Catching Fish in a Planted Aquarium

[theotheragentm]

Other than ripping the whole thing apart, any tips? I think I've given up on trying to catch ember tetras in my 20L.

[KBOzzie59]

Two nets!  It's like calf roping without the rope (or calf).

[theotheragentm]

On 7/29/2021 at 11:10 AM, KBOzzie59 said:

Two nets!  It's like calf roping without the rope (or calf).

Definitely tried this, but I think it comes down to the tank being too heavily planted.

[Perry]

Pretty sure I've seen a coop video that demonstrates how to do it by essentially placing the net in a corner and using your hand to gently chase the fish into it. Still not a simple task but easier to manipulate the plants with your hands than with the net. It might be worth searching for the video. I haven't tried it myself as my plants are all attached to hardscape that I can remove when I need to catch fish. Good luck!

[Jungle Fan]

@theotheragentmdid you keep one of the nets stationary? The other one follows the fish and guides it into the net. Never failed for me. I usually have the stationary waiting for them right around the corner of a piece of driftwood. By the time they see the net they're already on their way to the surface.

[Guppysnail]

This will sound absurd but it works.  I use a plastic colander I sit in one side and net on other side of tank fish run forward scoop up in colander. Caught many CPD pleco guppies etc in a 20long JUNGLE

[DSH OUTDOORS]

3/4" Siphon hose into a 5 gallon bucket works well also.  I get more accidental removals with that than i care to admit.

[theotheragentm]

Thanks all. I've done the stationary net thing. Perhaps I need more patience. The colander and siphon ideas are interesting. I may end up having to to do that. This is my office tank, so I don't want to spend all day catching fish and people think that's all I do all day.

[Gestaltgal]

@theotheragentmI don't know about anybody else, but I also know that I have an easier time catching when the lights are off outside of the tank. At least my fish seem very aware of anything outside of the tank, so taking down some of the stimuli seems helpful.

[Odd Duck]

Fish traps can be very helpful.  You will catch more than you need, but then you select the ones you want out.  The rest go back in the tank.  Second pic is removing the excess boy pea puffers.

 

[Guppysnail]

On 7/29/2021 at 4:55 PM, theotheragentm said:

don't want to spend all day catching

The colander takes less than a minute. I put back all the extra fish I did not mean to catch. It’s easy from the colanders because they lay flat and don’t get tangled like the net. You literally can scoop up the entire batch.