, some I'd never heard of. You should read it, it may give you a solution better than tearing your tank to pieces to catch it, which I have done twice now. __________________ And God said, let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life... Genesis 1:20 Current Tank Info: 180 gallon

06/06/2006, 01:19 PM	#3
jdbassin Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: illinois Posts: 142	i belive they make a fish trap that you can buy online or at a local petstore, Never used one though. jd

06/06/2006, 01:19 PM	#4
shoddyk Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Yuma, Az Posts: 568	Get a large square fish net and cut off the handle of it. Tie fishing line to all 4 corners and bring all lines into 1 so when you bury the net under the sand and pull it up it will be level. After you bury the net wait an hour or two so the fish forgets about it and place some frozen food or something that it will eat, over the hidden net and pull u8p really fast as soon as the fish swims low enough over it. You have to be very fast because they will swim right out of it. It worked for me.

06/06/2006, 01:38 PM	#5
Saltcity Moved On Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Missouri Posts: 4,297	I have had a fish in my tank since it was new, 9 months, aggressive......and I haven't been able to catch him yet! I've tried traps, nets, bottles, shop vacs, you name it but I've never caught him, he is the smatest fish I know!

06/06/2006, 01:46 PM	#6
shoddyk Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Yuma, Az Posts: 568	I have been able to catch every fish that I have need too. Try the hidden net way.

06/06/2006, 01:49 PM	#7
Saltcity Moved On Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Missouri Posts: 4,297	That is the only thing that I haven't tried..... Stupid fish

06/06/2006, 01:58 PM	#8
shoddyk Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Yuma, Az Posts: 568	It may take a few trys but it really does work. If you can't get it in a few trys then wait a day to try it again. After a while the fish gets smart and stays hidden.

06/06/2006, 03:31 PM	#13
Recife Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Bellevue - WA Posts: 282	shoddyk, that idea sounds promising. I will give it a shot. I got this close many times to catching it, but always failed in the end. Damn chromis!!

06/06/2006, 03:33 PM	#14
shoddyk Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Yuma, Az Posts: 568	I hope it works for you.

06/06/2006, 03:35 PM	#15
Recife Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Bellevue - WA Posts: 282	So do I. This is stupid. I'm starting to feel like the coyote from roadrunner!!

06/06/2006, 04:18 PM	#17
Kigs Moved On Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: LI, NY Posts: 2,182	miy chromis comes up to the surface whenever i get near. i think he got used to me pouring formula one/two flakes from the cup. often times, i have to be careful of them jumping into the cup lol.

06/06/2006, 04:55 PM	#19
jenzabear Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: British Columbia, Canada Posts: 90	When I had a sleeper goby that I had to get out of my tank beacuse he was harassing my new Jawfish, what I did that worked the first time was put some of there regular food in to the net and then slowly lowered it as close to the fishes normal hiding spot and held it there very still for a couple minutes until the goby came out and smelt the food and went straight in to the net.

06/06/2006, 05:00 PM	#20
kraze3 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: RI Posts: 2,373	try this: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...hreadid=707656

06/06/2006, 07:46 PM	#21
Recife Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Bellevue - WA Posts: 282	Thanks all for the replies. kraze3, I read that thread before and those ideas didn't work for me. My tank is way too big (125gal) and deep to remove teh water. I also have sponges in it. Someone suggested I try a lionfish. Hehe. Then next week I will post a thread on how to catch a lionfish! I will try the net idea. Wish me luck!