# Help keep my Shrimp alive!



## DonaldmBoyer (Aug 18, 2005)

I blundered up!

I was wondering if anyone knew how to trap some Apistos without me having to destroy my finished tank......I don't want them to eat my shrimp!

I don't want to kill them, I just want to move them to a different tank. Obviously, I could try to net them, but I think I would rip my entire tank apart in order to catch them.

Any ideas or suggestions? (Besides not getting any more apistos)

Thanks you all!
Don


----------



## guppy (Mar 7, 2004)

Get a water bottle cut off the top and reverse it into the water bottle so it goose necks inside. Then fill it up with some tank water and put some food inside of it. Then just wait an hour or so for the fish to go inside and once it does just pull it out and then repeat if necessary.


----------



## DonaldmBoyer (Aug 18, 2005)

That's a VERY COOL suggestion!!!! I will try it! I had wondered if they made some sort of "fish trap" like that!

Thank you a ton, Guppy!


----------



## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

Great idea guppy. I think they acutally make a "fish catcher" of some sort with the same basic principle.

Sometimes for hard to catch fish, I've always used the bait and capture method. While they are feeding/eating use the net to slow nab them when they are at the surface. Works wonders, especially when just turning on the tank lights.

-John N.


----------



## djlen (Jun 22, 2004)

Your too John? I thought I was the only one who stood there, net in hand waiting for the little imps to come up for the food.
The only fish I've had to use the inverted bottle system on where the SAE's I had that had out lived their usefulness and had to go. I had 3 in my show tank and I would have destroyed it chasing them around. A couple of algae wafers in the bottle and they were toast. 
OUT OF HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Len


----------



## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

Yup, it takes quite a bit of patience while "fishing" for the little zippy buggers. But once you catch them..oh boy it's s a rewarding experience! 

Before I knew of this "trick" I tore up a tank or two in my day. 8-[

Let us know what method works best for you Don. 

-John N.


----------



## DonaldmBoyer (Aug 18, 2005)

I tried the inverted bottle today, and got two of the Apisto buggers. Into the big tank they went!

Two down, two to go. Hopefully by tomorrow they'll be added to the community tank!

Remind me in 15 months when I move and have to take down and set my tank back up to not have 10 different varities of fish in my big tank......the aquascaping is almost done, and it will look great, but I'm going to have all of these little rascals swimming around in it.


----------



## kiwik (Apr 3, 2007)

haha i was just thinking of that when i was reading the passage. my dad taught me that when we went camping.


----------



## Muirner (Jan 9, 2007)

After ripping my entire 10 gallon up trying to catch a few guppies, I read about this method on here. After using it, the effectivness is wonderful, and no more ripping up my tank! 

The best advice I have heard about catching fish in a planted tank that you dont want in there is:
"Don't put them in the tank in the first place" (Either Bailin or Dennis said this) This is why i have so few fish in my 55. Glad to hear it worked out for you!!


----------



## fishtastico (Feb 28, 2007)

HAH!! When I read this the first thing that came to mind was "why did he put the apistos in the planted tank?!!!"

I learned the hard way that you either have a nicely aquascaped planted tank or you have a breeding environment for fish. I had a pair of Pelvicachromis sp. signatus that bred in my last planted tank... I tried (and failed) to pull the parents, and various other tankmates out of the tank without completely destroying my aquascaping and ending up with a cloudy mess (that cause my tank to develop hair algae.. and BOY was that a dumb idea)

I'm planning on a few species of tetras for this new tank, maybe a bristlenose pleco, and some shrimp. No more cichlids in my plant tanks!. 

Cichlids are for breeding... in an environment where i'm not stressing out if i have to move one or both parents to keep them from killing each other.


----------



## DonaldmBoyer (Aug 18, 2005)

Yeah.....always kieep learning! 

I'm seeing what I can do with different plants know that I have a much better idea as to what I can and cannot grow. My 100 gallon is a big "experiment" tank right now. When I make the move to Philly in about 15 months, I will be able to set it up real nice.

The 40 gallon cube is the one I'm really trying to get up to standards here.


----------

