What do you guys do to catch fish?

wtusa1783 · Oct 19, 2020

I just got a 90 gallon used tank and it came with some fish I don’t want. What are your tricks to catching them? Do you get them right when you turn the lights on? Do you use a trap? I need suggestions as I’m going to sell one soon!!

xxkenny90xx · Oct 19, 2020

The only things that have worked for me are a diy fish trap or emptying 90% of the water, removing all rocks, and netting it.

mindme · Oct 19, 2020

xxkenny90xx said:
The only things that have worked for me are a diy fish trap or emptying 90% of the water, removing all rocks, and netting it.

Yep, this is the only way I've been able to catch them.

Pistol Peet · Oct 19, 2020

Agreed fish trap is best less stress on our friends.

John08007 · Oct 19, 2020

I built a plexi trap to catch a grouper a few yrs back. Even with the trap it was tough. How it was designed I needed to pull a fishing line to drop a door. I baited it with shrimp, if I were near the glass he wouldn't go for the shrimp. I actually had to duck out of way to trap him.

Put him in a 5gal bucket to take to the lfs next day, woke up and he was dead. I was a newb and didn't realize I needed to prob put an airstone in there to move the water around.

Pistol Peet · Oct 19, 2020

John08007 said:
I built a plexi trap to catch a grouper a few yrs back. Even with the trap it was tough. How it was designed I needed to pull a fishing line to drop a door. I baited it with shrimp, if I were near the glass he wouldn't go for the shrimp. I actually had to duck out of way to trap him.

Put him in a 5gal bucket to take to the lfs next day, woke up and he was dead. I was a newb and didn't realize I needed to prob put an airstone in there to move the water around.

smarter than you or than u thought huh. LOL have had the same problems just sat there and stared at me like you must be stupid im not going in there. It works best to leave in therr for a few days and have a feed hole on top that you can feed threw and get them use to it so they don't see it as a big scary monster. But v a food source.

xxkenny90xx · Oct 20, 2020

John08007 said:
I built a plexi trap to catch a grouper a few yrs back. Even with the trap it was tough. How it was designed I needed to pull a fishing line to drop a door. I baited it with shrimp, if I were near the glass he wouldn't go for the shrimp. I actually had to duck out of way to trap him.

Put him in a 5gal bucket to take to the lfs next day, woke up and he was dead. I was a newb and didn't realize I needed to prob put an airstone in there to move the water around.

I made something similar to catch a yellow tang.

the yellow tang never went for it

Timfish · Oct 20, 2020

Multiple fish nets (leave one in place and chase the fish in question into it with other nets or your hand), fish traps (with and without mirrors), floating fish trap, " bubble"fish trap, fish hooks (#18 - #28), plastic cup and remove the rock a fish hides in. Been tempted to use a shotgun a few times.

AfaceInTheCrowd · Oct 20, 2020

I have used a very small barbless hook on a bit of line tied to a piece of wood on occasion, depending on the fish of course...add mysis ...takes seconds...only difficulty is makingsure you don’t catch a different fish!

Works well in a reef as a last resort

USMC 4 LIFE · Oct 20, 2020

It depends on what you’re trying to catch. I always take them out in the middle of the night and catch them by surprise.

Tangs at night are often disoriented if you shine a light in the tank and can easily pluck them out with a net.

Wrasses are just as easy. Leopards can be scooped up in the sand as they sleep. Fairy’s can be taken out by removing the rock they sleep in.

So it largely depends on what type of fish you’re trying to remove and learning where they sleep to figure out your best approach.