A discussion on effort

[flynix]

i'm at my wit's end trying to catch picasso, falco, and my puffer - i'm planning to replace them with a regal and comet grouper that'll get some time to grow before moving into the bigger tank, whenever that happens. these fish are way more cunning than i gave them credit for, and even my trusty net trap is failing me. does anyone have some advice to share?

[dreamon7]

I've had good luck with training my puffers to take food by hand, it makes them a lot more trusting. If yours is already comfortable enough to come near you for feeding, I reckon you should be able to catch it pretty easily. Try dangling a tasty prawn in the tank, with the net close by just in case.

[flynix]

leaving 2 nets in overnight, one with food to get them comfy with it. tomorrow at feed time when they all gather, should be able to catch the trigger n puffer. gonna miss 'em though, sad to see 'em go

[dreamon7]

I recall reading you were rehoming them due to reef safety concerns, that's a shame, they're awesome fish.

[dune9x]

Get a fish trap, works like a charm. I've built one myself and never failed to catch what I need. This one looks decent - http/www.coflakegarden.net/product_info.php?products_id=409

[dreamon7]

I think I read in another post you were getting rid of them 'cause they're not compatible with a reef setup, that's a shame, two really cool fish.

[flynix]

yup, getting rid of them because they're not reef safe, which is a shame. been thinking of setting up the rio as a reef tank now, but the costs for a 6 foot tank are adding up.

skimmer's gonna be around £130, halides are a whopping £500, rock's £200 but i've already got a fair bit, coflakes are £500+, fish are £300, plumbing's a mystery but it's gonna be a pretty penny, stand's over £100 for sure, and a ro unit's £50.

we're talking nearly £2000, and that's being conservative. might need to get a full-time job, sell my car, cancel my trip to new york and christmas just to afford it.

new plan's to just win the lottery, simple as that.

as for catching my puffers, i could get a fish trap tomorrow for cheap, or just drain the tank and catch them then, shouldn't be too hard, right?

dune9x, not sure that trap you linked would work that well, but worth a shot maybe.

[dreamon7]

i'm at my wit's end trying to catch picasso, falco, and my puffer - i'm planning to replace them with a regal and comet grouper that'll get some time to grow before moving into the bigger tank, whenever that happens. these fish are way more cunning than i gave them credit for, and even my trusty net trap is failing me. does anyone have some advice to share?

Same plan here, sounds like a solid one. Or maybe a surprise windfall from a distant relative you've never met. Draining the tank's probably the most straightforward way to catch them, right?

[zenoxa]

So, flynix, you're getting rid of the puffers and why's that again?

[axonify]

I've come across a method that might help you catch those puffers. Apparently, you can make a small hole in the sandbed and start draining the tank quickly. The idea is that all the fish will end up in the hole, which will be the only spot with water left. Then, you can quickly catch the ones you want to remove and use a pump to return the water to the tank. It's supposed to be less stressful for the fish and corals than moving a lot of rocks around, as long as you do it fast and have some extra saltwater on hand.