Catching trouble makers

[w8lifts]

I need to catch a Luna and a coral Beauty, every time I add my fish trap they just avoid it. I’m really not trying to starve the entire tank but I’m starting to get impatient, any recommendations on this trap?!?.

 

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Section off the tank...

I had to do this on a 10 foot tank to get a blue tang.

Ended up also taking out 1/2 my rock...

 

[w8lifts]

Section off the tank...

I had to do this on a 10 foot tank to get a blue tang.

Ended up also taking out 1/2 my rock...

That would be plan B is to pull out the rock…I just for obvious reason really don’t want it to come to that. That would be messy and a mad spouse.

 

[DCR]

I made a large DIY trap from a large wide mouth pretzel type container following a suggestion here on R2R to catch an aggressive coral beauty. You hinge the lid to the box with fishing line or tie wraps and have a fishing line to pull up on the lid. Placed it in the tank for a few days before baiting it. Caught him within a minute after putting a cube of Mysis in it (along with a wrasse). I think the larger size and opening compared to those smaller acrylic box traps helps reduce their reluctance to swim into the trap. Works much better than the type of trap in your picture. I could probably find the link if you are interested.

 

[w8lifts]

I made a large DIY trap from a large wide mouth pretzel type container following a suggestion here on R2R to catch an aggressive coral beauty. You hinge the lid to the box with fishing line or tie wraps and have a fishing line to pull up on the lid. Placed it in the tank for a few days before baiting it. Caught him within a minute after putting a cube of Mysis in it (along with a wrasse). I think the larger size and opening compared to those smaller acrylic box traps helps reduce their reluctance to swim into the trap. Works much better than the type of trap in your picture. I could probably find the link if you are interested.

I would not mind looking at the link, my way is not working (yet..)

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

That would be plan B is to pull out the rock…I just for obvious reason really don’t want it to come to that. That would be messy and a mad spouse.

You don't necessarily need to pull the rock - the link below gives some specific ideas (yes, it's oriented toward large tanks, but the concepts work for small tanks too), but basically you drive the fish into a specific portion of the tank and block off the other portions. Once it's in a small enough space that it can't escape, you remove it. Not necessarily easy (and I don't know how plausible it may be for your setup), but it might be easier than tearing down the tank temporarily.

Method for Quickly Catching Difficult Fish Out of a Large Reef Tank with a Net

There are several techniques for catching a fish out of a reef tank. None of them are perfect or work equally for all fish, and many require time and patience. I have a 330 gallon mixed reef that's about 16 months old. In the past year, there have been a couple occasions where I've needed to...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

I took a piece of PVC Pipe, capped off one end. Wire tied it to a magnet. Filled with Aquarium water, put frozen food in, let it sink. Put the opening below the water with the capped in slightly down. Third night the Flameback Angel went way into the pipe, to get the food.

 

[nuxx Verified Sponsor]

That would be plan B is to pull out the rock…I just for obvious reason really don’t want it to come to that. That would be messy and a mad spouse.

These things are smarter than they appear lol

 

[DCR]

I would not mind looking at the link, my way is not working (yet..)

Post #6. I used some Nylon thread instead of the heavier pull line he used.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/catching-a-purple-tang.578620/#post-5895655

 

[TokenReefer]

How many gallons is the tank?

 

[w8lifts]

How many gallons is the tank?

75

 

[Pvtgloss]

I have the same trap and have been successful twice. I caught a coral beauty within minutes but with a 6 line I had to get creative. I would put food in the trap and be standing 5 feet away and the 6 line would literally look at the food, then the trap door, follow the string all the way to me, and then he would take off. What I did was- took the door off and used a baster and feed my tank for a few days through the feeding hole. Then I put the door back on and kept feeding the same way. But this time i used 4lb test fishing line and i wrapped around something and ran it back to the other side the room. But I would feed and leave the room. Wouldn't even sweat it. Then I skipped a day of feeding and the next day....BAM! GOT HIS butt. I feel like the more I tried and was constantly in the glass sweating it the more he was like "NO WAY, BRO". Just drop it in and let them get use to it.

 

[w8lifts]

I have the same trap and have been successful twice. I caught a coral beauty within minutes but with a 6 line I had to get creative. I would put food in the trap and be standing 5 feet away and the 6 line would literally look at the food, then the trap door, follow the string all the way to me, and then he would take off. What I did was- took the door off and used a baster and feed my tank for a few days through the feeding hole. Then I put the door back on and kept feeding the same way. But this time i used 4lb test fishing line and i wrapped around something and ran it back to the other side the room. But I would feed and leave the room. Wouldn't even sweat it. Then I skipped a day of feeding and the next day....BAM! GOT HIS butt. I feel like the more I tried and was constantly in the glass sweating it the more he was like "NO WAY, BRO". Just drop it in and let them get use to it.

I just bought some fishing line as well, funny you mention that…my Luna looked at me like I was one dumb SOB with the cotton string I was using…

 

[Not an IT guy]

Took me six months to catch a six line. Keep at it

 

[Pvtgloss]

I just bought some fishing line as well, funny you mention that…my Luna looked at me like I was one dumb SOB with the cotton string I was using…

Haha same bro. 6 line looking at my like I was stupid af, and I was probably looking like it too, thinking I was all sneaky.

 

[w8lifts]

Haha same bro. 6 line looking at my like I was stupid af, and I was probably looking like it too, thinking I was all sneaky.

I am taking your advice for now and removed the door completely and will feed them only through the feeding tube…was hoping to get these guys out today but nope my two gangsters have other plans

 

[w8lifts]

And in case anyone is wondering why….coral beauty has a taste of lps now…haven’t a clue as to why all of a sudden he attached my lps but dang ….The other one is just an a hole and has killed two of my lil dudes RIP

 

[DCR]

I assume Luna is a Lunare Wrasse?

 

[w8lifts]

Yes, and current status of what my fish are thinking: