Removing Goby techniques?

[kodock]

Has anyone have a successful technique of getting a goby out of their tank, without breaking it down and removing all the rock? He wasn’t interested in the bottle method. My tank has a lot of room for him to dart around.

I almost had him cornered last night… he lightning bolted to the top, flung water into my face and eye area (sending my health anxiety on a spiral), and flying fished 4ft out of water to the other side. I think the splash wash personal.. I wasn’t even over the tank, my head was at an angle a foot or so away.

It’s a diamond goby, about 3” long, he is hyperaware an lightning fast.

 

[ichthyoid]

Possibly laying a large fish net, or piece of screen type fabric, with string attached to the edges and pray it moves over the middle. When you can then snatch the net up with goby inside it.

Other than something like that, I believe you covered it in your first paragraph ^.

Taking out all the structure is the only sure fire thing that has worked for me. Even then, it took a lot of patience!

 

[kodock]

Possibly laying a large fish net, or piece of screen type fabric, with string attached to the edges and pray it moves over the middle. When you can then snatch the net up with goby inside it.

Other than something like that, I believe you covered it in your first paragraph ^.

Taking out all the structure is the only sure fire thing that has worked for me. Even then, it took a lot of patience!

That’s a great idea! Maybe I can take some mesh and wrap it over some egg crate and make a divider (the width and height on the inside of my tank), corner him on the side that has room and close in on him like a hydraulic press and then net him

 

[project1004]

Drain the tank to almost bare bottom and scoop him up. Probably the safest way to do it without stressing the fish as well. Dump back the water.

 

[kodock]

Drain the tank to almost bare bottom and scoop him up. Probably the safest way to do it without stressing the fish as well. Dump back the water.

I actually just caught him with a 10” net, thank God, got lucky. Back filled all his wholes and then angled a bunch of metal close hangers into them, then more hangers to force him near the net. He’s in the sump, now time to rehome him. It looked like a close hanger fort in there..

 

[project1004]

nice catch!!!

 

[ichthyoid]

That’s a great idea! Maybe I can take some mesh and wrap it over some egg crate and make a divider (the width and height on the inside of my tank), corner him on the side that has room and close in on him like a hydraulic press and then net him

I have also done that exact same thing. It met with limited success trying to catch fast fish. Either way, you have to pull out all of the structure in your tank for it to be effective. Best of luck!