Best way to catch a Wrasse

[Reef Jedi]

Like the title says, what do you think would be the best way to catch a 6 line wrasse from an established RedSea P500?

Any tips or past experiences would be very helpful. I really don’t want to pull live rock out if I don’t have to.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Fish Fan]

I'd probably try trolling and if nothing was biting, maybe try some jigging.......

I'm sorry, I know where the door is.... Carry on folks....

 

[Ocellaris123]

I have had good luck placing my leds with only the red leds on when trying to catch a fish. I do it when they are swimming or in the open and than i can easily net them out. The only fish that hasnt fallen for that trick is my azure damsel

 

[UncommonSense]

I was just reminiscing on ripping every single rock out of my tank back in the day to get my six-line out….

In hindsight; I could have probably just used a cube of frozen food as bait, then sucked him up with a slurp gun while he had his guard down!

 

[Agilis]

Like the title says, what do you think would be the best way to catch a 6 line wrasse from an established RedSea P500?

Any tips or past experiences would be very helpful. I really don’t want to pull live rock out if I don’t have to.

Thanks in advance.

I have had a fish trapping device for many years that works like a charm. I bought it online so long ago I no longer remember its name. It's a glass box about 6"X12" with a sliding front glass piece that runs up and down on tracks You open the sliding vertical front glass which is held in place with a small device that you can remove with a string (monofilament), causing the glass 'door' to instantly drop closed, trapping the fish inside. I add a pocket mirror at the back which attracts territorial fish very effectively. Otherwise, simple curiosity will see fish exploring the thing allowing them to be trapped by pulling on the string. This is labor intensive, but it beats tearing up the tank.

 

[salty joe]

I used a trap like that to catch a problem checkerboard wrasse but it was hard. The other fish would go into the trap to chow. I could have easily caught any other fish on day one. It took something like six weeks! That wrasse would circle, aproach the entrance, look at the food, think about it and circle again. I had to nearly starve that fish and even then, it would dart in, grab a lightening fast bite and dart out.

The red light idea is super interesting.

 

[Reef Jedi]

I have had good luck placing my leds with only the red leds on when trying to catch a fish. I do it when they are swimming or in the open and than i can easily net them out. The only fish that hasnt fallen for that trick is my azure damsel

This is interesting, did you do that at night after the lights were off? It really likes to hide at night and I haven’t found its resting spot yet. But I do have a red led light from when I became Rambo catching gorilla crabs lol

 

[MoeStachio]

Wascaly Wrasses

 

[Ocellaris123]

This is interesting, did you do that at night after the lights were off? It really likes to hide at night and I haven’t found its resting spot yet. But I do have a red led light from when I became Rambo catching gorilla crabs lol

I do it during the day when the leds are on. I usually wait until fish is out in the open and quickly change to all red led light option on my ai primes via the live demo. Have caught numerous wrasses and other fish by doing this and saved me from tearing apart my tank. Good luck

 

[Reef Jedi]

I have had a fish trapping device for many years that works like a charm. I bought it online so long ago I no longer remember its name. It's a glass box about 6"X12" with a sliding front glass piece that runs up and down on tracks You open the sliding vertical front glass which is held in place with a small device that you can remove with a string (monofilament), causing the glass 'door' to instantly drop closed, trapping the fish inside. I add a pocket mirror at the back which attracts territorial fish very effectively. Otherwise, simple curiosity will see fish exploring the thing allowing them to be trapped by pulling on the string. This is labor intensive, but it beats tearing up the tank.

I’ve seen things like this before but wasn’t sure if they would work well. Is this like what you’re talking about? I just did a quick Amazon search to see.


Fish trap link to Amazon

 

[KQuillan]

Curious as well. I have a flameback angelfish I need out of the tank, too.

 

[EliteReefing1023]

Mine likes to sleep in corners of my barebottom sometimes, just pop up in the middle of the night with a strong flashlight, blind the crap outta her and swoop em up in a net, easy peazy works everytime but you gotta see where she sleeps, mine moves spots every now and then.

 

[Agilis]

I’ve seen things like this before but wasn’t sure if they would work well. Is this like what you’re talking about? I just did a quick Amazon search to see.


Fish trap link to Amazon

Mine is larger. Same idea, though.

 

[dvgyfresh]

Feed fish in a net (mysis cube) alll week then when it’s time it’ll be like robbing a baby trust. I caught tangs , six line , clowns it feels like cheating

 

[jonelder68]

Nyos fish trap within an hour caught a melanurus wrasse.

 

[Reef Jedi]

Nyos fish trap within an hour caught a melanurus wrasse.

I also saw these on amazon, did it not spook the fish when pulled the magnet? Also how did you keep food in it?

 

[Reef Jedi]

Feed fish in a net (mysis cube) alll week then when it’s time it’ll be like robbing a baby trust. I caught tangs , six line , clowns it feels like cheating

This seems too easy lol did the mysis not flow through the net? I have a large net and a small on that may trap the mysis better. Not sure if it’ll go in it tho but this seems like an interesting tactic

 

[jonelder68]

Ya it spooks everyone in the tank . It has a small hole you can add food through then it just floats or sinks in the bubble.

My tanks a 60 breeder so thin glass. I put some plastic spacers between to lighten the magnet clamping force.

 

[jonelder68]

An acclimation box like the ice cap one I have also works. But you have to hold the door open and drop it closed once the target goes in. Much more time consuming. I like the nyos as I can sit with the string in my hand and once goes in just pull.

 

[jonelder68]

Key is with both traps add for a day or two so fish become use to it in the tank. Then try to catch.