To catch an eel?

Anyone have any experience trying to catch an eel? I have a snowflake eel, about 18" that I want to get out of my tank as I suspect he is responsible for the loss of 2 fish. I've tried to lure him out with food but that little sob always keeps his tail tucked under the rock so we can't scoop him out with the net.

My only other idea is to get a fish trap, wondering if anyone knows how to make one or has any other ideas possibly???

 

large shrimp on a fish hook right outside of his den. Or else resort to the 2 liter bottle trap

 

Only thing with the hook is I don't think I'd be able to get it out of his mouth plus I don't want to injure the poor guy...I was looking at the 2 liter bottle trap idea just a few minutes ago and it seems like it might work but I worry he might just swim back out the hole he came in.

 

Have you tried getting Chris Hanson to say "Take a seat right over there?"

 

they arent really that smart, they try to get out the sides of the bottle, not the center.
But in your case its an eel so he probably wont go the whole way in the 2 liter (because of his length) and will be able to back out since his tail will still be outside of it

 

If my other predator catching tactic doesn't work. I would use a put some food in a pvc pipe then when he goes in cap it off.

 

LOL...different kind of predator

 

Didn't think of that, I may try to may an elongated version of one then and see if he goes for it. Thanks for the suggestions.

 

My brother in law had one and wanted to get rid of him too. His was 1 foot long and he ended up hooking it with shrimp on a hook and a line. He said he really had to jerk the line and he did hurt its mouth on the process. But that's the only way he could get him out that tank.

 

I finally got that little sob...so I made a fish trap long enough for him to fit in to last night with a hole just barely big enough for him to get in to, put 2 silversides and piece of krill in there to lure him in. Right away he starts going crazy trying to figure out how to get in, but is too dumb to figure it out so I figure I'll go to bed and he"ll be in there in the morning. I wake up this morning all the bait is gone and no eel! That SOB feasted then figured his way out...so I said F it I'm get him out one way or another. Ended up havin to move a bunch of rock in my tank and even take some out and after about a 30 min or so chase I finally netted that little SOB! Now I'm sad to see him go because he was a pet and when I first setup my tank was one of the top 3 fish I wanted to add, but happy at the same time because now I have more options with the fish and shrimp I can have in my tank now that he is not in there lurking around looking for a gourmet meal.

Lesson learned here is make sure you really want an aggressive fish tank before adding the inhabitants because that really are a PITA to get out if you decide to change your mind