DIY Fish Trap Costs Nothing (Instructions Included)

[Danm]

I needed to get the DAM DAMESLS out of my tank ---- I just put 69 LBS of Live Rock In and needless to say Netting the was out of the question. So I thought about HOW AM I GOING TO DO THIS.

Being a Fisherman I thought of a Killie Pot to catch them SO I was looking in the Fridge and Saw a Plasitic Soda Bottle. I cut the top of the soda bottle off, Just where the taper stops and inverted the cut part into the bottle the Spout Pointing IN ---- I put some Brine shrimp inside the bottle, and WALLA The Fish it is Caught, they swim in and Cant Swim out. I've Caught 4 in less than an Hour and am returning them to the LFS

Dan

[pnut]

That is definitely the easiest and most cost effective way to remove fish. I did the same thing to get my pseudo out.

[ralfie79]

Thanks, that worked like a charm. I have been fight to get a Lunar Wrasse out of my tank for 2 months, came across your post and he was out in less than 24 hours.

[lwhite2]

Same situation with the damsels. I have a 40 gal tank with 80 lbs of live rock. I can't catch anything. In 3-4 hours I caught 2 damsels and it just happened they were the most aggresive of the group. Thanks

[Angry_Babs]

I know many people have great luck with these DIY traps. I tried one of these for the only damsel in my system, and the little bugger wouldnt fall for it. I tried a fish trap my LFS loaned me (round, with a door that is supposed to go down when you let down the string, but usually stuck in place), no luck.
Then I bought this, thinking that the fish would be a snap to catch if I could control the exact second he went into the trap. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=9048&Ntt=fish%20corral&Ntk=All&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Np=1&N=0&Nty=1

I put it in the tank with flake food. All fish ran for cover. I opened the door, and the damsel approached, went in slightly (enough I could most likely have slammed the door in) and then left. He came back 5 seconds later and went farther in. I turned the door shut and I had my enemy. Total time in the tank was 25 seconds. Expensive, I know... but I tried the DIYs (2 litre, 3 litre, 20oz bottle) and nothing worked. He harrassed my smaller neon goby to death. It stressed a coral beauty out so much it quit eating. I chased my algae blenny into my overflow three times in a week. I was tired of it, so I coughed out the 20 bucks it cost and blam. Besides the time I managed to get a 5 pound burrito for 99 cents, this was the best thing I ever bought off the internet. :)

[shangai]

my damisel are huge! how can i take them out? could you explain me more the 2 lter method? or any picture?

[pnut]

Take the soda bottle(what ever size you are going to use) and cut it a couple inches down from where it just starts to flare out from the neck. Take the top part and insert it in to the other cut half (cap side down) Tape it together, put some food in it, sink and now you have your trap. Hopefully I explained this well enough. I might be able to get a picture if you really need one.

[stony]

I had damsels in my tank I cought them this way and the only word that I can think of is.....FLUSH.....

[Nicholas]

i think my yellow tang is catching on to the damsels style of attacking everything. i put this cardinal fish in the tank and it nearly got chewed to death. 2 blue damsels, one black and white one, 1 percula clown fish, and the tang all like to rip everything to litterally pieces.

[Mike O'Brien]

I've been trying this for day's and the darn fish won't go through the hole. He hang's around at the opening, but won't go in. This weekend I'm draining my tank.

[Roscoe]

Mike try the bigger or wide mouth plastic soda bottle (like 20 oz pepsi) opening.

[NeedHelp]

works great for bristle worms too, sorta bad cause you can catch smaller fish also but......

[Mike O'Brien]

I just borrowed an awesome trap from my LFS, it's a clear acrylic tube with a trap door on one end. I think it's going to work, I caught my clown right away, and put him in the sump. So now I just need to get the damsel to go in, and he can start his banishment in the sump.

[Mike O'Brien]

This trap rules. The Damsel is out. Now i just have to trap the clown again wich shouldn't be too hard.

[matrixnyc]

That was fast :) It only took you one day with the new trap.

Is it something you can buy or is it something that they made?

[Mike O'Brien]

I'll ask them next time I go in, wich is often.

I actually caught my clown first, put it in the sump, caught the damsel and then caught the clown again to put back in the display. All in less than an hour. :D

[pnut]

Mike, was this what you used?

http://www.novalek.com/korgd29a.gif

[flyboydave]

No, he said it was a tube. I've seen them from 3"-6" in diameter, clear acrylic tubes, and 8" or so long. On one side, there is a guillotine like door you hold open with a piece of fishing line (rather appropriate, don't you think?) and when the fish swims in side to get food, you just drop the line and the door shuts. Since its all acrylic, it's practically invisible when under water. My LRS loans them out, too.

[pnut]

Ahh, thanks for the correction...I forgot that he said it was a tube. I thought the one above wa pretty cool too but it seems big. The tube one would probably be a lot more practicle.

[Mike O'Brien]

I don't know about that one, I think the fish would get out when it see's you coming to close the door.

The one I used is MIA, I tried to get it again to get my clown out. He did buy it though, but I don't know from where.

My plan was to order my pair of true perc's, get the trap to remove the tomato clown, and be done with it. Well the fish get there, I go for the trap and it's missing, so I spend from saturday untill last night trying to trap my fish with two homemade trap's. I caught her last night with of all thing's a net. I just got home with the new pair of clown's. They are being acclimated now.

[flyboydave]

The biggest problem with that pivoting door one that I see is that you have to hold the thing up at water level until the fish swims in. I guess it all depends on how smart the fish is.

I have some Green Chromis that are such voracious eaters, I can scoop them up in the bowl I use to thaw out their food cubes. I swear, those are the dumbest fish I've ever seen. But then, they are kind of trained to eat out of my hands, so maybe they've just lost their fear of me.

[N1ceDrgn]

I've been contemplating on removing some of the damsels I have in my tank. They're nice to have, they add both character and activity to the tank but I want to add other fish and they need to go before I do. With my tank, the net won't work either, so, I'm looking at other methods right now. The 2 liter bottle seems to be a good idea right now.

[pnut]

BTW, the trap that I posted does come with some sort of extension handle so the trap door can be closed while the trap is at the bottom of the tank.

[fours2many]

new here. I have been trying to catch my damsels. Nothing is working. I have tried the bottle trap. So far I only got the attention of my pin cushion urchin. Fish just won't come to the bottle. Now Dh just dumped the bottle by accident. Of course the fish are full, so won't be tempted by the bottle trap tonight. Oh well, will keep trying to catch those little buggers.
Maybe they will want it another day.

Thanks for the tip, Kristin

[N1ceDrgn]

This is something I plan to try myself later tonight. I need to find a new home, a.k.a. the lfs for some of the damsels I have.

[Mike O'Brien]

this is the trap I used

http://www.marinedepot.com/aquarium_miscellaneous_fish_trap.asp?CartId=

[N1ceDrgn]

ok.. well, I didn't try it.. I was pre-occupied with a water change and cleaning up after.. (hehehe)

[flyboydave]

this is the trap I used

http://www.marinedepot.com/aquarium_miscellaneous_fish_trap.asp?CartId=

That's the same type the LRS near me loans out.

[johngalt]

read this afternoon got home at 4pm made a bottle trap , had the
bicolor p.chromis by 5:30 , he is now back at the LFS..hallelujah...
you guys here are great. THANKS AGAIN.

[cheeky_vickie]

ouuu what a great idea im trying to get my 4 yellow tailed damsels out too and the stupid rock is in the way, i was trying for ages, but im going to give your theory a try!

[N1ceDrgn]

I ended up using a 'loaner' from the LFS and I spent some time 'fishing' waiting for the clever little guys to take the bait. It took me around 2 hours to catch 3 of them. I left it sit in the tank over night with bait in it. The next day around lunch time, they were 'a little more comfortable' with it. That's when the 'fishing tournament' started.

[fishdog17]

sabiki rigs work well