Catching a pleco

[bortsamson]

Ok, I have a very large pleco in my tank
I have started to change the tank into a planted tank, so, as you all know, plecos just arent, well, common ones anyways, just arent the fish for a planted tank
now, he is prolly.......10 inches or so, hehe, big boy
anways, I need to get him out of that tank
I have another tank to put him temporarily, but, How do I get him out of my main one?
Netting him?
trapping him some way?
any suggestions are appreciated

[demon_surfer]

what ever you do dont try with your hands!!

spikey spikes :sad


a large net, or chasing him into a tuperware container. Just make sure it has NO soap or detergant on it.

[Dangerdoll]

You are in for quite a task with this big fella! ;) I would try to coax him into a large container placed strategically in the tank with some of his favorite snack (such as a veggie) and hope for the best. A net woulcd be too tricky IMO because of the spiked skin and his probability of getting stuck in the net because of it. Don';t use your hands, you'll most definitely get hurt if not alone but for him as well....His first defense is to stiffen up these fins and spikes and to thrash about wildly. They are very strong fish, especially at this size.

HTH! Good Luck! ;)

[bortsamson]

heh, yeah, thanks for helping! Should be fun! Any more suggestions??

[valerie]

I second the don't pick him up with your hands suggestion. My dad once had to pick up my bristlenose(i was too scared to touch him at the time) and he got stab in the hand and my guy was only 4"

I would get some ABS or PVC pipe and put an end cap on one side. Then put some of the plecos fav. food in and wait untill he goes into the tube. Then plug up the other side and take him out.

[bortsamson]

hmm, if I can find PCV pipe wide enough, haha
but, that is a good idea.
his mouth is the size of one of the Wardley algae wafers, thats how big my "little" guy is

[LMOUTHBASS]

get a thick rubber or fishermans type glove and you can catch him by hand - i use these sometimes when taking perck or sunfish off the hook and their spikes are prob sharper because they will pop up right from their dorsal fin ouch!

[TFo]

I just moved my 10" pleco into his new tank last weekend. I used a 6" net. It was too small, but it got the job done.

I wouldn't even bother to try it this way unless you are willing to take out all of the decorations. He was harder to catch than the 10" Oscar, and you sure don't want him to ram into any rocks.

[Dangerdoll]

I'll bet you had quite a mess to clean afterwards too, Tfo..... The thrashing of the tail alone must've been something. ;)

[TFo]

It was in a 75gal, and I had removed half of the water. Most of the water stayed in the tank, but I did have a wet face when it was all over. :)

I bought a bigger net the next day!

[Must4ng s4lly]

I grabbed my 12 inch pleco with my hands, but I know how to pick up catfish with out getting spiked (this from YEARS of fishing!)! I usually gently firmly grab him with my hand over is head with my thumb and pinky behind his fins, I touch his skin minmally and he does not fight with his fins secured.....

[Michael Roth]

I just moved my sailfin pleco ...again. he is so fat and lazy, I just put my hand under him and lift him out. Flat in my palm, no holding. he never freaks out, and just goes from one tank to the next, cleaning duty.

[Una]

I'm glad to read a couple of you have moved your plecos by hand, because when I was reading the first part of this thread I was thinking my pleco and I are freaks! When he moved from one tank to another not too long ago, I had netted most of the other fish while he stayed hanging vertically from the back of his favourite piece of slate. When the time came to move him, I removed the slate and reached in and slid my hand right under his belly. He sat as still as a statue while I carried him to the other tank.