When you need to extract a fish from your show tank!

[nzo]

LOL.. It's always a job doing this. If I want to extract a female for stripping or any fish for isolating, then I end up having to take out virtually all of the rockwork so I can catch the bugger.

Although it's not a bad thing really, as I get the opportunity to hoover up some serious crap from under the rocks, it crossed my mind to make some kind of fish trap to make this easier.

I know it seems elaborate, but the last 2 times I needed to extract a fish, I had to reserve an entire afternoon for the job!

I though of making a trap explicitly for this purpose. Something like a length of pipe, with a controllable grille on each end, which can be set with a bit of string or something? I know some people on here will agree that catching a fish in a severely rocked up tank is impossible. But, why not use the fishes native inclination to dive into a safe place?

I thought I`d mention this before I embarked upon making some Heath-Robinson device, in case a) anyone else had made something similar work, or b) other people might be interested and have some input into how to design such a thing. Might even be a patent in it :)

I`ve only had to do this twice and I`m hacked off enough to think about making something.

[rbishop]

A 2 liter soda bottle. Cut the bottle about 5" down from where the lid screws on. Cut enough of the neck off so the remaining hole is big enough for the fish you want to catch, to swim thru. Stick that end into the remaining bottle. The top is now a funnel with the neck pointing into the bottle.

Bait the bottle and they will swim in to investigate.

[nzo]

So, it's like a crab trap, where the fish is funnelled in, but won`t immediately be able to swim out cos the exit isn't obvious. OK, but for carrying females who aren't interested in food... :)

[Coler]

that's a winner in my book and what I will try next time I have to take out one of the thugs.

of course, there is no way to guarantee your catch...it would seem you just have to get lucky over a period of time ?

[newsom00]

mabey hang a funnel trap at the top then chase her in

[fgump]

I just saw this on Dr. Foster & Smith's site:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=14700&N=2004+113766

might come in handy at times. cause it is a pain to catch the fish.