Catching Fish in a Planted Aquirium

I don't about you guys but every time I need to move fish around, I end up causing havoc with my plants, logs and other items hanging in the tank. The other day I needed to move some YOYO loaches and after struggling for about 30 mins decided to change tact... I don' know if this has been discussed before, but here is my method and it seems to work.

Put a net in the tank (mine is 200mm x 150mm) in an open area with opening facing the front of the tank. Lay the handle on the back of the tank. (oh yes this does take a bit of patience, even a day or two, but your plants remain in tact) now place food pellets in the net and wait. I do not disturb them the first feeding, which makes them relaxed about the net. On the second feeding I stand ready and as soon as the targeted fish is in the net I lift it and catch him! There are usually other fish in the net as well, just let these out one by one making sure you don't let you victim escape.... Replace the net if you still have others you want to catch...

If there are easier ways, lease let me know.

Who would of thought you could go "fishing" in an aquarium....

 

Clever little ploy indeed Scaly

But unfortunately, I don't have that kind of patience...I use two nets, one big and one small. The big net is placed in the tank facing sideways (obviously in a free open space) and I then use the other net to get the fish into the big net. Once they are in, I lift the big net gently. All this has to be done with care not to uproot any plants

That's how I've always done it for my non-betta fish who are a bit tricky to catch.

Cheers
Dale

 

HA interesting method scaly I thought that was my secret.. the problem is some fish like my zebra loach dont eat pellets or flakes and they hide during the day, so in a heavily planted tank it is impossible to catch, even if I empty the tank he is nowhere to be found. And the thing causes havoc at every opportunity...

 

I'm bumping this old thread up because I'd LOVE to know how people actually do this? I recall someone else suggesting two nets... I tried to catch some juvenile fish out of my miniature jungle this am - not possible with one net. Not without uprooting the entire tank, which I really don't want to do right now, as my crypts are producing offsets almost weekly at the moment.

 

Hey guys another way is 2 create a fish trap,very easy and cheap.What I do is take a 2litre or a 1litre plastic bottle (lid off and bottle cleaned) and cut the funnel part off.Then put the funnel in the other way around with the pointed side facing inwards and staple or fasten it so that fish can go in and not out.After that cut a door that can open and close towards the bottom of the bottle to let fish that are caught out once trapped.Then put food in and come back after a while and let out the fish that u don't want to catch.