Help me catch this clown please

fastrd400 · Feb 27, 2012

I have a fairly large Saddleback clown in my tank that I need to get out. I have had a fish trap made from a plastic bottle in there for close to a month now. Not sure if he is really smart, or really stupid as he will not go in it. I have had most all of my fish in it at one point or another, except him. Any other ways to try and catch him, short of taking out all the rock?

revhtree · Feb 27, 2012

Tiny barbless hook and fishing line. Works like a champ and will not hurt the fish.

STL · Feb 27, 2012

Don't know if it would work for saddlebacks, but I moved my ocellaris clowns by waiting until it was sleepy time, holding a glass beaker in the tank with one hand and shoeing them into it with the other. Good luck!

fsu1dolfan · Feb 27, 2012

I had to catch a very large aggressive tomato clown once...the tank had a ton of rock and corals. I honestly thought it was never going to happen. But after about 10-15mins he started getting tired. I used a few extra nets to block areas of the tank to make my catch area smaller and then eventually using two nets and the corner of the glass i was able to scoop him. I had this happen a few times with fish...they will get tired and give you opportunities to catch them...unforuntalely sometimes your patience can run out before the fish gets tired LOL.

Steven R · Feb 27, 2012

I had to catch two sebae clowns that turned super aggressive and also a mimic tang to move her to another tank I waited till night time and about 45 minutes after lights out i put in two blue nets since they are darker then white nets on there hiding places and spooked them out of there cave with my finger and they startled and swam right into the net. IME lights out is a lot easier to catch fish than with lights on.

Dog Boy Dave · Feb 27, 2012

Yep Tiny barbless hook will do it in 15 seconds. You will wonder why you bothered with all the other stuff.

Steven R · Feb 27, 2012

Dog Boy Dave said:
Yep Tiny barbless hook will do it in 15 seconds. You will wonder why you bothered with all the other stuff.

I have to try this does the end of the hook need to be filed down? or just all the barbs off?

emerald525 · Feb 27, 2012

I also found not feeding for a day or 2 and squirting food into the fish trap has worked for the more reluctant fish. Tying to find where it sleeps at night and catching them at night is easier too as they are usually pretty groggy.

fastrd400 · Feb 27, 2012

Only thing with the hook, is I may end up catching any number of Tangs as well.

bct15 · Feb 27, 2012

I catch fish often in my 150 by just being patient and slowly cornering them. It takes about 15 minutes but works everytime and seems to be the least stressful...sometimes it may require two nets for extra elusive fish to keep it shoes in the direction I want. It seems that the fish you want out never goes in the trap.

revhtree · Feb 27, 2012

You can buy barbless hooks. Also you just have to keep pulling it away until the one you want out bites!

fastrd400 · Mar 3, 2012

Alright, so I went out and bought a couple #16 hooks, I'll have to un-tie the flys on them. Now the question is, what to use for bait?

revhtree · Mar 3, 2012

Really anything frozen or fresh. You want something that will stay together and will be small enough.

mfdrookie516 · Mar 3, 2012

A good article for future reference - Get Out of My Tank! Fish Removal Tips & Tricks by Steven Pro - Reefkeeping.com

fastrd400 · Mar 4, 2012

My frozen food wouldn't stay on the hook. I did however get him to bite, and then spit the hook 3 times with nothing on it.

Otter_rs · Mar 4, 2012

Hook and line works very well, but sometimes puts the fish in danger of mouth damage. I like to get up early and turn the lights on all at once about 2or3 hours before they normally come on. All your fish will be groggy, but curios about what is going on. This seems to be your best opportunity to catch a fish with a net.

myzislow · Mar 4, 2012

You cant catch it at night time when its sleeping and all disoriented?

fastrd400 · Mar 4, 2012

myzislow said:
You cant catch it at night time when its sleeping and all disoriented?

Hey Josh. No, little sucker sleeps, or rests in a cave, so I can't get at him. I really wish it was that easy.

Otter_rs · Mar 4, 2012

fastrd400 said:
Hey Josh. No, little sucker sleeps, or rests in a cave, so I can't get at him. I really wish it was that easy.

That's why you turn the lights on early, it wakes them up, they come out from hiding, but they act kinda drunk until they wake up. I got this trick from Joe Yaiullo, the Curater of Atlantis Marine World. He claims to be able to catch any fish in that crazy huge reef tank of his. Can't remember the gallonage, but this is the method he uses.