tips on catching a blue tang in DT?

[tcoral]

Besides totally dismantling the tank, LOL. I've been trying fish traps, and feeding in a net (every other fish goes in the net while the blue tang hides in the rock work :(). Anybody else have a tip to catch them?

[moogoomoogoo]

I use pieces of clear acrylic and partition off parts of the tank. Usually only have to move a few pieces of live rock. then with a net you drive the fish into an area and close it off with another piece. Eventually he is in a tiny space at the end of the tank and you just net him. You can get fairly large thin pieces of clear acrylic at home depot or lowes for just a few bucks. I don't even think its acrylic. Something cheaper.

[aleonn]

I use pieces of clear acrylic and partition off parts of the tank. Usually only have to move a few pieces of live rock. then with a net you drive the fish into an area and close it off with another piece. Eventually he is in a tiny space at the end of the tank and you just net him. You can get fairly large thin pieces of clear acrylic at home depot or lowes for just a few bucks. I don't even think its acrylic. Something cheaper.

Ah, I think you're talking about Home Depot's "Lexan" acrylic. That's a good idea. You can also use eggcrate to divide the tank, which would not impede tank flow.

[Dr Colliebreath]

There is a sticky on one of the forums that basically says to get a large container or two and pump as much of your tank water out as is necessary to catch the fish, and then pump the water from the container back to the tank.

[Allmost]

blue tang is not hard to catch. remember, they sleep in holes, and go in the same hole when scared ! so when you put the net in water, most likely, it will run for a hole to stick its head into [a stag coral in my case] and then its easy to remove him.

putting food inside the net has worked for me in the past as well.


but the sure method, as mentioned, is to partition or take out LR ... but sometimes taking out LR can make the tank so messy, u cant even see the fish no more !

[Dr Colliebreath]

See To Catch An Unreachable Fish sticky in the Fish Disease Treatment forum.