arixonbarnes Posted April 12, 2007 Report Share Posted April 12, 2007 (edited) I have had no luck trying to net any of my three skunk loaches (I only need one) from my large tank due to the tank size, amount of wood and number of plants that are in it. I tried a piece of clear plastic tubing bent in a u with some food in it but that didn't work either. They are the smallest fish in the tank as the rest of the fish are angels, kribs and snakeskin gouramis.Tthey also seem to have a very good idea of what a net is for as they disappear as soon as a net hits the water and avoid them even when they are left in the tank for a day or two. Does anybody have any idea what I could use that would entice a skunk loach into it so I could trap him/her and move him/her to another tank? Edited April 16, 2007 by arixonbarnes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vallisneria Posted April 12, 2007 Report Share Posted April 12, 2007 you could remove the decor from one end of the tank except some esily remove caves, put a divider in and then lure the skunks over the the sparsely decorated side with some food. When they are on the right side close off the divider. Then remove the caves and net out the loaches. I've used this mothod in my planted tank it works quite well. Leaving some caves on the side you want to catch them on makes them feel more secure then if the side was bare. once separated they should be easy to catch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arixonbarnes Posted April 12, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2007 Unfortunately the tank is eleven feet long so it would be very difficult to isolate them that way( especially with the 29 inch piece of glass strapping the middle of the tank at the top) but thanks for the idea. I take it that they like caves? If so would capped pvc pipe work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CalgaryFan Posted April 12, 2007 Report Share Posted April 12, 2007 that's a b*tchin sized aquarium. Excuse my language can you please post pics lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitsukuni Posted April 12, 2007 Report Share Posted April 12, 2007 Unfortunately the tank is eleven feet long... HOLY !! I would suggest maybe a wetsuit. Seriously though, I've caught "uncatchable" fish by using the cave/tube or whatever as the net... once they're in there, simply remove the decoration, fish and all... Yes, pictures of the tank please!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trooper Posted April 12, 2007 Report Share Posted April 12, 2007 Try a dark colored pop bottle... plastic or glass. Will take patience, but if you clean an 11 foot tank, I would assume you have it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arixonbarnes Posted April 12, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2007 Thanks for the pop bottle suggestion. I just cut the ends off two 2 liter pop bottles - capped one and stuck the other one into it. Once they have soaked in my drain sump for a few days (to neutralize the glue from the labels) I will set it in the tank and I should be able to catch them quite easily. I forgot that Algaefarmer had set some of those up in his tanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NatureNut Posted April 13, 2007 Report Share Posted April 13, 2007 Glad you found a solution! While you wait for the glue to neutralize you can take pics for us. I'm also :drool: over an 11' tank! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arixonbarnes Posted April 16, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 16, 2007 The pop bottle trap worked - caught a loach, a pleco and the smaller krib (the bigger male couldn't fit. Dumped them in a bare pail and shuffled them back or into another tank (the loach). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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