How to catch a large fish in a reef tank

[my2rotties]

I need to take my very large rabbitfish out of my reef tank. I have a fish trap but it's POS, and I think the fish is too large to even have a chance of catching her with that method.

I saw people mention barbless hooks (don't want to do it, but have no choice), and I was wondering about the damage it may do to the fish, and the damage the fish will do in the struggle. I don't go fishing, so my knowledge or lack there of is limited... How do I get a venomous fish off a hook without doing damage and would rubber gloves be enough for a large angry fish for protection. I worry about the gloves since I may not feel how hard I might have to grab the fish and hurt her.

I have a 90g tank for her to go into until I find a home (she is free to a good home), or I take her to the LFS. She has doubled in size in four months and is getting too big for my 260g. My husband calls the the tuna. My tangs are also picking on her and due to her peaceful nature I feel it is best for her to go to a new home.

Any advice or insight on what the best way to remove her would be greatly appreciated. I really like this fish but this has to get done.... I am hoping I don't have to rip the tank apart to get her so I am going to try every other option first. I am putting the fish trap out now but have my doubts about it.

What is the best way to use the fish trap successfully as well? The door never wants to close when I do test runs with it, so I don't want to screw up any chances I may have with this method.

[Chaloupa]

When you fish for them......use a very small hook #16 and remove the barb....so it is really really easy to remove it and leaves very little mark or injury. I've done it with a couple of fish now.....works well!

Another method that worked very very well when I had to catch my tangs from my 150g tank was;

Get a large piece of acrylic...very thin, cut it to be 1/2 the length of the tank (or a bit smaller as your tank is MUCH larger than mine!), as tall as the tank and then place it inside the tank about 4" away from the glass.....offer food only in that area...then, when the rabbit swims in to eat....you bend the acrylic so the rabbit cannot escape your area that you created then you net him. I did it....and it worked SOOOOO well! No harm to the fish or you!

[Scavenger]

you can easily remove the hook from the fish without having to touch the fish.
Have needlenose plyers on hand, then pinch hook in plyers and hold fish over collection bucket, turn hook upside down, fish slides right off. I've release uncounted fish this way while fishing and very rarely are they hurt in the least.

[Diana]

I have to agree, taking a barbless hook out is easy with needlenose pliers. I would recommend wearing rubber gloves though incase you subconsciously go to grab the fish :P

[my2rotties]

That is an excellent idea BUT I have this 18" eurobrace right down the middle of the tank on top.

Any suggestions for bait and what if a smaller fish takes the bait. Since this is very new to me, its seems like a disaster in the making... Is a #16 hook really small? This fish is REALLY big, about 13-14". I have seen fishing shows and fish smaller then this put up a bug fight. I am thinking there will be a huge struggle and all my rock will come tumbling down and may hurt or kill this fish and others that are freaking out over the struggle.

Thank goodness for the hardware store in Bragg, I hope they have the hook I need, but everybody goes fly fishing in these parts. Is there a chance the fish can come off the hook before I "reel" her in? I would think it could happen since barbed hooks seem to be the norm. Will just holding the fishing line suffice for a big strong fish?

Sorry about the questions but this is something I did not research when I got into the hobby...

When you fish for them......use a very small hook #16 and remove the barb....so it is really really easy to remove it and leaves very little mark or injury. I've done it with a couple of fish now.....works well!

Another method that worked very very well when I had to catch my tangs from my 150g tank was;

Get a large piece of acrylic...very thin, cut it to be 1/2 the length of the tank (or a bit smaller as your tank is MUCH larger than mine!), as tall as the tank and then place it inside the tank about 4" away from the glass.....offer food only in that area...then, when the rabbit swims in to eat....you bend the acrylic so the rabbit cannot escape your area that you created then you net him. I did it....and it worked SOOOOO well! No harm to the fish or you!

[Chaloupa]

I have a center brace too....so we cut a piece about 1/3 of the length of the tank...didn't interfere with the brace and worked.....

[Tom R]

Fish Traps work extremely well and are not very hard to build. I used an empty jug that ARM media came in and a piece of acrylic scrap for the sliding door.

I have used it a number of times and have lent it out to others who have used as well.

I will try and post a picture later.

Tom R

[fishytime]

Can you get a decent backcast in, in your tank room? I could lend you some gear.....floppy hat, vest,waders?

[my2rotties]

Come on over... coffee will be on, you are a double double kind of guy aren't you? I have about 40 feet from the tank to the diningroom:lol::lol: Are the hip waders one size fits all, since my arse is much bigger then yours:mrgreen:

This fish's nature is very secretive and frightful... she does not ocme out when you are watching her and I have been doing tank cleaning and you would never find that fish if you looked for her now...if it was tang I needed out it would not be so bad. This fish's nature will make it super hard to get to do anything that is not in the norm.

So will there be a big fight and do I have to tire her out or just yank her out? I watched fishing shows, it doesn't look pretty especially in a reef tank with stuff to destroy. I would think just yanking her out will give me cuts from the line and probably really damage her mouth if I yank...

This scares the bejeezus outta me:surprise: Going to try the trap but it is quite awkward and I don't think I can get it to the bottom where she likes to be. I can get it down there but it won't be sitting straight and the door is questionable on a good day. My friend tweaked it with tie straps for his tank to sit on the top but this fish NEVER is at the top of the tank.

So... anyone want a really cool rabbitfish I have never seen anywhere else before?



Can you get a decent backcast in, in your tank room? I could lend you some gear.....floppy hat, vest,waders?

[Delphinus]

Tom I'd love to see pictures of your ARM container trap too. :)

Do you use something to weigh it down?

I've used a pop bottle (with the top cut off) in the past with great results but right now I want to relocate my CBB into an aiptasia ridden tank and it's not working out so well. The problem is it's too light and floats around in the current. When I used it last time I would just hold it in my hand. But this time he remembers that "container being held by human" is something you don't want to swim into. Although my hawkfish is all too happy to swim in anyhow. Doh de doh de doh, yum yum mysis!!! Doh de doh de doh.

[Treebeard]

I used apop bottle trap with a rock in it to weigh it down. It worked great when I wanted to catch the first chromis that was misbehaving, but the second chromis caught on and wanted nothing to do with it. But the boxfish was more then happy to eat the mysis in the trap.


Tom I'd love to see pictures of your ARM container trap too. :)

Do you use something to weigh it down?

I've used a pop bottle (with the top cut off) in the past with great results but right now I want to relocate my CBB into an aiptasia ridden tank and it's not working out so well. The problem is it's too light and floats around in the current. When I used it last time I would just hold it in my hand. But this time he remembers that "container being held by human" is something you don't want to swim into. Although my hawkfish is all too happy to swim in anyhow. Doh de doh de doh, yum yum mysis!!! Doh de doh de doh.

[my2rotties]

The ones you don't want in the trap will always go in. That is why I worry about the hook idea too. I feel bad enough about the fish I have to catch, let alone the others.

I would need a HUGE bottle to get this fish into it, I'm not kidding we can eat this fish easily she is so huge now. I'm sure in certain markets they are eaten since I saw that Foxfaces also are eaten as well as Emperor angels and tangs.

Once I am done my all day cleaning I will be putting the trap inside to let everyone get used to it.

Last question what did you use for bait? She eats everything, but is a herbivore.

[my2rotties]

By some sort of miracle I trapped the rabbitfish today... I was not prepared for it and was running around like a chicken with my head cut off getting a pail. She is about 14" long and I have to sadly take her to the LFS tomorrow. They are closed on Thursdays (of course), and I put her in my 90g tank for now. The trick will be getting a large tuna out of that tank tomorrow.

The fish trap works even though this fish was so big she could not turn around and banged herself up pretty badly. It probably would have been much worse if I hooked her since she had the trap bashing all over the tank.

One down and one more to go...

[Trigger Man]

congrats on catching the fish, one less stress for you to worry about in the tank.

[marie]

Tom I'd love to see pictures of your ARM container trap too. :)

Do you use something to weigh it down?

.

I've read that you can use a mag float to hold it in place against the glass. I was going to build one to catch my regal angel.

[xtreme]

I've read that you can use a mag float to hold it in place against the glass. I was going to build one to catch my regal angel.

I've had success catching a couple dwarf angels this way. Also caught my yellow tang numerous times, even though I wasn't trying to.

[my2rotties]

I had three larger sized live rocks on top of the trap... she is just that big and strong. I have had it in for three days now and have done all my feeding from it aside of the puffer food. She is much longer then the trap and was stuff in there like a sausage.

She is a nice fish but has the bioload of four fish. Doubling in size in four months has me concerned. She will still get bigger. Very peaceful and quiet... until you get her in a trap. There was water all over the place, and I peed in my pants just a little bit... :biggrin::biggrin:

[Lance]

I've read that you can use a mag float to hold it in place against the glass. I was going to build one to catch my regal angel.


Marie, I have a DIY trap that works well if you ever need it. I caught my Foxface and Sailfin in one evening when I moved them to the big tank, and the Foxface a couple of days later (he's not too bright) to put him in QT when he was bullying the Tuskfish.

[Skimmerking]

Diana I know with all the fofaces that i have had i caught mine all at night. fox faces will sleep towards the top of the water like mine did. if so just wait til you see the lights go off and I had a night light tin my tank a blue one, it was very hard for the fish to see me.
Then I waited and then netted or use the contaienr and it was done. PM me your number I will talk to you about how easy it is for foxfaces too.

[Delphinus]

What trap did you use in the end?

[my2rotties]

The foxface is getting hungrier as the night goes by... I am in no rish to get her out since her new home is not ready for her yet. She would go into my 90g until she can go to her new place. I am not too concerned about her right now.

I am just so happy the big tuna is now out of my display... I still can't believe I pulled it off. Need to polish the horse shoes in my butt. I agree with how they sleep but when they live in a back corner under a rock. We have so many corals and damageables that I have no chance of netting anybody.
The fish trap actually works but it is touchy sometimes and I missed getting the foxface once already.

It was a well spent $55 though. I have two damsels, a clownfish and the giant tuna to take to the LFS tomorrow.

Thanks for the help Lance!


Diana I know with all the fofaces that i have had i caught mine all at night. fox faces will sleep towards the top of the water like mine did. if so just wait til you see the lights go off and I had a night light tin my tank a blue one, it was very hard for the fish to see me.
Then I waited and then netted or use the contaienr and it was done. PM me your number I will talk to you about how easy it is for foxfaces too.

[my2rotties]

I bought the one at Red Coral from Kevin... I believe it is the same as what he loans out to people. It is bulky to get into a reef tank, the door is picky, and the line for the door smnaps (just changed it though). It works well and I did all my feeding out of it for the last three days. I have it on the bottom but notice if I wanted my wrasses ot chromis I would have suspend the trap up higher.

It was $55 and is money well spent if you have a lot of fish.

What trap did you use in the end?

[fishoholic]

Glad to hear you got your "tuna" out of the tank. Hope you can get foxface too.

[karazy]

great job diana!

Im sorry but i couldnt understand which fish the tuna was. was it your sohal?

im pretty sure you ment another rabbit, and if so, was it that big yellow one that was in our long tank?

[my2rotties]

Hey Evan.. the fish at the store you are talking about died. I remember one day I came in and it was super sick and I asked Colby to euthanize it... I never saw it again after that. I love the Sohal I bought from Colby he is just a prick though

The tuna is this fish...

http://i388.photobucket.com/albums/oo330/my2rotties/rabbitfish005.jpg

Another with her injuries from bashing around in the trap... poor thing.

http://i388.photobucket.com/albums/oo330/my2rotties/rabbitfish007.jpg

great job diana!

Im sorry but i couldnt understand which fish the tuna was. was it your sohal?

im pretty sure you ment another rabbit, and if so, was it that big yellow one that was in our long tank?

[karazy]

damn! that is one huge rabbit. which LFS is it goin to? (if you dont mind me asking)

[my2rotties]

Hey... don't you have school in the morning?

She's off the Golds as soon as I figure out how to get her out of the 90g...

damn! that is one huge rabbit. which LFS is it goin to? (if you dont mind me asking)

[Skimmerking]

hey Diana that is a nice fish that was one that i bought and ended up eating my clams:twised: SO i had to catch him ,like i stated it was very easy. where he would hang up in the top of the tank looking down. I'm curious about this fish trap Diana you have a picture of it. Ineed to catch my Kole Tang.

[my2rotties]

This is the link for the fish trap

http://www.aquacave.com/detail.aspx?ID=82

My buddy put tie straps around mine when he borrowed it so it could be hung with sticks to make it higher. My tangs all went into the trap to eat. I put their nori clip and pellets in there and they seemed to love to go inside. My picasso trigger LOVED the trap and spent most of his time in there.

I found with my rabbitfish she stayed down low under the rock work and in caves. This fish never came out to be close to the surface of my tank. The foxface is the same way. The trap is out for now, since I have no need to remove anyone else at this point. I do know my sohal tang would be an easy catch if I do decide he needs to go to a new home.

I had the trap in the tank for about three days and did all the feeding from inside of it. It was a bit of a pain to do, but was worth it in the end. It takes awhile for the fish to trust it (aside if the trigger), and once one or two fish go in, the others are soon to follow. I guess all fish are different due to personalities, and some will be easier then others. My banana and aussie wrasses did not have any interest in the trap what so ever, nor did the chromis, but they swim much higher then the others do.

Now I have to figure out how to get the rabbitfish out of the 90g since I don't have a net nearly large enough, and with the bracing on top, I cannot fit a pail into it. Since this fish is so darned big, I am sure it might be an interesting emergency room story if things don't go well. I feel so bad for her, and almost want to put her in my display again.
You should have no problem catching the Kole tang at all in a couple of days. They are always driven by hunger so there so be no issues. Once they see there is food in there and no other source they will readily go in there. Just give them a day or two to feed out of it so they won't be so cautious of going into it anymore.

QUOTE=asmodeus;409475]hey Diana that is a nice fish that was one that i bought and ended up eating my clams:twised: SO i had to catch him ,like i stated it was very easy. where he would hang up in the top of the tank looking down. I'm curious about this fish trap Diana you have a picture of it. Ineed to catch my Kole Tang.[/QUOTE]

[karazy]

Hey... don't you have school in the morning?

She's off the Golds as soon as I figure out how to get her out of the 90g...

haha, i dont have school until the 20th as it is Easter break.(so you'll probably see me around the shop alot)

i get to work on the days we get new shipments in. woot! :bday:

[my2rotties]

I am going to call Colby and see if he wants to take the rabbitfish, a tomato clown and two yellow tailed damsels shortly. Is that big tank ready to go since the rabbitfish needs some space. I managed to get everybody in a pail right now, so I'm leaving pretty quickly.

haha, i dont have school until the 20th as it is Easter break.(so you'll probably see me around the shop alot)

i get to work on the days we get new shipments in. woot! :bday:

[karazy]

I am going to call Colby and see if he wants to take the rabbitfish, a tomato clown and two yellow tailed damsels shortly. Is that big tank ready to go since the rabbitfish needs some space. I managed to get everybody in a pail right now, so I'm leaving pretty quickly.

the big tank doesnt have light on it as far as i know,
but it definitely should hold your rabbit as its nice and big, and theres about 9 or 10 fish in the same system that look absolutely fine.

and by system i mean in the tanks below that are connected, not in the big tank. there isnt any fish in the big tank at the moment