Ideas to catch a wrasse?

[corkscrewnyc]

My friend has a 95g and found this wrasse in his live rock when he started his tank over a yr ago. He eats every invert he puts in the tank! Will not go into the bottle trap and impossible to catch with net. He wants him out. ANY IDEAS??

 

[ZANYMASTER]

Did you try baiting it with a invert like a small crab or shrimp?

 

[Mr. Softy]

Last week i had to remove 200lbs of Live Rock and all my corals to get a Pistol Shrimp and a Wrasse out of my tank. I tried to get both of them out for months, and caught just about every other living thing in the tank but them. If i had a small enough hook i would have put it on my fishing pole. Drastic, yes. But it had to be done. I didn't lose a single thing and actually found a couple of missing softies while i was rearranging. I'm not suggesting you use my method, just venting. But if you have to do it, you better have a tub or two big enough to hold your rock and water while you hunt the little b*#!tard down. Good Luck. Let us know how you do.

 

[Reef Mongoose]

When I was trying to get a fish outta my tank I had problems getting that fish to go into the trap. I tried for like a week and a half and couldn't get him to go in. Finally what I did was starve the tank for like 4-5 days (feed nothing at all) and then only put food in the trap. Took about 5min and he was in the trap.

 

[emmanuel]

the trap never worked for me on my sixline even though it never bothered anything I wanted it out before it starts . The other day I saw the six line sleeping when I was about to do a water change so I got the 1 1/4 inch hose out started a siphon and sucked him into a bucket I knocked a few scales of the poor little guy but atlast i caught him then I felt bad and put him back in the tank being that it was so easy to catch him , if he ever starts picking at anything I'll just look for him when the lights are off

 

[LongIslandAndy]

Put in a large grouper and when he eats the wrasse, remove the grouper who will be easier to catch:lol:

 

[Pinkheine]

We have had many boughts with the fish trap over the years. Best advice is patience, don't feed for a few days, put the trap in, sit and wait. Last fish we trapped it took all of five minutes for him to go in the trap. Before that the fish in question didn't go in the trap until three hours later.

Try all different times, if during the day doesn't work, try at night or with only actinics on.

You can also use a bottle, cut the neck off and reverse it, fish goes in... can't get out. (Well some knew better... but hopefully your fish won't)

Good luck.

 

[NYreefNoob]

gatoraide bottle, cut the neck off poke a hole in the end tie a fishing string to i, i use pellets as the food cause it wont float out as easy, and i dont feed for a day or 2 before trying to catch fish. this method has always worked for me. i just sit at comp and watch tank waiting for them to go in and pull string and poof caught fish. only thing this hasnt worked for me on is tang's. i have caught 15 wrasse's this way as well as other types of fish

 

[bigyankfan]

I have one of the acrylic traps that they sell at Drs. Foster and Smith and it works like a charm. Don't feed the fish for a few days and then put a small piece of fresh fish in one of those metal ball tea strainers. The weight of the ball prevents it from floating away and the holes let the scent out which attracts the fish and - voila - he is caught. HTH.

 

[corkscrewnyc]

OK he is out! He went to walmart bought the smallest hook and crushed a crab and put it on the hook. Three tries later he was hooked and in a bucket!!! Thanks for all the posts.

 

[REEF MANIA]

poor crab.

 

[robert0419]

Try a poll and hook loll