Ideas for catching yellow tang

It's my yellow tang's turn to move into it's new bigger home. Any ideas on catching it? I've tried nori on the clip, with a net standing by, but not as easy as I thought. Tang is too smart and quick, lol. My convict blenny and goby were pretty easy, this one is proving to be a challenge.

Anyone have any successful methods to catching them?

cheers.

 

i'm trying to get some advise about catching my powder brown tang...also discovered nori on a clip not so easy to catch still.. maybe with two nets? other than tearing up all its hiding places i don't know. let me know if you find something that works

 

the 2 net approach might work. saw them use it down at big al's to catch the kole tang i got recently from there kookie. took a bit but finally worked.

 

Nets are hard to use in a running tank... too easy to get snagged up on rocks and everything else and the fish will usually be able to outrun you. I've gotten in the habit of not trying to get fish out. Once it's in, it's in!

MarineDepot.com has some fish traps (Click Here) that I've heard good things about, although I've never used one personally. I guess you put food inside at the far end and remotely spring it somehow without being in the water. Seems like a good concept.

 

traps make it fun.

 

I always use giant bowls and just try to corner them and push the bowl up against the glass so they cant escape. Then just slide it along the glass and pull it out. I never have any success with nets unless its a clueless clownfish or something.

 

Are you holding the net in the water when your trying to trick it with nori?

Put the nori as high on the glass as possible. Don't put the net in the water just hold it right above the water. They don't usually seem to notice it there. Let the fish get comfortable with you standing there hold the net like you are while it eats for a bit. It should get less and less attentive to your presence. When it does you just have to dip the net in and snag it strait up out of the water. The true key to catching any fish is confidence. Don't be timid and try to catch the fish. Drop that net in with all the speed you have and get it out.

Since I started using this theory, I have not removed any rock work from my tank to catch anything. I've caught: clown tang, scopas tang, rabbitfish, clowns, flasher wrasse, scooter blenny. Never fails anymore.

 

I caught a yellow tang with a very small fish hook baited with shrimp. Used a file to remove the barb so it was easy to remove. It took about 15 seconds to catch him. He had a small hole in his lip that healed in a couple of days. It was less stressfull than tearing the tank down to get him out and it was fun too!!! That tang sure had a surprised look when I snatched him out of the tank.

Jack

 

I just had to catch a lemon peal angel. I ended up pulling 90% of my Live rock out

But a tang is a little easier as they are more aggressive eaters. But the Trap is 100% required IMO

good Luck

J

 

That is one of the better ways to catch a fish in a reef tank. I have not tried that yet, but I was very close to trying it with my maroon clown. She was caught eventually with a net and put in the sump.

Make sure to use a hook that is not too small. You don't want the hook to be able to be swallowed whole. If that happens, get the fish out of the tank, cut the line as close to the hook as possible, and let it rust away.