Just bought a fish trap. Any tips?

jasonrusso · Dec 9, 2019

My bicolor angel has to go. He's the smallest fish in the tank, but the biggest bully!! I'm tired of my lion's tail being nipped and my angler hiding on a powerhead.

I bought the large icecap trap (I like the suction cups). He's pretty aggressive with bivalves like mussels. I'll probably put a mussel in there, hopefully my porcupine doesn't see it first.

When I catch him, I'll put him in an acclimation box until I figure out what to do with him.

ZAB · Dec 9, 2019

Don't feed fish for a day or two.....then use turkey baster to shoot some fish food into trap let fish get use to eating food in side of trap...then bam...let trap door down..if you miss the fish can be very wery of going back in to trap..
..

Jesterrace · Dec 9, 2019

Leave the door off the trap for a few days and do something like Nori/Seaweed on a suction cup clip on the bottom and progressively move it further back into the trap, this way it gets comfortable eating in there. When it starts getting comfortable going all the way in add the door and spring the trap and it's done. Used this method with my Yellow Tang and Snowflake Clownfish and it worked both times.

MabuyaQ · Dec 10, 2019

Fully agree with Jesterrace, take it slow use food to get your fish familiar with the trap and don't rush it.

BrianReefer · Dec 10, 2019

Patience!

Roosterjack · Dec 10, 2019

A bully may react to a picture or mirror in (or on the glass behind) the trap...

Waters · Dec 10, 2019

Have you tried the lights off/on method yet? That works 100% of the time as long as you know where the fish "sleeps". Anyways, the trick to the traps is patience. It normally takes a couple of days for all the fish to get comfortable with the trap being in the tank. Feed all foods in the trap to force them near the trap.

MrsBugmaster · Dec 10, 2019

I agree with the other on letting fish get use to the trap first. Feed in the trap so they get use to going in it. Then wait and be patient for the angle to go in and close the door! That is how I have done it and it always works but may take 3 or 4 days.

jasonrusso · Dec 14, 2019

Standing around the corner like a creeper, lol. I'd have caught my tang and tusk 50 times so far!!

The angel is taunting me. He went in 2 times but the trap malfunctioned. I had to change the angle because the string was pulling the door up. Now I'm just waiting. He goes right up to it, like he knows!!

jasonrusso · Dec 14, 2019

Waters said:
Have you tried the lights off/on method yet? That works 100% of the time as long as you know where the fish "sleeps". Anyways, the trick to the traps is patience. It normally takes a couple of days for all the fish to get comfortable with the trap being in the tank. Feed all foods in the trap to force them near the trap.

Not sure what you mean about this method. Yes, he sleeps in the same spot, nestled under a rock In a small enclosure. No way to get to him.

jasonrusso · Dec 14, 2019

I thought I had him, but the trap closed too slow and he got out. I removed the food because I don't think they are hungry anymore. I'll try again later.

mfinn · Dec 14, 2019

I usually tape towels up over the end of the tank where I place my trap so the fish don't see me.
I leave just enough room to see inside the trap.

Waters · Dec 14, 2019

jasonrusso said:
Not sure what you mean about this method. Yes, he sleeps in the same spot, nestled under a rock In a small enclosure. No way to get to him.

You wait until the tank has been in total darkness for a couple of hours and switch on the tank lights, the fish are stunned to the point where you can just reach in and grab them. I have caught several hard to catch fish this way. I always try other methods first only because I assume this method is probably stressful on the fish.....although any method is probably stressful lol.

jasonrusso · Dec 14, 2019

mfinn said:
I usually tape towels up over the end of the tank where I place my trap so the fish don't see me.
I leave just enough room to see inside the trap.

I put a camera there. I can still pull the line around the corner

jasonrusso · Dec 14, 2019

Waters said:
You wait until the tank has been in total darkness for a couple of hours and switch on the tank lights, the fish are stunned to the point where you can just reach in and grab them. I have caught several hard to catch fish this way. I always try other methods first only because I assume this method is probably stressful on the fish.....although any method is probably stressful lol.

Yeah, I have a porcupine and lion that DEFINITELY wouldn't like bright lights all of a sudden.

jasonrusso · Dec 15, 2019

Got him!!!

najer · Dec 16, 2019

Nice work, took me 5 days to catch a lemon peel, as above food and patience.

jasonrusso · Dec 16, 2019

I have someone coming by to take him later today. I just left him in the trap (it's a large trap) because he was still eating. I also didn't want to risk him escaping if I put him in an acclimation box.

To be honest, I feel terrible looking at him in there. He is supposed to be darting in and out of the rocks. That being said, my lionfish was out swimming much more yesterday and my angler came out of his cave.