Fish traps, anyone ever use one?

[anonome]

I have a yellow pseudochromis in my 125g reef that is a known shrimp killer. I have witnessed one death and he torments the existing 2 cleaner shrimps. As long as they stay on the the power heads they are safe, if they go to the sand he will pester them to the point that they are really scared for their lives.

He has eaten a fire shrimp, and a peppermint shrimp. I also suspect him of eating my emerald crab. I was wondering if any of you have used a fish trap to catch an unwanted fish? I have a reef, so the usual fish net will not work. Any suggestions. I would really like to get him out of the tank before I introduce my tangs that are in quarantine. He has really taken over the tank. Everyone in there is intimidated by him.

 

[anonome]

No one as any experience with one. Come on guys, help me out.

 

[supalupa]

I had to put all my live rock in buckets when I did a water change to be able to get my damsels out. Didn't think it would come to that but I finally broke down and did it after trying to catch them for about a week. I have a 125 ga. tank so it was a project. Good luck!

 

[anonome]

Been there, done that, when I had a ick episode. I was hoping for a better way. The LPS suggested useing the fish trap. I just don't now how to do that. Or if it really works. Its $13.00, if it doesn't work I want to know before I purchase it.

 

[alyssia]

I have a fish trap that has a revolving door. You put some food in the trap and then wait for the fish to swim in, then you shut the door. It worked great for my dwarf angel and clown, but my tangs never went near it.

 

[tank watch]

my lfs will lend me a trap whenever i need one. Its a simple acrylic box with a sliding door on one side with a string attached. just get a beer and wait for the fish to enter. Put some food in it of course. sometimes you catch more than one, but its easy to throw 'em back. sometimes you may need to just sit it in the tank and leave it for a while, let the fish get used to it.

 

[tank watch]

my lfs will lend me a trap whenever i need one. Its a simple acrylic box with a sliding door on one side with a string attached. just get a beer and wait for the fish to enter. Put some food in it of course. sometimes you catch more than one, but its easy to throw 'em back. sometimes you may need to just sit it in the tank and leave it for a while, let the fish get used to it.

 

[ob-ron]

I used a fish trap. (on loan from lfs) It had a sliding door on one end. Just put some food in and wait. All of my fish justed love the new feeding station. But I did get the ones I wanted. It took a while but they do work.

 

[nm reef]

I have the same type acyrlic trap but its a royal pain in my opinion its easier to remove the LR and catch the subject fish with a friggin' net.
But...that may just be my humble opinion.

 

[anonome]

Thanks for all the responses. I will try the trap, but realizing that I may have to tear everything down. I knew it was a fifty- fifty chance he may attack the shrimp. I honestly thought he would be fine, because in quarantine he was so shy. Boy, did he surprise me. He is suppose to be a pale yellow, but after all the shrimp he is now a pinkish yellow!!

 

[adam2817]

I used the trap to catch a damsel that had taken over. He was smart, and, of course, I had to bait the trap, but after catching some snails and some other fish, he went in and he was toilet food.

The directions for the trap is to put it where he hangs out most of the time. You'll get him, just be patient.

 

[fishman830]

in my opinion.. fi sh are way too smart to go in " the trap" on top of the fact i found it very difficult to use, i wish i hadn't spent the money, i suggest that you go in late late at night, turn the lights on and use nets, i did it this way and had to move minimal amounts of rocks, the lights disorientated him, and he didn't put up much of a fight

 

[drose]

I had to remove an aggressive damsel that was to fast to catch with a net and with over 100 lbs of live rock I was not willing to dismantle the tank. I was about to purchase one of those ridiculously high priced fish traps when I found a website on how to make your own! Basically, you use a water bottle of appropriate size, cut off the top 1/3, invert that top 1/3 and attach with wire twisties through holes that you will need to punch with a knife. Most fish traps are meant to sit on the bottom, but because my damsel is a top feeder, I also attached rubber bands at each end and slipped the handle of my algae scrape through which I then laid across the top of the tank to keep it high and stationary. I also cut an additional hole (about thumb-size) toward the top of the bottle so that I could drop food. I did not feed anywhere except in that hole for 2 days. Eventually, my damsel got over his fear of the strange contraption and hungry enough to enter. I found the site thru a search of "fish traps." Good luck to you!