Best way to catch an unwanted fish!

AngGenova23 · 08/09/2007, 06:52 PM

Well im trying to figure out the best way to get out my maroon clownfish who is terrorizing my tank...he even killed 3 anemones so far and eaten up my groupers tail....Ive tried keeping the net in the tank....catching when feeding...ive tried with both hands pushing him with my scraper and cornering him but all hasnt worked so far...

What is the best way to get this pest out of my tank.

Snowboarda42 · 08/09/2007, 07:14 PM

fish hook

SDguy · 08/09/2007, 07:18 PM

A trap. Either one designed specifically for trapping fish, or the old soda bottle cut i half trick.

Note, since you've already been trying to catch her, she's wise to you. Even a well designed trap will take a while at this point. Be patient.

allenpantino · 08/09/2007, 08:40 PM

angie im going nuts too i put this dam flame angel into my tank been chasing him for hours gotta find a good solution anymore ideas guys?????? thanks

ACBlinky · 08/09/2007, 08:50 PM

I've always found clowns pretty easy to catch, but I've been lucky and had fish that sleep in accessible spots - if you have a clown that sleeps behind rocks/corals, or in an anemone, this might not work.

Wait until after lights out, until the fish is fast asleep. Then be ready with a clear plastic fish bag (roll down the top edge so it doesn't close in on itself when you put it into the tank). Quickly but very gently (no splashing) get the bag into position behind/under the clown, or over top if it's asleep on the sand - you want the bag close so the fish will swim directly into it when s/he wakes up.

The fish is going to wake up, and hopefully swim straight into the bag before s/he knows what's happened. I've caught several clowns this way; for me, it works like a charm. That said, my clowns always seem to sleep on the bottom, or right in a top corner of the tank.

Good luck! Maroons are amazing fish, but really best kept on their own IME - I tried keeping one in my reef, she was a horror, but now that I have a pair in their own tank they're an absolute joy. They're hilarious to watch, wonderfully interactive, and they seem very relaxed - probably because they don't feel the need to constantly defend what they see as their territory from other fish.

AngGenova23 · 08/09/2007, 09:01 PM

gonna try the bag method....sounds like that might work and thanks for the tip.....I feel bad getting rid of him but he might live in the 30 gallon chamber in my sump \

Lmax8rn · 12/28/2014, 03:18 PM

My method for catching ANY unwanted fish is this; I thaw my brine, dump it in a net and rinse, put the net with the food in a small bowl and add MVI, or whatever you like to soak your food in. I feed with the net in the tank, slowly. The fish swim right in for the food, every time. When I want to catch one, I just use a bigger net, the fish don't know the difference in the size of the Nets.

myram · 12/28/2014, 03:32 PM

Get them early in the morning in the dark when they are sleeping.........usually an easy catch that way.

Or get a fish trap if you have the room in your tank for it. Don't feed the tank for 2-3 days, then put the food in the trap and drop it in.......won't take long to catch any fish you want.

julie180 · 12/29/2014, 08:53 AM

A mirror in the back of a fish trap works great with aggressive fish. They can't resist the urge to attach the "intruder".

cloak · 12/29/2014, 12:05 PM

How big is your tank? If it's relatively small, the High & Dry method outlined is this link has always worked well for me.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-06/sp/index.php

DDon · 12/29/2014, 02:20 PM

Another method that works is after lights are out for an hour or 2 and with a dark room, turn all the tank lights on. Fish will be dazed and easy to catch.

08/09/2007, 06:52 PM	#1
AngGenova23 Moved On Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Orlando, Florida Posts: 163	Best way to catch an unwanted fish! Well im trying to figure out the best way to get out my maroon clownfish who is terrorizing my tank...he even killed 3 anemones so far and eaten up my groupers tail....Ive tried keeping the net in the tank....catching when feeding...ive tried with both hands pushing him with my scraper and cornering him but all hasnt worked so far... What is the best way to get this pest out of my tank.

08/09/2007, 07:14 PM	#2
Snowboarda42 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Warshington Posts: 1,094	fish hook __________________ 40B Mixed Reef 100% Captive Grown Corals See, that's the trouble with the world today. Not enough danger to kill off stupid people before they get old enough to breed. Bring back lawn darts! -PrivateJoker64 Current Tank Info: 40B, 20L Sump/Fuge, Mag 9.5 Return, 2x Hydor Koralia #2's, 150W 14K HQI, 139W T-5, Euro-Reef RS-80P Mesh Modded, 40LB LR, 80LB LS, 54x Turnover, Mostly SPS, Some Softys Too.

08/09/2007, 07:18 PM	#3
SDguy Fish heads unite! Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: San Diego Posts: 23,384	A trap. Either one designed specifically for trapping fish, or the old soda bottle cut i half trick. Note, since you've already been trying to catch her, she's wise to you. Even a well designed trap will take a while at this point. Be patient. __________________ Peter SDMAS member Marine tanks since 1989. ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º> ·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·.. ><((((º> Current Tank Info: 240g butterfly and angel FOWLR. 15g QT.

08/09/2007, 08:50 PM	#5
ACBlinky Premium Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Peterborough, ON, Canada Posts: 4,954 Blog Entries: 20	I've always found clowns pretty easy to catch, but I've been lucky and had fish that sleep in accessible spots - if you have a clown that sleeps behind rocks/corals, or in an anemone, this might not work. Wait until after lights out, until the fish is fast asleep. Then be ready with a clear plastic fish bag (roll down the top edge so it doesn't close in on itself when you put it into the tank). Quickly but very gently (no splashing) get the bag into position behind/under the clown, or over top if it's asleep on the sand - you want the bag close so the fish will swim directly into it when s/he wakes up. The fish is going to wake up, and hopefully swim straight into the bag before s/he knows what's happened. I've caught several clowns this way; for me, it works like a charm. That said, my clowns always seem to sleep on the bottom, or right in a top corner of the tank. Good luck! Maroons are amazing fish, but really best kept on their own IME - I tried keeping one in my reef, she was a horror, but now that I have a pair in their own tank they're an absolute joy. They're hilarious to watch, wonderfully interactive, and they seem very relaxed - probably because they don't feel the need to constantly defend what they see as their territory from other fish. __________________ "The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea." - Isak Dinesen Current Tank Info: 150g mixed reef, 30g sump/refugium, LED lighting, 100lbs LR, coral beauty, flame angel, blue & yellow tangs, gobies, damsels, 6-line wrasse, lawnmower blenny, dottyback, clown pair, rabbitfish, shrimp, crabs, CUC.

12/28/2014, 03:18 PM	#7
Lmax8rn Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 286	Try feeding with a net everyday! My method for catching ANY unwanted fish is this; I thaw my brine, dump it in a net and rinse, put the net with the food in a small bowl and add MVI, or whatever you like to soak your food in. I feed with the net in the tank, slowly. The fish swim right in for the food, every time. When I want to catch one, I just use a bigger net, the fish don't know the difference in the size of the Nets.

08/09/2007, 08:40 PM	#4
allenpantino Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 103	angie im going nuts too i put this dam flame angel into my tank been chasing him for hours gotta find a good solution anymore ideas guys?????? thanks

08/09/2007, 09:01 PM	#6
AngGenova23 Moved On Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Orlando, Florida Posts: 163	gonna try the bag method....sounds like that might work and thanks for the tip.....I feel bad getting rid of him but he might live in the 30 gallon chamber in my sump \

12/28/2014, 03:32 PM	#8
myram #347, 19 years Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Biddeford, ME Posts: 1,714	Get them early in the morning in the dark when they are sleeping.........usually an easy catch that way. Or get a fish trap if you have the room in your tank for it. Don't feed the tank for 2-3 days, then put the food in the trap and drop it in.......won't take long to catch any fish you want.

12/29/2014, 08:53 AM	#9
julie180 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Raymore, MO Posts: 2,556	A mirror in the back of a fish trap works great with aggressive fish. They can't resist the urge to attach the "intruder".

12/29/2014, 12:05 PM	#10
cloak Moved On Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 14,854	How big is your tank? If it's relatively small, the High & Dry method outlined is this link has always worked well for me. http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-06/sp/index.php

12/29/2014, 02:20 PM	#11
DDon Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Brentwood,CA Posts: 776	Another method that works is after lights are out for an hour or 2 and with a dark room, turn all the tank lights on. Fish will be dazed and easy to catch.