Drain tank to catch fish

[jgraz]

So I have a rouge Powder Blue that has gone on a war path with a other tangs in the tank. It needs to go. The problem is he is not the greatest eater, preferring to lie in the background and pick off the missed pieces and it is also a very suspicious fish. i have a trap in the tank that it will not even go near and the fish has actually been scavenging the rocks, something it never does instead of going after the algae clip in the trap. My guess is that this fish is never going to make it into the trap.

In doing some research I cam across a on thread on RC where Anthony Calfo recommended draining the DT to limit the fishes movement then filling back up. If done quickly enough corals and rocks will only be out of water for a few min. Thoughts anyone? How big of a display is to big? I have a 180G DT

 

[twilliard]

Does it sleep in one spot?
My best luck while catching fish is when they are sleeping.
Just a thought :-)

 

[Waters]

Easiest way I have caught fish is to wait until the lights have been off for several hours and the tank sits in total darkness. Switch the aquarium lights on......it disorients the fish to the point where you can almost reach in and grab them with your hands. I recently caught a Sailfin tang this way.....I was shocked at how easy it was.

 

[jgraz]

Does it sleep in one spot?
My best luck while catching fish is when they are sleeping.
Just a thought :)

Yeah it does but i would have to pull way to much rock to get to it. Probably have to pull half of it.

 

[twilliard]

I have found when draining a tank havoc breaks loose cause the net catches on all the rock as he is trying to swim around.
It is feasible but would have to drain in down to a point it has nowhere to swim

 

[twilliard]

Easiest way I have caught fish is to wait until the lights have been off for several hours and the tank sits in total darkness. Switch the aquarium lights on......it disorients the fish to the point where you can almost reach in and grab them with your hands. I recently caught a Sailfin tang this way.....I was shocked at how easy it was.

I caught a coral beauty this way :-) bare hands

 

[jgraz]

Easiest way I have caught fish is to wait until the lights have been off for several hours and the tank sits in total darkness. Switch the aquarium lights on......it disorients the fish to the point where you can almost reach in and grab them with your hands. I recently caught a Sailfin tang this way.....I was shocked at how easy it was.

I caught a coral beauty this way :) bare hands

My guess is that they would just retreat to their sleep locations. In which case i would have to pull a good amount of rock to get to him.

 

[jgraz]

I have found when draining a tank havoc breaks loose cause the net catches on all the rock as he is trying to swim around.
It is feasible but would have to drain in down to a point it has nowhere to swim

Yeah I figure I would have to drain it down to within a few inches of the bottom to avoid the inevitable chase. The area in front of my DT is lower by about 3" so I was hoping most would find their way to that area. and to avoid further issues I could just remove fish as they get there to avoid a pileup.

 

[twilliard]

Yeah I figure I would have to drain it down to within a few inches of the bottom to avoid the inevitable chase. The area in front of my DT is lower by about 3" so I was hoping most would find their way to that area. and to avoid further issues I could just remove fish as they get there to avoid a pileup.

Oh my huge task ahead of you!
I wish the best :-)

 

[jgraz]

Oh my huge task ahead of you!
I wish the best :)

lololololol

thanks for the encouragement lol

the little SOB is starting to peak in the trap. he is noticing the sailfin and wrasses going in and out. just might get lucky today.

 

[twilliard]

lololololol

thanks for the encouragement lol

the little SOB is starting to peak in the trap. he is noticing the sailfin and wrasses going in and out. just might get lucky today.

Right on! I would think when the fish gets comfortable with it there if will venture to it :-)

 

[ocean gems]

I do a fish trap dyi