Help Capturing Pleco

[SLIM]

Any advice on how to catch a pleco in a heavily planted tank?

Well its 2 plecos really.

There common plecs and they need to be rehomed before they get too big, plus im getting some shrimp sent to me in a couple of days and i dont want the plecs to munch em all up.
My problem is, as soon as i put the net in they disappear into plants.
iv tried tricking them out with a bit of cucumber but their just too quick for me and my net lol
Any help or tatics appreciated lol

I know im not supposed to do this here, but if anybody can offer a good home for them, your welcome to them free. Pick up only.
They are only about 12cm at the mo and very healthy.
Of course this is assuming i catch them of course lol

 

[catfish4ever]

Pleco's do not eat shrimp i had y 8" incher with cherries and they didn't touch em.

 

[soybean]

I think I read once somewhere that someone had luck using a large clear tupperware container and sort of creeping up on them along the bottom, putting it over the fish and sliding the lid underneath, tipping it in.

Try coming at them with two nets - one to herd and one to catch.

 

[catfish4ever]

first of all you need two large nets and try to scare them away into the other net, works great!

 

[Proxo]

first of all you need two large nets and try to scare them away into the other net, works great!

Plecs & some catfish can actually get stuck in a net, it happened to me once.. i had to cut the net and snip away at the bit stuck to the plec, lucky for me the catfish was 'hand friendly' lol.
Although i've used a net fine a few times, wouldn't recommend it though.

I've heard people using a towel, pillow case.. I've used a 2 litre coke bottle with the top cut off to catch a plec before too..

 

[Louiseness]

I've read about people catching wiggly fish like knife fish and so forth by using a bit of plastic pipe. They hide in the pipe, you cover the ends and scoop the whole thing out.

 

[Fishy friend2]

I've read about people catching wiggly fish like knife fish and so forth by using a bit of plastic pipe. They hide in the pipe, you cover the ends and scoop the whole thing out.

Good idea

 

[catfish4ever]

first of all you need two large nets and try to scare them away into the other net, works great!

Plecs & some catfish can actually get stuck in a net, it happened to me once.. i had to cut the net and snip away at the bit stuck to the plec, lucky for me the catfish was 'hand friendly' lol.
Although i've used a net fine a few times, wouldn't recommend it though.

I've heard people using a towel, pillow case.. I've used a 2 litre coke bottle with the top cut off to catch a plec before too..

This happens to fish with spiky fins like pictus. plecos dont have spiky fins

 

[chishnfips]

Hook and a line......

It was Joke only a joke.....

dont beat me up...

lol.

Plecs are pretty easy to catch, they are quite docile. I would try the plastic tub technique or a few times I waited until they had sucked onto bog wood then I just lifted out the wood, simple, no stress no hassle no mess.

 

[catfish4ever]

Hook and a line......

It was Joke only a joke.....

dont beat me up...

lol.

Plecs are pretty easy to catch, they are quite docile. I would try the plastic tub technique or a few times I waited until they had sucked onto bog wood then I just lifted out the wood, simple, no stress no hassle no mess.

Except they swim away!

 

[lilfishie]

a clear bottle works a treat! place food in it leave them to go in (leave the lid off) sneak up and net the open end

 

[chishnfips]

Hook and a line......

It was Joke only a joke.....

dont beat me up...

lol.

Plecs are pretty easy to catch, they are quite docile. I would try the plastic tub technique or a few times I waited until they had sucked onto bog wood then I just lifted out the wood, simple, no stress no hassle no mess.

Except they swim away!

lol yes sometimes, true.

 

[sarah40011]

+1 for the bottle trap. a bit of string around the neck so when hes in you can bring it up

 

[fluttermoth]

This happens to fish with spiky fins like pictus. plecos dont have spiky fins

Plecs are really spikey; especially round the head, pectoral fins and down the body.

A piece of pipe or a large container (I use the canister from an old external filter that I've kept specially for catching spikey fish) is better than a net.

 

[SLIM]

Bottle trap definately sounds like the best option so far.
Iv just got one out with just the net YAY now the lights have gone off they seem to be less jumpy and easier to catch. The second plec tho seems to have dissappeared into the plants. Its now a waiting game. If i dont get him tonight with the net then its definately the bottle trap me thinks.
Thanks for all the great ideas. Keep em coming