Literally WHY you should not buy fish you can't keep forever...

[Leslie Tabor]

I am currently (as I type this) trying to remove an adult Hogfish that has become the scourge of my tiny piece of ocean in a box. I. Will. NEVER. Do. This. Again.

To those of you that think "oh I will just catch him later and rehome him"...that is WAY easier said than done. I am sure each fish is different, as I think I could have caught 2 Watanabei Angel's and my adult female clown already. The fish trap has been successful with a Watanabei angel and my valentini puffer. The hogfish is apparently an evil mastermind intent on making my life a living nightmare. He is not falling for any of it. I did not get this fish intending to rehome it, but I did not see the memo on how aggressive they "can" become until he was here, as a sweet, young little tyke.

So good luck with a mature reef, secure rockwork, other fish...this is ridiculous. I am super frustrated.

 

[Big G]

Try waiting until the tank and room has been dark for at least a couple of hours. Using a small flashlight locate the fish and shine the light into its eyes. Hold the light there it will mesmerize the the fish allowing you to net it. Usually works pretty good.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Though I understand fully the reason why people want to get fish that will eventually outgrow their system, but as you have stated, it's really not the right thing to do. Especially and in a mature well grown coral system. It's extremely stressful to the fish and can be a real pain to remove.

I fully advocate taking the time to research what will work in your current system fishwise. there's always the potential to upgrade to a larger system, even those of us that are unlimited budgets.

Know and understand your limitations and choose wisely. You and your fish will be much happier.

 

[jsvand5]

Hook and line with the barb bent down. You’ll have him in seconds.

 

[Leslie Tabor]

Try waiting until the tank and room has been dark for at least a couple of hours. Using a small flashlight locate the fish and shine the light into its eyes. Hold the light there it will mesmerize the the fish allowing you to net it. Usually works pretty good.

Well I found where he sleeps last night. As soon as lights are out he darts under the rock my anemones live on...

Under the flat rock...that tiny little gap right under the anemone the clownfish is in...I might need a second person!

 

[Leslie Tabor]

Hook and line with the barb bent down. You’ll have him in seconds.

Like this...

Lol my father in law made me a special tiny hook (he is big into fly tying) on his teeny little ice fishing pole...the hogfish investigated once. I too thought "wahoo" here we go. He bailed, wont look at it again. He is smart!

 

[Big G]

Well I found where he sleeps last night. As soon as lights are out he darts under the rock my anemones live on...

Under the flat rock...that tiny little gap right under the anemone the clownfish is in...I might need a second person!

Try plugging his hideout with a rock.

 

[jeffrey750750]

Wouldn't it be nice if the local fish stores educated us when buying fish. Ask us our tank size before selling us a fish that's going to get over a foot long. I know that's our responsibility but it would be a nice heads up when impulse buying livestock, which I know most of us have done

 

[Flippers4pups]

Wouldn't it be nice if the local fish stores educated us when buying fish. Ask us our tank size before selling us a fish that's going to get over a foot long. I know that's our responsibility but it would be a nice heads up when impulse buying livestock, which I know most of us have done

Some do, some don't. A lot of them won't question the sale to make a sale. It's a business. But the other side is some won't take them back or give store credit. Major pain on both parties.

 

[Huskymaniac]

just do what I do. Don't get rid of the fish. Just upgrade the tank.

 

[TriggerFinger]

I have no advice but I came to this same conclusion when I moved my 3” starry blenny from a 29g to a 90g. It was HARD. I move them once now, from QT to DT and that’s it. Whatever ends up in my tank lives life there. Thanks for the reminder!

 

[jsvand5]

Like this...

Lol my father in law made me a special tiny hook (he is big into fly tying) on his teeny little ice fishing pole...the hogfish investigated once. I too thought "wahoo" here we go. He bailed, wont look at it again. He is smart!

This is what I use. The hooks are legitimately almost invisible. Small enough that if you drop one on the floor it’s almost impossible to find. Found that out. I’ve caught wrasses, angels, tangs, damsels. I bait with a PE mysis.

 

[CindyKz]

Ugh. No words of wisdom for you Leslie but good luck! I love hogfish but haven't tried one...I will remember your struggles when temptation hits.

 

[evolved]

A fish trap with a mirror at the back can work wonders for aggressive fish you're trying to catch.

 

[Leslie Tabor]

Ugh. No words of wisdom for you Leslie but good luck! I love hogfish but haven't tried one...I will remember your struggles when temptation hits.

Please do! I am writing to Live Aquaria...the description of these guys needs to change. I always go to them, this was an auction fish that I won, so I did try to get some info...LA list them as peaceful and reef safe. I am sorry, they are neither. He has killed shrimp, snails, and many fish.

 

[Maxx]

I've had good luck with this : Aqua Medic fish trap.

I take the glass door off and dont use it. I suspend the trap at the top of the tank because I use a net to catch the fish in the trap.
Feed the tank only through the trap.
Be patient. In a few days, all of your fish will be swimming into the trap to eat.
It takes about a week or two, but it's been 100% effective for me, and I've never failed to catch the fish I was after.

 

[Leslie Tabor]

Huzzah! I FINALLY caught him...I tried the fishing again after letting them be for a few hours...worked like a charm! However, he is really stressed, I feel horrible and I still do not recommend adding fish with the intention of trying to remove them later. If he dies I am just gonna cry. Everyone say a little prayer or cross your fingers.

On the upside, the new PEACEFUL anthias and gobies are settling in nicely and not being attacked. So there's that!

Thanks for the tips and encouragement everyone!

 

[TriggerFinger]

Pics?

 

[F i s h y]

I have done this in the past with a tiny fly fishing hook for an aggressive maroon clown. Worked great. No permanent damage. Just bend down the barb.

 

[EMeyer]

After spending hours chasing fish, I finally found the solution.

Drain the tank, catch the fish, refill the tank.

It only sounds extreme until youve spent hours trying to catch a fish. Then you realize you could catch it easily in 15 minutes, provided some buckets and siphon tubing.

Just think of it as a big water change