To catch a fish

[namal kamalgoda]

Hi

I have 10 feet by 2.5 feet by 2 feet tank and I need to catch two Golden sucking loaches. These two have got very aggressive at feeding time, and I need to move them out. So how do I go about catching them? I tried the food in a bottle trick but these two are too smart for that, never once put their head in. Short of removing all the water, plants, driftwood and other hiding place (for my clowns). Is there another easier way?


Cheers

[Godfather]

Well if there's another way, I would like to hear it too. But I don't think there is. Even if you remove everyhting, it still is very hard to catch them. I always remove (most of) the water too.

But you should wait for other reactions. Maybe someone has a clever method

[newshound]

wow a golden sucking loach
never heard of that fish
sometimes fish can't get in the bottle
so bury it partly
and use a bit of fishing line so once the fish are in the bottle it is easy to pull out of the tank.

[Bully]

Lots of methods here:

How to catch your fish - Practical Fishkeeping Website

I use two nets when catching my fish, and if it's a planned capture then I put the nets in the tank a few hours before hand so that the fish get a chance to get used to them.

You could try food in a deep glass instead, if you have a net large enough to cover the mouth of the glass that is. Leave the net laying near the glass. The article I linked recommends lights out and putting plants in the bottle/glass as well.

[chefkeith]

To catch 1 fish out of 50+ fish in my 8ft tank with the big island in the center, I use lots of nets. First I pull out all the small pvc caves. I use 5 nets of different sizes. I set a large net on each end of the tank, then use smaller nets that are set up in the middle about every 2 feet to try to catch the individual fish that I want. It took me about 45 minutes last time I done this to get the fish that I wanted. So it's not easy.

What I try to do is round up all the loaches, then chase them all into one of the large nets on the ends. Then I'll grab one of the small nets and weed out the other fish until I have the one I want.

In my tanks, with alot driftwood, I need to take out every piece of driftwood just to get one loach out. That is a real pain. I need to be very careful that no fish are hiden in the driftwood also. I usually find a few fish flopping around on the floor because they hide in the driftwood so well.

[in_the_zone]

Can you feed them on one end and sneak a divider in?

[Diana]

Loosen just enough stuff at one end so you can maneuver there, then use the divider idea posted by in the zone. Use several dividers if needed. Whatever you can fit in between the plants. Chase the fish from one section to the next until they are in the section with the stuff that is easy to remove. Then make sure the divider is secure before you remove the items. Leaving the stuff in the area at first will help the fish think this is a good end of the tank to be at, then you will have a few seconds to secure the divider (Hopefully the fish will not get suspicious) Then pull out the easily removed items leaving just the fish.

[namal kamalgoda]

Thanks for the advice. I have now placed the net full time in the tank, even placing food in it. The problem is the tank has five cross beams of glass on top for structural support. This reduced my maneuverability, also does not help that I am a big guy. Thanks for the web link. Will try that once I get home in the evening.

As for it been a “golden sucking loach”, this is going from what was told to me. It looks more like an albino Chinese algae eater to me. I will put some pictures up once I get a digital camera.

[Tinman]

I hang a piece of PVC on an old airline where it is easy to net and when they are hiding in it net the whole pipe.Can you grow algea on one outside then place it in so they get to eating on it .
Sometimes it works,sometimes not .This is how I get one loach or other tyrant from the crowd occasionaly without total tank disruption.
I also tear down the tank if its been awhile for a thorough cleaning and just net them then,this combines maintanance and reloacation into one job. I like the other ideas posted also.You may use someone else at the other end and have them chase them to your end into your waiting net if your lucky and know the fishes escape paths.Good luck on this Mission Impossible

[MTS]

I feel for you. If your fish is really a Chinese algae eater--they are fast...