I need to catch a Blue Tang

[Cal Native]

I need help! I have a small tank that needs to get rid of a Blue Tang that has/is starting to overgrow his surroundings. My problems is I don't want to tear down the tank to do it, everything is growing great and looking good. I don't have room to put a trap on the bottom either. Does anyone have a design for a hang on the side trap? I know now I should have passed on the little guy, but I thought he would have grown a lot slower. Thanks for your help.

 

[cracker]

How big is it? Maybe a clear plastic container like a jar ior such could be easily truned into a trap. I've seen different shapes & sizes at Wally world or the dollar store. It wouldn't have to be too big. Maybe hang it from the center brace?

 

[Cal Native]

It's about 4" long head to tail. I don't have a center brace, what ever I use needs to hang from the front. Thanks

 

[prow]

easy. i had to catch mine a while ack. this is how i did it. wait till night time and its sleeping or scare him enough to hide in a spot you can get him. then use some clamps/hemostats with the rubber tips. clap on his tail and carefully pull him out and net him

 

[Cal Native]

great idea but a problem... when the lights are out he is hiding in a place that I can't get to, deep inside a "cave" of sorts.

 

[prow]

scare him out of that spot and block the entrance if needed. i left that part out, i had to that too.

 

[DrHank]

I can just see everyone running out to by hemostats right now!

 

[prow]

what a vision

i actually use them to do some gardening too. great for getting those pyramid snails or flat worms aswell.

 

[lcstorc]

That would scare me half to death.
I would try either feeding from a net for a while until he gets used to it then catch him or try the two net method. Have a large net in the tank and use a small net to chase him in. This works best with 2 people but can be done alone particularly in a small tank.

 

[Tuna]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X13QgaOT7hA[/youtube]

 

[Area 51 Exotics]

The absolute least stressful way to anything in the tank is to get a tiny fish hook and file the barb off of it.

 

[BoomerD]

Drain the tank...when there's not much water, they can't hide so well...I've used this method a couple of times with no harm/damage to any other inhabitants...

OR, at feeding time, be quick with a net...that can work too, but you usually only get one shot at it...

 

[Rcpilot]

Just put some food in the net. It's easy. Works every time.

 

[flricordia]

I lucked out catching mine (it went to a 240gl and is doing awesome) when I looked into the tank one early moring before any lights were on in the room and found it sleeping between the rockwork. I turned on the moonlights and before it came fully awake I was able to reach in and pull it out. Maybe try early morning hours while it is still asleep. Mine hardly flinched when I pulled it out, just grunted some. Guess they are slow to fully respond when sleeping. I had a waiting bucket of warm saltwater from the night before of trying to catch it.

 

[corrado007]

Any luck yet Cal Native? You've got some good ideas here and I'm curious which one works out for you.
I personally have had luck with putting a jar on the sand with the opening about an inch from the tank glass, put some food in there, and a stick of some sort behind it. When the fish goes in for the food I push the jar against the tank with the stick and the fish is trapped.

 

[Cal Native]

No luck so far, I don't have room for anything on the sand. There is to much rock, with deep holes so I can't poke/scare him out. A net will scare it because I have to move the halide to get to it in, plus it will probably get snagged in the rock. I think the best bet will be a small barbless hook or some kind of hanging trap. I'll try to get some tank shots in the next day or so.
Thanks for everyones suggestions.

 

[lcstorc]

I know that hanging traps exist. In fact the one Woodstock uses used to have hangers. I think Melev recently put up a pic of his which was a hang on.
Most people report better success with it on the sand but you could certainly try a hanging one.

 

[DrHank]

If it's like my tangs, it's a big Nori fan. I think that I'd try clipping nori inside a large hanging trap. Feed in the trap for a few days so it gets a feeling that there's no harm, then spring the trap.

 

[Cal Native]

is there a "safe" glue for plexiglass? I would like to try to make a trap myself.

 

[panmanmatt]

Any of the Weld-On acrylic glues are safe after they cure. You can also just use Super Glue gel to bond the acrylic together. The super glue may yellow over time that is why it's not used for making acrylic tanks and sumps as it can be unsightly, but for a fish trap it'll work just fine.