Bully

[Vanessa K]

Hi, when I winded down my guppy tank, I ended up keeping my Silver Flying Fox, Crossocheilus reticulatus, I think he's 4 years old by now. He's obnoxious, a pain in the derrière to be frank, and he even manages to be irritating enough for my puffers (Spotted Congo) to move. He does have a mark on him and I guess one of the puffers said "Enough is enough". He's even bullying the Hillstream loaches. He disturbes the peace all around. I'm thinking of rehoming him but I don't know how to catch him, lots of roots and plants, lots of hiding places - and he's fast and actually jumps. Please help with suggestions. I don't want to tear down the whole tank.

[Lennie]

I dont have a flying fox, But I have 3 SAEs. I do hear some similar stuff for SAEs too but as they are commonly sold under wrong names, maybe that is where those comments come from.

My SAEs love to chase! But only each other. They eat and graze around, and suddenly one decides to chase another. Then, they stop and this chasing behavior switch to other two. They are like kids playing tag. I would never keep two in a tank as it may end up turning into a constant chase between the same fish. I think they need distraction with a minimum of three.

Just thinking, maybe your fish acts like that bcoz of lacking a friend around to potentially waste its energy and natural behavior, so it gets maybe aggressive/territorial due to this issue? Again, just thinking and not basing this on any fact as I dont have silver fox but SAE. Maybe adding friends with similar size might help if your tank can support it?

[Kurt Brutting]

I heard a good tip about catching fish from my LFS. Use a net and chase the fish around with your hand. Have the fish scared of your hand not the net. That way you can chase the fish into the net. 
I tried it with my Cory’s, it still took forever because of the plants and hard scape, but it definitely helped. 

[Tlindsey]

On 12/21/2023 at 8:30 PM, Kurt Brutting said:

I heard a good tip about catching fish from my LFS. Use a net and chase the fish around with your hand. Have the fish scared of your hand not the net. That way you can chase the fish into the net. 
I tried it with my Cory’s, it still took forever because of the plants and hard scape, but it definitely helped. 

@Vanessa K lowering the water level will help also.

[Fish Folk]

I use a large net -- ca. 6" x 8 " -- and use the technique described above to move the fish into the net. Don't worry if you get other fish caught in the net. Once you have your Flying Fox, you can immediately remove and other fish by hand back to the aquarium.

[Vanessa K]

On 12/22/2023 at 12:09 AM, Lennie said:

I dont have a flying fox, But I have 3 SAEs. I do hear some similar stuff for SAEs too but as they are commonly sold under wrong names, maybe that is where those comments come from.

My SAEs love to chase! But only each other. They eat and graze around, and suddenly one decides to chase another. Then, they stop and this chasing behavior switch to other two. They are like kids playing tag. I would never keep two in a tank as it may end up turning into a constant chase between the same fish. I think they need distraction with a minimum of three.

Just thinking, maybe your fish acts like that bcoz of lacking a friend around to potentially waste its energy and natural behavior, so it gets maybe aggressive/territorial due to this issue? Again, just thinking and not basing this on any fact as I dont have silver fox but SAE. Maybe adding friends with similar size might help if your tank can support it?

Hi! Thank you so much for your suggestions. Fact is that he had friends, 3 to be precise. I knew that they're very territorial, and needed friends of their own kind, and asked  the store staff how many would suit a 40 gallon tank and they recommended 4. The one I got now didn't agree with the store staff and stressed the life out off 2 of the others, I had so much plants that I didn't realize they're gone and a while ago I found the third one on the floor, dry. He had jumped to his death, rather than stay with the one who's left. He doesn't get any new buddies. I kind of like him, he's been with me for so long and I have a soft heart for misfits. The only good thing about him is that he makes my cardinal tetras school phenomenally. 

[Vanessa K]

On 12/22/2023 at 2:30 AM, Kurt Brutting said:

I heard a good tip about catching fish from my LFS. Use a net and chase the fish around with your hand. Have the fish scared of your hand not the net. That way you can chase the fish into the net. 
I tried it with my Cory’s, it still took forever because of the plants and hard scape, but it definitely helped. 

Thank you! Makes sense! I'll try that.

On 12/22/2023 at 6:37 AM, Fish Folk said:

I use a large net -- ca. 6" x 8 " -- and use the technique described above to move the fish into the net. Don't worry if you get other fish caught in the net. Once you have your Flying Fox, you can immediately remove and other fish by hand back to the aquarium.

Thank you! I'll do that!

[JoshuaClark]

Any update?

[Rube_Goldfish]

On 12/21/2023 at 8:30 PM, Kurt Brutting said:

I heard a good tip about catching fish from my LFS. Use a net and chase the fish around with your hand. Have the fish scared of your hand not the net. That way you can chase the fish into the net. 
I tried it with my Cory’s, it still took forever because of the plants and hard scape, but it definitely helped. 

@Cory has a great video demonstration of this technique:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=58l5R5OZRsE

[Vanessa K]

Thank you! I'm ashamed to admit that I haven't even tried yet. I'd have to get my husband to help me to be the "other" threat. I watched a video of somebody that took action when the fish were asleep, in the dark. Should I approach the tank wearing all black, including a ski mask? I just wish I could call a friend. As a woman it's quite easy to get help at a gas station. I just have to look confused and smile but it doesn't quite work in a town where nobody couldn't care less about fish keeping. I'm trying to prepare myself to do it by myself. I've bought another net, a black one. Just need strength and courage.