I need to build a fish trap

R

rcreations

Guest
Has anyone every built a fish trap? I need to catch one of my really agressive fish without taking out all the LR in my tank. This fish is extremely fast but he also loves to eat more than anything. So if I can build a trap and put a piece of raw shrimp in there, I'm sure he'd be the first one to go for it. Just not sure how to make the trap.
 
spanko

spanko

Active Member
Pop or water bottle. Cut about 1/3 of the top off. Invert it and shove it into the bottom.

You can also take a fly fishing hook and file the barb off and go fishing. This can work, watched a friend catch a damsel with it.
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
google DIY aquarium fish trap you can watch a vidio on the making of a bottle trap my good freind Henry told you about
 
95harley

95harley

Active Member
Depends on how big he is I'd use an oversize barbless hook and a piece of shrimp. That's how I caught this 8" minatus terror out of my 240g.
 
R

rcreations

Guest
The problem with the soda bottle trap is that it'll catch any fish that goes in for the food, might not be the fish I want. I'd like to build one of those where I close the door when the fish I want to catch goes in. I saw one at my LFS but they're asking for $60 for it.
 
R

rcreations

Guest
The fish I want to catch is a Lunare Wrasse, about 5" long. He's a crazy fish but I don't think I have the heart to catch him with a hook.
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Originally Posted by RCreations
http:///forum/post/2993430
The fish I want to catch is a Lunare Wrasse, about 5" long. He's a crazy fish but I don't think I have the heart to catch him with a hook.
I had to catch a raccoon butterfly once...I bought some black mesh from the craft dept of Walmart, blocked off one side of tank with half the netting.
Then took the other half of netting, attached it to back of tank, and put a rod on it...you know like a curtain...enticed the fish into the center of the tank....pulled curtain shut....grebbed fish with fish net...COST$2

Of course you need 2 people...1 to pull the net and hold it, and the other to get the fish
If you try this...be sure to hang the first half and leave it for a little while...let the fish get use to it begin there.....when it starts getting more curious and going to it GRAB IT
 
95harley

95harley

Active Member
Originally Posted by meowzer
http:///forum/post/2993434
I had to catch a raccoon butterfly once...I bought some black mesh from the craft dept of Walmart, blocked off one side of tank with half the netting.
Your own mini Gill net.
 
R

rcreations

Guest
Shame mine doesn't do it anymore. I spoke to the guy who owns the store and he said he lent the trap to someone and they never returned it. So now he won't lend the new one anymore. I even told him I'll give him the fish for free.
I'll never do the hook, I just can't imagine doing that to one of my fish. What I'll probably have to do is take out the LR. He's a really cool fish but just doesn't fit in with some of the slower ones in my tank plus he's growing at an alarming rate. Can't tell you how many times he's bitten my dogface puffer at feeding. Nothing seriouis and not on purpose but still... just too agressive for the other fish.
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Originally Posted by RCreations
http:///forum/post/2993623
Shame mine doesn't do it anymore. I spoke to the guy who owns the store and he said he lent the trap to someone and they never returned it. So now he won't lend the new one anymore. I even told him I'll give him the fish for free.
I'll never do the hook, I just can't imagine doing that to one of my fish. What I'll probably have to do is take out the LR. He's a really cool fish but just doesn't fit in with some of the slower ones in my tank plus he's growing at an alarming rate. Can't tell you how many times he's bitten my dogface puffer at feeding. Nothing seriouis and not on purpose but still... just too agressive for the other fish.
I'm telling you...try the net...it worked for me within a couple of hours...1st hour let it sit so the fish got use to it...then taunt it to the center...worth a try...and it's a cheap way
 
js1976

js1976

Member
I used to keep a piece of plexiglass that was the depth of my tank and about 1 ft wide. I would use food to get them on one end of the tank and slowly move the plexiglass until they were cornered. Then it was easy to net them.
Similar to what meowzer is suggesting but when I used plexiglass the fish hardly noticed it was in the tank so it didn't spook them.
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by RCreations
http:///forum/post/2993623
Shame mine doesn't do it anymore. I spoke to the guy who owns the store and he said he lent the trap to someone and they never returned it. So now he won't lend the new one anymore. I even told him I'll give him the fish for free.
I'll never do the hook, I just can't imagine doing that to one of my fish. What I'll probably have to do is take out the LR. He's a really cool fish but just doesn't fit in with some of the slower ones in my tank plus he's growing at an alarming rate. Can't tell you how many times he's bitten my dogface puffer at feeding. Nothing seriouis and not on purpose but still... just too agressive for the other fish.
Figure out the cost for shipping to and from your zip code to 34119 if it is with in your budget I will send you my ultraLife fish trap to use
 
srfisher17

srfisher17

Active Member
Lots of fish are caught by divers using barbless hooks, almost all Australian Harlequin Tusks, etc. IMO, the stress of a tiny hook is far less than the stress of being chased by a net for hours. I've done this many times. Here's a copy of what I've posted many times:
This may have been me, I always suggest this; but most people think its
silly...until they try it. Tiny hook (hair hook, used to catch bait. Flatten the
barb and bait with a bit of raw shrimp..after the little monster has been eating
it for a day or two. A lfs called me several times, when I I lived in another
state, to help them get unwanted fish out of customer's tanks (almost always
damsels). I never failed, nor hurt a fish (much). I think this one of the most
common questions on this forum. I suspect it is often the result of lfs selling
damsels as "cycle starters".. I'll bet I've posted this reply 20 times; I'm
going to copy & save it...I type very slowly. BTW, I never heard from anyone
that tried this and failed, but have heard several success stories. IMO, it is
no big deal on the fish, far less stressful ,(on the damsel AND tankmates),than
tearing a tank apart.
 
R

rcreations

Guest
Thanks for the suggestions everyone. Especially Joe, thanks for the offer to ship me the trap. But I found someone locally who will lend me the trap so I will catch him this way, hopefully.
Just curious... about the fishing hook idea... how can you control which fish bites into it? Could be one of the fish I'm not looking to catch.
 
srfisher17

srfisher17

Active Member
Originally Posted by RCreations
http:///forum/post/2994993
Thanks for the suggestions everyone. Especially Joe, thanks for the offer to ship me the trap. But I found someone locally who will lend me the trap so I will catch him this way, hopefully.
Just curious... about the fishing hook idea... how can you control which fish bites into it? Could be one of the fish I'm not looking to catch.
Removing a tiny hook on the wrong fish is really no big deal, IMO. Just be sure to handle the fish with a wet cloth and return him asap. Really, a very minor injury, but you have to "set the hook"quickly to avoid the fish getting it in too deep. Tiny hooks with long shanks work best, IME.
 
aquaknight

aquaknight

Active Member
Perfectly acceptable to use a hook and line. Caught plenty of Slippery ---- wrasses and blueheaded wrasses off the dock back home in Ft. Lauderdale.
Don't forgot, almost every Australian Tusk is caught with a hook and line too.
 
R

rcreations

Guest
An update on my trapping adventure. I decided to try the bottle trap first. So I took a 2liter, cut off the top, inverted it and put a piece of shimp inside. I cut off the opening small enough so that my larger fish couldn't fit in. I put it in, all the fish showed interest but none went in right away. So I left it in and came back in a few hours... What was inside? The Lunare Wrasse AND my sargassum trigger! How the trigger fit in through the small hole I have no idea. But important thing is I caught the lunare which is what I was after.
I put the trigger back in and he's acting normal like nothing happened.
 
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