PDA

View Full Version : To catch a hippo tang in a 240...


gallivanmk
03/23/2007, 06:49 AM
So, I know this is one of those impossible questions, but I am looking for some original ideas on how to catch a blue tang in my 240 gallon tank. I have had the fish for about 8 months and just a couple of weeks ago, it decided that it wanted to eat ALL of my zoas. It has already wiped out about 4 or 5 small colonies and the large colonies are just patches now. I thought it was going to just be a phase like the phase it went through with nipping on my clam (that only lasted a couple weeks and no hard damage was done).

It is a really really shy fish. If I put my hand in to move something, it will hide for hours. I don't think feeding out of a net is going to work as it freaks out and hides until you remove the net.

ANY ideas???

nsreefer
03/23/2007, 06:53 AM
What about a commercially available fish trap?

Asuran
03/23/2007, 07:14 AM
chase it to one side of the tank first, then use eggcrate to section off say 1/4 of the tank, remove LR from just that section leaving the tang with no hiding place and capture.

this is only viable if your rock work isnt all structured together.

rstark33
03/23/2007, 07:55 AM
See if you can get it to hide in a piece of LR that you can remove. Usually they sill stay in the rock even when you pull it out of the water.

King-Kong
03/23/2007, 08:29 AM
I dont know how large it is, but over the weekend I was trying to catch my sixline wrasse using a 2 liter bottle w/ the end cut off and mysis shrimp inside, and fishing string attached to it.

My purple tang wouldnt stop running inside it to eat the mysis, and I had to keep kicking him out of the trap. So, I assume a hippo would be just as likely to run inside as well.

Melev used nori to catch his Hippo using a custom made acrylic box, hung in the tank, w/ the door being controlled by someone to close it as soon as the fish went inside.

gallivanmk
03/23/2007, 10:27 AM
The rock work is not permanently in place, but it will be a pain to move stuff around too much because of all the corals. Unfortunately, it doesn't hide in a rock, but between rocks at the bottom of the tank. I am thinking I am just going to have to try to get it as far to one side as possible and take everything apart.

I can't use a commercial fish trap because I have so many fish and they are all so bold (Sohal, Naso, gobies, etc.) that they will all go in it before the blue tang will ever get close to it.

kstuart
03/23/2007, 10:27 AM
Answer: That depends how long you want to play the game

I recently had to get a Flame angel out of my tank, Tried luring it to the top with food and netting it, Tried feeding it out of a net, Tried the bottle with food trap trick.. every fish but him went in it, After 3 days of fooling with it I broke down and took the rocks out, Its not a fun solution but I should have done it on the first day for my sanity. If you can trap him in one section and only remove that rock, all the better!

drummereef
03/23/2007, 10:43 AM
Click this link - http://www.melevsreef.com/links.html

Look under "Media" / Video "
Click the "Tucker Trapper II" video
Enjoy :)

'

SDguy
03/23/2007, 11:10 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9550401#post9550401 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gallivanmk


I can't use a commercial fish trap because I have so many fish and they are all so bold (Sohal, Naso, gobies, etc.) that they will all go in it before the blue tang will ever get close to it.

I had this problem. What I did was get all the fish used to eating out of the trap. Eventually even the hippo will hang around the entrance to the trap. Then you have to be tricky. Open and close the clear door trying to prevent others from entering, but getting the tang. And no big deal if you catch multiple fish. When I caught my second argi angel, it also had both my powder blue and tomini in the trap with it :rolleyes:

LOTUS50GOD
03/23/2007, 11:21 AM
get a hook without a barb and put a piece of scallop on it..

TarheelFrag
03/23/2007, 01:14 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9550900#post9550900 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by LOTUS50GOD
get a hook without a barb and put a piece of scallop on it..


You can also bait it with a Ich parasite. If there is a Hippo in there the Ich will search it out! Let it attach and reel him in.



But seriously that tucker trapper thread is the best video that I have seen on the web. Well reef tank wise anyway... ;)

reefsafe
03/23/2007, 01:35 PM
just had the same problem with my blue hippo in a stocked 90. finally gave up on the traps and tore the tank apart until I got him.

DouglasTiede
03/23/2007, 01:50 PM
here in Wisconsin the Department of Natural Resources uses electro shock to shock an area of water so they can collect fish for tagging and study..

Just kidding.. do do this..

Actually many of those above are great ideas!