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I need to remove 3 non-breeding keyhole cichlids and some krib fry from the tank. it is next to impossible to catch them with all the bogwood in the tank. i'm worried that if if i remove the bogwood i won't know which fish is which.

any tips?

are those fish traps worth using?

thanks

are those fish traps worth using?

Definitely. Especially because C***ds are very curious.
Just put some food in the trap, and one after the other will end up caught. Hope you don't have to catch many, because they are smart as well...

thanks. i'll give them a go.

Try leaving the tank in total darkness for a while and when the cichlids have settled down(give a half hour) using a flashlight you can net them, they will not be as active.

Birger

Alas, not if the whole place is filled with bogwood. Besides, if your lucky you'll catch one or two. The rest will be wide awake by then.

With a tank like this the dark treatment is just one way and I agree hit or miss at best, same with the trap treatment, sometimes a well timed scoop with the net does the job,after over thirty years it almost becomes a zen thing stay "calm" don't overuse any one method, sometimes you luck out and sometimes the one fish you want seems to stay the farthest from whatever method you use, if these methods don't work you do eventually need to get down and get wet,and hopefully you have studied them enough to tell them apart.Good Luck!

Birger

Birger wrote:sometimes the one fish you want seems to stay the farthest from whatever method you use

That's right. I get the impression that fish for one reason or another seem to sense whether they are going to be caught or not. The ones you don't need are just little bothered with the net, while the "victim" -always very visible- has now vanished into the blue.
I agree that there's no perfect method in catching fish and thinking of my own experiences, it might be necessary to remove some bogwood anyway. I am always going for a clean and quick catch, and after a few hours it looks like the place has been bombed...

good advice. i will give the dark technique a shot too. there is an awful lot of bogwood though.

i think moving the bogwood is a last resort. the only way to tell them apart unfortunately is their breeding colouration (which they lose when stressed) and their territory (which they will leave when the bogwood comes out)

it's true. the fish you want to catch always knows. the others don't mind the net!

I am always going for a clean and quick catch, and after a few hours it looks like the place has been bombed...

HEAR HEAR!

That's why -after decennia of too much bloodpressure and gnashing teeth - almost always go for the decidedly unsportive method when I need to catch smart fish (esp cichlids!!)
-remove ALL the decoration
-remove 1/3 to 2/3 of the water
-use TWO nets; one to chase, one to catch
-call up a friend who holds the second net

sidguppy wrote: -remove ALL the decoration
-remove 1/3 to 2/3 of the water
-use TWO nets; one to chase, one to catch
-call up a friend who holds the second net

the ONLY thing that has ever worked for me! Trapping my cories, I catch mostly Kribs and tetras! Having offspring that owes you a favor covers the close friend on the other net thing.

Now, how does one convince the other half of the fishroom that the bogwood needs to come out and the rooted anubius will probably have to be replanted?

troi