Trapping a Snowflake!

djminus1

djminus1

Member
My Snowflake eel has become overly agressive towards my other fish and stress is starting to set in. My LFS is going to take him in on a trade but I am trying to figure out the best way to catch him and transport him. He has grown over 12" in length and is probably close to 14".
I don't have a net that is big enough to catch him. I have heard about people trapping them in 2-liter coke bottles? Is that a myth or would that work? I assume that you would set it up like a baited trap and wait for him to slither in?
As for transporting, I plan to carry him in a deep bucket so he cant jump out.
Any advice would be appreciated.
 
crox

crox

Active Member
I guess you can use a 2 liter bottle. Put some food in it and he might go inside but he shouldn't be able to get out. :joy:
 
eaglephot

eaglephot

Member
Originally Posted by djminus1
My Snowflake eel has become overly agressive towards my other fish and stress is starting to set in. My LFS is going to take him in on a trade but I am trying to figure out the best way to catch him and transport him. He has grown over 12" in length and is probably close to 14".
I don't have a net that is big enough to catch him. I have heard about people trapping them in 2-liter coke bottles? Is that a myth or would that work? I assume that you would set it up like a baited trap and wait for him to slither in?
As for transporting, I plan to carry him in a deep bucket so he cant jump out.
Any advice would be appreciated.
The bucket better be pretty deep if you don't want him to jump out. How big is your net? My SF morey is about the same size. I have a 4 or 5 inch net. I caught him fine. I would trap him in the net when you are feeding it. That is when my morey is most active and not hiding in his cave. Make sure that when you do catch him in the net, you have something to cover the net with. I was purchasing a SF morey at a LPS and it jumped out of the net onto the floor when the guy caught it. The crazy thing is, HE WAS GOING TO STILL SELL IT TO ME! I said, "No way! I want a new one." He was annoyed. As for the 2 liter trap, it sounds clever. I would try it. Hope this helps!
 
dme

dme

Member
You have one or two choices and I would have to say mthat the PVC pipe is your best choice.
Cut a piece of PVC of suitable diameter and length
Looking at the PVC pipe vertically, drill some 1/2 inch holes, spaced out around and 3/4's of the way down the length of the pipe.
Using medium grain sand paper, sand and smooth the cut and drilled hole edges of the PVC pipe.
Stick the end cap onto the end of the PVC pipe that does not have the drilled holes near it
Tie a suitable length of rope or string on to the open end of the PVC pipe.
Choose a diameter for the PVC pipe that allows the fish or other animal to move and turn around in comfortably. For PVC length, cut it equivalent to at least one and a half times the body length of the animal to be trapped. If the end cap does not attach tightly and stay on by itself, glue it on with PVC glue, allowing to cure for 24 hours. The rope needs to be long enough to attach to the trap positioned on the bottom of the aquarium, and be pulled on to raise the trap. Don't expect instantaneous results. It may take some time for the animals to get used to the trap being in the tank before they will enter it.
What You Need
1 piece of PVC pipe
1 matching PVC end cap
Some rope or string
A drill
Medium grain sand paper
PVC glue (optional)
And Lots of Patience!
Or you can buy a UltraLife Aquarium Fish Trap
in which I have to say a long PVC pipe would be your best choice and as said, needs to be even wider size then the eel so that it would better your chances to trap it.
 
mile_high

mile_high

Member
thats a very good idea there DME . You could also try just putting a Pitcher in the tank and coraling him in to it . you might have to remove some rockwork but it would work too
 
00nothing

00nothing

Member
when its feeding time my SFE would follow a piece of shrimp right into a net if it meant getting the food i would jsut lure him out with the net already in the tank and then try to scoop him out
whatever u move him in though make sure it has a tight fitting lid
 
clownfish0

clownfish0

Member
Originally Posted by DME
You have one or two choices and I would have to say mthat the PVC pipe is your best choice.
Cut a piece of PVC of suitable diameter and length
Looking at the PVC pipe vertically, drill some 1/2 inch holes, spaced out around and 3/4's of the way down the length of the pipe.
Using medium grain sand paper, sand and smooth the cut and drilled hole edges of the PVC pipe.
Stick the end cap onto the end of the PVC pipe that does not have the drilled holes near it
Tie a suitable length of rope or string on to the open end of the PVC pipe.
Choose a diameter for the PVC pipe that allows the fish or other animal to move and turn around in comfortably. For PVC length, cut it equivalent to at least one and a half times the body length of the animal to be trapped. If the end cap does not attach tightly and stay on by itself, glue it on with PVC glue, allowing to cure for 24 hours. The rope needs to be long enough to attach to the trap positioned on the bottom of the aquarium, and be pulled on to raise the trap. Don't expect instantaneous results. It may take some time for the animals to get used to the trap being in the tank before they will enter it.
What You Need
1 piece of PVC pipe
1 matching PVC end cap
Some rope or string
A drill
Medium grain sand paper
PVC glue (optional)
And Lots of Patience!
Or you can buy a UltraLife Aquarium Fish Trap
in which I have to say a long PVC pipe would be your best choice and as said, needs to be even wider size then the eel so that it would better your chances to trap it.
that's way to complicated. Just go to feed your eel and net him from behind. He will never expect it/
 
juddster

juddster

Member
try useing a plastic box like they use in the fish stores while feeding, i have found they cause much less stress then a net. GL!
 
clownfish0

clownfish0

Member
Originally Posted by Juddster
try useing a plastic box like they use in the fish stores while feeding, i have found they cause much less stress then a net. GL!
true.
 
fishntx

fishntx

Member
i would put a lid on the bucket because a sfe can jump pretty high. as for the net my snowflake is 20-22" and i catch him in a net that is about 6" in diameter. of course i cover the opening of the net when i catch him because he is a jumper.
 
djminus1

djminus1

Member
Good advice everyone.
I think I will try to net him first. If that doesn't work, I may try one of the other suggestions. I am going to transport him in a 5 gallon bucked with only about 3 inches of water in the bottom. It would be a really big jump for him to get out.
 
emperor11

emperor11

Active Member
As far as transporting him goes, just use a regular bucket, but put a towel over the top (to make it dark to calm him) and then throw a bungee cord around the towel to prevent the eel from escaping.
~Emperor
 
wesa

wesa

Member
Let us know what worked the best. I was thinking if there was a rock with a cavern in it that he liked to live in, put the net over the opening & throw the whole rock in the bucket. Then put a cover on it so he doesn't get out in transport. If you try DME's trap please let us know how well it works. That sounds like it might work for a mantis too. I've tried that bottle trap thing before. I haven't had any luck with it inside, but works great outside in the garden if you add slug bait. Saves my garden & easy to dispose of without hurting any of the other wildlife.
 
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