sen5241b October 3, 2008 Share October 3, 2008 I need to catch a dottyback. I've seen the "1-liter plastic soda bottle" fish trap. Has anyone tried this? Any other ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason the filter freak October 4, 2008 Share October 4, 2008 worked for me with a six-line wrasse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sen5241b October 4, 2008 Author Share October 4, 2008 worked for me with a six-line wrasse I take it most fish, if they're dumb enough to swim thru the hole, are dumb enough not to get out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sen5241b October 6, 2008 Author Share October 6, 2008 I take it most fish, if they're dumb enough to swim thru the hole, are dumb enough not to get out. The dottyback swam in the trap in the first hour and the moment I reached in to pull the trap up he wiggled out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ne0eN October 6, 2008 Share October 6, 2008 Dottyback? haha, good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sen5241b October 7, 2008 Author Share October 7, 2008 Dottyback? haha, good luck! I now have 2 of the fish traps in there and he won't swim into either! I have not yet tried using live bait in the traps. I may have to drop an M80 into the tank! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sen5241b October 9, 2008 Author Share October 9, 2008 Live bait didn't work either. Gonna take out all rock. Arrrgghhh! My Saturday is pretty much laid out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason the filter freak October 9, 2008 Share October 9, 2008 depending on the amount of live stock you have a better option maybe just draining the tank most of the way down, or empty it if you don't have any sponges or other corals that are super sensitive to being dry. Keep in mind most of our corals can be dry for a short period of time, if you can drain then refil your tank fast enough it might be worth not tearing up your aquascape. LAST NOTE ON DE-AQUASCAPING if you have detritus and dusty sand when you tear up all that rock work your tank will get super cloudy and it's going to be hard to find that fish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sen5241b October 9, 2008 Author Share October 9, 2008 depending on the amount of live stock you have a better option maybe just draining the tank most of the way down, or empty it if you don't have any sponges or other corals that are super sensitive to being dry. Keep in mind most of our corals can be dry for a short period of time, if you can drain then refil your tank fast enough it might be worth not tearing up your aquascape. LAST NOTE ON DE-AQUASCAPING if you have detritus and dusty sand when you tear up all that rock work your tank will get super cloudy and it's going to be hard to find that fish. The reason I'm not draining the tank is I have only 30 lbs of rock in a Biocube 29G. I'm also concerned about my large feather duster coming out of the water. The thing I hate about taking the rock out though is that I can never aquascape it back the same way I had it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rascal October 9, 2008 Share October 9, 2008 The dottyback swam in the trap in the first hour and the moment I reached in to pull the trap up he wiggled out. A few tips: 1) Attach something you can use as a line to the top of the fish trap so that you you can use to pull it up and out of the water as soon as the fish swims in there, without having to reach your hand into the tank to do so. A lot of times the act of reaching your hand into the tank spooks the fish and causes it to run for cover, and it will find the hole out of desperation. 2) Cover the sides of the bottle with something so it isn't clear any more. This will make it more like a secure cave or refuge. The fish will still find the hole to investigate the smell of food. 3) Leave the fish trap in the tank for a few days, but don't feed the tank at all during this time. This should make the fish both more hungry and therefore less cautious, and also less wary of the new object in its territory. When you bait the trap, make sure you have plenty of time to just sit still and watch and hold on to your line. Patience is the key, just like real fishing. It might take several hours, but so will taking out all of the rock and re-aquascaping. The bonus is that just like in real fishing, the scenery is great and you can hold your line in one hand and a cold beer in the other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sen5241b October 10, 2008 Author Share October 10, 2008 A few tips: 1) Attach something you can use as a line to the top of the fish trap so that you you can use to pull it up and out of the water as soon as the fish swims in there, without having to reach your hand into the tank to do so. A lot of times the act of reaching your hand into the tank spooks the fish and causes it to run for cover, and it will find the hole out of desperation. 2) Cover the sides of the bottle with something so it isn't clear any more. This will make it more like a secure cave or refuge. The fish will still find the hole to investigate the smell of food. 3) Leave the fish trap in the tank for a few days, but don't feed the tank at all during this time. This should make the fish both more hungry and therefore less cautious, and also less wary of the new object in its territory. When you bait the trap, make sure you have plenty of time to just sit still and watch and hold on to your line. Patience is the key, just like real fishing. It might take several hours, but so will taking out all of the rock and re-aquascaping. The bonus is that just like in real fishing, the scenery is great and you can hold your line in one hand and a cold beer in the other. Thanks, all good info but I've tried most of this. He will not go back in the traps and I've had them in there for a week. (I did not try a fishing line with hook). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilary October 11, 2008 Share October 11, 2008 I tried a plastic bag with a piece of string tied around the neck and a little food in the bag when trying to catch a feisty little clown goby. Put it right next to his favorite hangout, poured a glass of wine, and put a movie on. Right about when the movie was ending the fish swam in, I jerked the string up and caught myself a fish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sen5241b October 11, 2008 Author Share October 11, 2008 I tried a plastic bag with a piece of string tied around the neck and a little food in the bag when trying to catch a feisty little clown goby. Put it right next to his favorite hangout, poured a glass of wine, and put a movie on. Right about when the movie was ending the fish swam in, I jerked the string up and caught myself a fish. Thx! I just took every single piece of rock out and he wasn't in there!!! I dug my hand in the sand thinking he was buried. Turns out he swam up into a big conch shell and stayed in the watery suction part after I move the shell to a bucket! As I'm putting the shell back in the tank he leaps out of the shell into the bucket. See the "sale/trade" forum if you want him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treesprite October 14, 2008 Share October 14, 2008 I decided a few hours ago that my dottyback is becoming obnoxious since I took the clowns out of the tank, so I might need to use some of these tips myself and banish the fellow to the fuge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Lazar October 27, 2008 Share October 27, 2008 Thx! I just took every single piece of rock out and he wasn't in there!!! I dug my hand in the sand thinking he was buried. Turns out he swam up into a big conch shell and stayed in the watery suction part after I move the shell to a bucket! As I'm putting the shell back in the tank he leaps out of the shell into the bucket. See the "sale/trade" forum if you want him. At least he landed in the bucket, and not back in the tank! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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