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Ahhhhhh what a day

3K views 29 replies 13 participants last post by  Freddy 
#1 ·
:shock: so today was the d-day for the CAE & Serpae Tetra to move out (for the new stock)

Anyone ever tried catching 2 CAE in either a 55 or the 45g? Or 4 Serpae Tetra out of the 45g for that matter?

No you hadn't well lemme fill ya in.....It all started at 11AM :-|

Clever as I am I got out 2 big nets and a smaller 1, with the thought using 2 big nets to chase them to the other tank side and scoop them up with the smaller net - Sounds cool don't it?

It didn't work :lol:

I tried this approach until about 1230 - At this point I had ONE Serpae caught - woooottttt

What I should also mention, both tanks are by now heavily planted - Well actually lemme rephrase that the WERE until the 3 nets entered the game :blink:

At around 1'ish I came to the *smart* solution that this is NOT going to cut it, not in 1 day anyway....so the remaining plants were pulled up and ALL taken out :roll:

Another 30mins later I had all fish outta all tanks caught and ready to hit the LFS.

When I returned I figured heck all plants are out already (EXCEPT a whole of 2 Swords lol) so I may as well do my w/c now and vac the spots I normally can't get to.
Said and done, refilled tanks, started planting it all neat again and trim all plants while I was at it

Ahhhhh all done pretty....upsy why's there a BIG OLE DW on my office floor still :shock: nooo that's why I was able to space out the plants in the 55g so nicely, I forgot the DW....so AGAIN I replanted and added the DW....scoot lights in PLACE and DONE....ARG why are the lights so far up now - Arg DW is sticking out too far; take DW out, shuffle gravel, put DW in place without squishing plants around it again

DONE at almost 4PM :sick:

Dang I want a cigarette and a good cup coffee now - Who would have thought 4 CAE & 4 Serpae Tetra can keep me busy almost ALL DAY and my poor hands been in the water all day too.
Oh and yea when I was done, I was also lucky enough to sweep the floors, since I managed to get them *slightly* wet:lol:

Puh I'm DONEEEEE

PS What surprised me positively thou I added 1 Corkscrew Vallis around Christmas, I already have well over a dozen runners there ~YAY~ but my 55g is seriously FULL with plants now; unless I start attaching runners to the DW now, there's no room to go anywhere any more:-?
 
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#2 ·
Urgh, I hear you. Zebra danios have almost had me in tears before trying to catch them. I finally got a plastic pitcher (like for drinks) and was able to chase them in there and get them out. Only took me an hour of frustration to come up with that strategy :-?
 
#3 ·
Urgh, I hear you. Zebra danios have almost had me in tears before trying to catch them. I finally got a plastic pitcher (like for drinks) and was able to chase them in there and get them out. Only took me an hour of frustration to come up with that strategy :-?
LOL, I have one lone zebra danio swimming around in my display tank. He'll be there until the day he dies as I'm not about to break down the tank to catch him. He looks rather silly in there, surrounded by big fish.

Angel079, I'm glad you had a productive day! :)
 
#4 ·
Doesn't work for every species, but you can try making fish traps. Take a regular clear water bottle. Cut the top 1/3rd of the bottle off. Unscrew the lid and insert the bottle top into the rest of the bottle lid-side down. Stick some of your fish's favorite food in there and submerge it. The fish will smell the food and swim through the hole to get to it but due to the shape they won't be able to figure out how to escape (not quickly, anyway).

I've used this method to catch krib fry before when I didn't feel like pulling all of the decor out of the tank.

Kym, that danio is still in there?!?!?! I can't believe the pictus hasn't eaten him by now, haha.
 
#7 ·
what a day!!! reminds me of my saturday when i swapped all my gravel and rescaped my whole tank....i had to catch 5 serpae tetras and a bunch of neon tetras....it was hell....I could think of worse days though.....

btw, did anyone else notice the other "JohnnyD" on the forum......???? wth??? haha
 
#9 ·
I'm only allowed to dream and drool at S/W tanks....I know next to nothing about them and will not have the room for one until we buy a house!

on a brighter side, I found some cheap driftwood and it's on it's way!!!

I'm updating my plant build as we speak...
 
#30 ·
I'm only allowed to dream and drool at S/W tanks....I know next to nothing about them and will not have the room for one until we buy a house!

on a brighter side, I found some cheap driftwood and it's on it's way!!!

I'm updating my plant build as we speak...
How cheap is the driftwood? I found some online for about $6 for a 12"-18" piece.
 
#10 ·
Well the Rummy or Cory where all right in the net's.....just that I didn't need THEM in there :lol:

@iamntbatman Yea I do the bottle approach with Shrimps for yrs now, works great but these darn CAE are sooooo, I caught dozen Danio's before out of a 55g tank and that was way less hassle in comparison:roll:

@mrdemin - OH yea TOTALLY let me tell ya.....thank god we lve in dry country or I'd have stopped for a drink:lol:

@aunt kymmie Lucky son of a gun right there I'd call him Smarty :)

@JohnnyD44 - What do you mean there's 2 of you here now :shock:

On the up side its sooo nice watching the Rummys swim in their lil group in peace now (they're only 4 right now but also getting stocked up, couldn't find more first time around)
And my Albion Cory - I donno if they go ahold of some crack today or WHAT since I took them CAE out and reworked the plants they're ALL OVER the place darting through the tank left to right darting up top and dart down, they're like a white FLASH in the tank now.....Hyperactive~They have it:lol:
But boy I'll need to think about them plants there in the 45g. They're taking OVER no joke. The 55g is full but at least there's still some room to grow UP, but the 45g is FULL :lol:
 
#11 ·
Too funny (or, er, frustrating)...I've totally uprooted tons of plants trying to catch fish, too. Usually, i'll say, okay, I'm just gonna set this net here and when the fish comes within an inch--BAM!--catch it. But I usually just end up stirring up a bunch of crap and uprooting plants. Luckily I won't be doing that for a while.

Your back must be killing after putting all those plants back in. Not to mention hauling buckets of water around, etc. Take that drink girl. We won't tell anyone!
 
#12 ·
I got an idea for your plant dilemma! Give me some ;) For real, I'll buy some from you.
 
#15 ·
Angel - i am sorry... i really am.. but i laughed so hard when i read this i had to stop and run to the little office ;-). LOL... used to be i would tear it all apart to get the fish every time i would re scape or something now i just got really RRRRRRRReaeeeaaaaaaallllllyyyyyyy good at netting... some times its more about being slow and using a gental motion than trying to make a whirl pool ...LOL :tease::rofl:
 
#17 ·
The buckets aren't so bad...just that I'm too short for the 55g (wrong planning building the stand there lol). So up on a ladder, bent over planting half a day, yea I was glad when I was done lol.

I'll let the tanks grow out a few more weeks and then I'll sort through the plants/ trim them etc and will post in the classifieds here; if my old brain remember's Kelso I'll PM you first what I got (I just turned 30, cut me some slack lol)

@Kym...that's the good ole fashion country way out here....don't ask me why, I actually thought for SURE my hubby was kidding when we moved here and told me that. I do honestly enjoy my occasional glass of wine....

Bearwithfish...I was moving slow...THAT was the problem with the speedy lightning style CAE's LOL they were too fast for me

Lisa...you're VERY sneaky....that's like military grade right there - Attack while the enemy don't see ya :)
 
#18 ·
Sorry, I've also just had a giggle at this thread! My cherry barbs are impossible to catch, looks like they're staying where they are for the time being, and they're only in a 64l! I also had a problem catching my bn catfish so put a small glass jar with an algae wafer in the tank and (once all the guppies had had their fill!) I was able to scoop him up. I didn't realise how fast those things could move when they wanna!!
 
#19 ·
Well if I can make so many folks giggle - Then it was worth while the busy day yesterday :)
 
#20 ·
Ugh! I hate that kind of situation. I really hate to mess tanks up too and don't like to have to chase fish and stress them out. That is one reason why I have considered not doing live plants. I would think it is even more stressful to mess them up and to get them back in. What is a DW?
 
#21 ·
DW - Driftwood
I love my planted tanks, would never give them up. And I mean let's face it I had brought the mess upon myself with the fish I gotten, then decided on a overall stock AFTER the fact and then realized THAT mix wouldn't gonna cut it long run in the tank - My fault so I had to 'pay' for it with the work.
 
#22 ·
Duh, now why did I not think of that. I learned all the abbreviations on the candle board but still have some to learn here. LOL

Did you take some fish to the LFS to replace the kind of fish later on or did you just need to lesson the stock? I need to reread your post again. :)
 
#24 ·
:lol: I really have no stock to speak of in the 45 & 55g right now.
No I brought back the serpae tetra - they didn't play well with the Rummy's and my Rummy's are a must stay (and stock up). The CAE is Chinese Algae eaters, which have been doing OK but I was worried over long term behavior there and while I brought the others back I just pack them up too.
On the 45g I wanna get more Rummy's, Cardinals, Emporer and Hachetfish (and I got y Albion Cory).
The 55g currently got 2 Kissing Gourami and will get Cherry Barbs....how many I donno yet and what else I donno yet neither:lol:
 
#25 ·
That's the kind of algae eaters I had when I was a kid.......Chinese Algae eaters! How could I forget that! Right when I read it, it triggered my memory.

I have never had a Rummy Nose but have seen them and they are nice looking. Are they some of your favorites? Sounds like fun stocking! I can't wait to stock. I already have a vision of another tank down the road but not sure how I will break that to my husband. :roll:
 
#26 ·
Oh I love the rummy's. I wasn't too sure at first cause they looked pretty blah in the stores I seen them, but sure enough I got to 1 store, all they had was 4, so I got all 4 and with some good homey Angel's diet and water, took them a week if not less to REALLY pop in coloration and perk up. If you look in my Aquarium log under New 45g - The 4th picture is the gang - I love them and now I gotta try find more to make a nice & large group.
I donno it would be tough to make a decision between Rummys, Cardinals and Emperor ...they're all pretty cute on their own.

Oh don't worry Hun, I started with one 10g from a divorce case many yrs ago from friends.....I'm not even gonna post how many set up's followed after that....My luck is, hubby loves fish, loves looking at them, loves picking them out at the store (well he's more of the 1 of this 1 of this....so he's not really allowed to buy) but he don't wanna get involved in the "complicated chemistry & cleaning" as he puts it.
He doesn't necessarily share the hobby, but enjoys it and tolerates it - And he has his lat. names for every one like "Sucky" (aka Plecos) and "Agents" (aka Shrimp)....you get the picture :)
 
#27 ·
That is a nice looking tank. I saw a lot of Rummy's at Petsmart and I liked their look. I can see why you are partial to them. I like the Emperor's a lot as well. Never had one but really like the look of them.

That is great that your husband is behind you on your fish addiction. I think my husband likes fish tanks the most when they are new. He said after awhile you don't notice it anymore. I laughed when he said that. That is because he does not have the same interest as me and does not spend time on it or create it or stands there and gazes at it. I even drive me kids nuts when I stare into my daugher's tank that does not even have fish in it now. LOL They think I am weird.



Oh I love the rummy's. I wasn't too sure at first cause they looked pretty blah in the stores I seen them, but sure enough I got to 1 store, all they had was 4, so I got all 4 and with some good homey Angel's diet and water, took them a week if not less to REALLY pop in coloration and perk up. If you look in my Aquarium log under New 45g - The 4th picture is the gang - I love them and now I gotta try find more to make a nice & large group.
I donno it would be tough to make a decision between Rummys, Cardinals and Emperor ...they're all pretty cute on their own.

Oh don't worry Hun, I started with one 10g from a divorce case many yrs ago from friends.....I'm not even gonna post how many set up's followed after that....My luck is, hubby loves fish, loves looking at them, loves picking them out at the store (well he's more of the 1 of this 1 of this....so he's not really allowed to buy) but he don't wanna get involved in the "complicated chemistry & cleaning" as he puts it.
He doesn't necessarily share the hobby, but enjoys it and tolerates it - And he has his lat. names for every one like "Sucky" (aka Plecos) and "Agents" (aka Shrimp)....you get the picture :)
 
#28 ·
Hey just be glad he's not against it...I know people that are addicted would die to set up another tank and the significant other just right out prohibits it, don't want any fish - That's a living nightmare right there
 
#29 ·
Ha, I am also lucky in that my boyfriend loves the fish and will happily come with me to numerous pet stores just to look at them! He doesn't get involved in the 'chemistry and cleaning' either but he listens to my fish babble enough to know a bit about them and when there was a fishy emergency a couple weeks back whilst I was at work he even proved that he listens by managing to get them all into the other tanks with compatible tank mates and separating the male betta from the other fish in a breeding box etc, I was very impressed lol!
 
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