How do you catch a common pleco...

[aardvark1]

... without causing general mayhem and disaster to the plants, etc in the tank?

Ralph is getting BIG! When I got him, I had a bad algea problem, have since learned other ways of dealing with it. Am going to turn him over to the LFS; not concerned if I get any credit or cash, just want him to go to a good home.

But how to get him out?

Too big for my nets, too big for a soda bottle trap. He's only out and about in the evenings , so chasing him down amongst the Sword plants during the day would be difficult.

Plan is to remove him, put him in a container with heater and airstone over night, then take to LFS the next day.

Ideas?

:read:

 

[CaitxSith]

i thought that aerating a small container (including bags fish come in) will increase pH drastically......

man, i still have my common pleco! dang every time i look at him, i keep thinking , "tomorrow... tomorrow..."

 

[Rallysman]

grab it with your hands, put it in a cooler, and take it to the LFS. No need to over complicate it, and they're easy to catch by hand

 

[aardvark1]

I'm talkin a cooler or something good sized; Ralph is pushing 8 inches-too big for a bag!

 

[sumthin fishy]

if you do the hand catch, watch the pectoral and dorsal fins. The bones are SHARP!

 

[mj20061983]

if you do the hand catch, watch the pectoral and dorsal fins. The bones are SHARP!

yeah watch the barbs in thier fins someone once told my that if you got stabed by them you could get sea rot is this true?????????

 

[plah831]

I think with puncture wounds like that, infection is always a huge concern. It's hard to clean out, and there are funky germs living in our tanks.

But I think by hand is your best bet, too. I wouldn't worry too much about hurting its mucus coat, as those things are hardy as a house! Yeah, just watch your hands.

 

[wataugachicken]

cut the top off a milk jug making a wide opening, leaving the handle. poke holes in the bottom and sides to reduce resistance in the water. good luck.

 

[StiffMeister]

dont worry about damaging the fish, it can handle it. just pick it up and put it into whatever you have ready for him. dont it many times, never any problems. minor damage to slime coat isnt that much of a problem for these guys and will quickly recover.

 

[wataugachicken]

slime coat really isn't the issue, as long as your hands are wet before you touch the fish it won't affect the minimal slime coat that plecos have. if they even have one worth noting. the fish itself may be able to handle the more obvious and important damage of split fins or broken spines, but if the fish looks like it is in bad condition from the capture a lfs may not take it and people won't want to buy it. be careful, wear good gloves, and be firm.