Catching Loaches in the tank?

[tender]

Hi guys!
I`m going to transfer some clowns from one tank to another. This is a community tank so there are quite a lot of different species in there.
IT`S DRIVING ME CRAZY! As I have provided a setup which is "Loach-friendly" there are a lot of hiding places. I dont`t wont to take everything out as this will probably stress a lot of the other fish. A fishtrap probably wont work as it wil probably catch everything else but the clowns (especially the Corys). Any hints or suggestions as to how I best can net them. (So far I have spent 2,5 hours and not caught a single one)

Kind regards
Marius

[tender]

Hi again!
well, i found a method. Most of you experts will probably lough, but here goes: I put in a Algae-wafer which I weighed down with the net. I also put in a much smaller net next to the big one. As I anticipated everybody swarmed around the wafer, and eventually the Clowns came. Once inside the "area" of the net I caught them, used the tiny net to get rid of those I didn`t want and voila; clown transferred to new tank. (I think probably this explanation sounds more complicated than the actual procedure ) Anyway; 3 clowns caught in 20 minutes, and with very little stress in the tank. Two 2 go now.....

[NancyD]

Sounds like a world record loach catch, good job!

[aerden]

Good luck with the last 2.

When I transfer my loaches from a 2-footer to a new 4-footer tank recently, I follow those indonesian loach catchers method, which is putting hollow tubes into the tank and they seems to like the tight dark space inside. However, I don't use bamboo as they did, but use PVC instead.
Tie a few 4-5 inches tubes together and rest it on the bottom. Once they are in, cover one end with a net and tilt the other end higher and slowly lift up. Some would just even stay inside even the tubes are out from the water. I've to shake them out.

The diameter depends on the size of your fishes. I practice moving them a few a day into their new home since it's a new setup.

[helen nightingale]

both really good ideas