Catching a wrasse

Wes Allsbrook · Oct 30, 2022

Has anybody had any luck with a fish trap of some sort? I need to re-home a puddingwife wrasse and I don’t want to tear apart the tank. Any advice is appreciated!

mann1139 · Oct 30, 2022

I have heard that with patience, fish traps can work.

However, if you have an especially stupid fish that is not the wrasse, you may have to move that fish so it doesn't occupy the trap repeatedly.

Rp8 · Oct 30, 2022

Try to find where it beds down at night then try to catch it when it is asleep

Lbrdsoxfan · Oct 30, 2022

Wrasses are hell to catch. Trap is possibly a choice. I've had to pull rock and empty a LOT of water usually and I have two different size traps. They tend to be a bit faster than a average fish.

CypherSloth · Oct 30, 2022

Lbrdsoxfan said:
Wrasses are hell to catch. Trap is possibly a choice. I've had to pull rock and empty a LOT of water usually and I have two different size traps. They tend to be a bit faster than an average fish.

They also seem to contort their body to align with the oddest of crevices

Fish Think Pink · Oct 30, 2022

Wes Allsbrook said:
Has anybody had any luck with a fish trap of some sort? I need to re-home a puddingwife wrasse and I don’t want to tear apart the tank. Any advice is appreciated!

SO, your smart and fast wrasse likely has a favorite food...

I use the IceCap traps, depends size of your tank and wrasse, but medium trap typically works best (but I own all sizes.. small is least effective and large is good but a pain to get out of my canopy once I catch fish)

Put the trap into your tank... don't bother with the door... let it and everyone get used to the trap... feed only thru the trap and turn down/off the flow so food settles in there... everyone gets comfy after couple days...

Now put the door on, put the string where you can get it, I usually hold string in place ONLY on outside of tank so inside of tank isn't as sharp of an angle. Test the door couple times. Get the food. Turn off/down the pumps. Add the food. Catch the fish. VOILA.

Worst part of this experience is IceCap ships those traps unassembled and with paper on... patience helps.... adult beverage helps (wine recommended... not for softening the paper, for drinking while peeling off paper...)... and... when you get this trap and curse me for the paper peeling... I OWN ALL SIZES - I'VE DONE THAT THREE TIMES... but their traps are that good... except maybe that small trap size... but, it makes me feel good to have it even though it is the least successful (by far) of their traps (exact same design, just smaller - fish don't like to be confined).

Good luck.

Fish Think Pink · Oct 30, 2022

mann1139 said:
I have heard that with patience, fish traps can work.

However, if you have an especially stupid fish that is not the wrasse, you may have to move that fish so it doesn't occupy the trap repeatedly.

Oh, I've pulled out more than one fish when I caught the one I wanted... it is easier to pull them all out (sort and return back unlucky bycatch) then release all only to try later to re-catch, release, re-re-catch just the desired fish...

BUT, I get to sit in comfy office chair and it feels similar to fishing lol