Proper way to move a fish?

[JeffinMississippi]

No question I am going to have to move my Algae Eater and give him to
someone who can support him, he is getting LARGE. He's close to 7-8 inches
right now in a 20 gal. tank with 8 other fish. So my question is "What is
the proper way to move this fish" without stressing him out too much when I
find a place to put him.

[Koi-lo]

"JeffinMississippi" > wrote in message
...
> No question I am going to have to move my Algae Eater and give him to
> someone who can support him, he is getting LARGE. He's close to 7-8 inches
> right now in a 20 gal. tank with 8 other fish. So my question is "What is
> the proper way to move this fish" without stressing him out too much when
> I
> find a place to put him.
===========================
I move larger fish in either a large plastic bag (you can get from your
local fish store) or those plastic totes from Wal*Mart.
--
Koi-Lo.... frugal ponding since 1995...
Aquariums since 1952
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
Troll Information:
http://tinyurl.com/9zbh
Reading Headers:
http://tinyurl.com/amm9s
~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>

[NetMax]

"JeffinMississippi" > wrote in message
...
> No question I am going to have to move my Algae Eater and give him to
> someone who can support him, he is getting LARGE. He's close to 7-8
> inches
> right now in a 20 gal. tank with 8 other fish. So my question is "What
> is
> the proper way to move this fish" without stressing him out too much
> when I
> find a place to put him.


Plecos have 3 spines, the first hard ray in their dorsal and in each
pectoral fin. These can easily puncture human skin. Their body is also
covered in armoured plating, sometimes with hooks which point backwards.

My technique (which I've practiced several times) is to use gardening
gloves. These large fish can get hopelessly entangled in fish nets.
Remove most of the water, ornaments hiding places etc. Wet the gloves
and then lower them around the fish, directly behind the eyes moving
backwards towards the tail (so that you fold the fins backwards and pin
them to his body). Then lift him into a waiting container. Release the
fish pulling your hands backwards. With practice, the pleco will
sometimes not even protest the move, but after a few minutes in the pail,
they will sometimes raise Cain ;~).

If you are not keen on handling a pleco, then you can also use a square
pail. With the tank emptied and only a few inches of water in the tank,
place the pail inside on its side and let the water pour in. Then you
can corral the pleco inside, tilt the pail upwards and lift. The pail
might even double as your transport. Dark pails work best for this (they
aren't keen about swimming into a white pail, but they will if you're
persistent.

Another alternative (you can see that I've had some practice with this
;~) is to drop the water to almost nothing, and move the tank with the
pleco in it. Plecos do a good job of breathing air, so just keep their
exterior reasonably wet. A sheet of plastic saran-wrap across the top of
the tank will keep his environment humid and keep out any drafts during
the move.

Things NOT to try: plastic shovel, 2 small fish nets, bare hands.

Most anyone who has worked in an LFS would have some practice at handling
big plecs.

In the store, I had three 60g pleco tanks (sailfin gibbiceps, small
common and something else like albinos or golden or medium common), and I
would keep one *BIG* pleco somewhere inside (surrounded by 60 1-1/2" to
2" plecs). We would tell people how big they would get, but numbers
never had as much impact as actually seeing one, and usually people would
not even know the big one was even alive. He would look like a part of
the driftwood (or an entire chunk of driftwood ;~). Then he would move,
and people would jump backwards, realizing it was alive. It was *very*
effective at impressing on customers their potential size (and I sold
lots of bristlenose this way ;~). My understanding is that the common
plec can get to 16", but the biggest I've seen is about 11", and the
biggest I've personally owned (called Batman cause he would glide through
the tank with his fins open) was about 8" long.
--
www.NetMax.tk

[fish lover]

>
>"JeffinMississippi" > wrote in message
...
>> No question I am going to have to move my Algae Eater and give him to
>> someone who can support him, he is getting LARGE. He's close to 7-8 inches
>> right now in a 20 gal. tank with 8 other fish. So my question is "What is
>> the proper way to move this fish" without stressing him out too much when
>> I
>> find a place to put him.
>===========================
>I move larger fish in either a large plastic bag (you can get from your
>local fish store) or those plastic totes from Wal*Mart.
Bags are fine as long as you remember to double bag them since algae
eaters have sharp fins. They can poke holes in the bag and you would
have a fish DOA unless you can drive very fast and not getting in
trouble or a ticket. Make sure you have enough air in the bag too. I
would put some stress coat in the water to easy the stress.

If you live in the north, you may want to keep your car heater up and
running for the trip. I hope you are not talking about long drive.

[Koi-lo]

"fish lover" > wrote in message
...
> >
>>"JeffinMississippi" > wrote in message
...
>>> No question I am going to have to move my Algae Eater and give him to
>>> someone who can support him, he is getting LARGE. He's close to 7-8
>>> inches
>>> right now in a 20 gal. tank with 8 other fish. So my question is "What
>>> is
>>> the proper way to move this fish" without stressing him out too much
>>> when
>>> I
>>> find a place to put him.
>>===========================
>>I move larger fish in either a large plastic bag (you can get from your
>>local fish store) or those plastic totes from Wal*Mart.
> Bags are fine as long as you remember to double bag them since algae
> eaters have sharp fins. They can poke holes in the bag and you would
> have a fish DOA unless you can drive very fast and not getting in
> trouble or a ticket. Make sure you have enough air in the bag too. I
> would put some stress coat in the water to easy the stress.
>
> If you live in the north, you may want to keep your car heater up and
> running for the trip. I hope you are not talking about long drive.
=======================
At this time when I have fish to deliver in the nearby city I use a covered
(but not sealed) Wal*Mart tote with 2 battery powered aerators. No gasping
even on the hottest day. The point about sharp fins is appreciated.
--
Koi-Lo.... frugal ponding since 1995...
Aquariums since 1952
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
Troll Information:
http://tinyurl.com/9zbh
Reading Headers:
http://tinyurl.com/amm9s
~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>

[Gill Passman]

NetMax wrote:
> "JeffinMississippi" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>No question I am going to have to move my Algae Eater and give him to
>>someone who can support him, he is getting LARGE. He's close to 7-8
>>inches
>>right now in a 20 gal. tank with 8 other fish. So my question is "What
>>is
>>the proper way to move this fish" without stressing him out too much
>>when I
>>find a place to put him.
>
>
>
> Plecos have 3 spines, the first hard ray in their dorsal and in each
> pectoral fin. These can easily puncture human skin. Their body is also
> covered in armoured plating, sometimes with hooks which point backwards.
>
> My technique (which I've practiced several times) is to use gardening
> gloves. These large fish can get hopelessly entangled in fish nets.
> Remove most of the water, ornaments hiding places etc. Wet the gloves
> and then lower them around the fish, directly behind the eyes moving
> backwards towards the tail (so that you fold the fins backwards and pin
> them to his body). Then lift him into a waiting container. Release the
> fish pulling your hands backwards. With practice, the pleco will
> sometimes not even protest the move, but after a few minutes in the pail,
> they will sometimes raise Cain ;~).
>
> If you are not keen on handling a pleco, then you can also use a square
> pail. With the tank emptied and only a few inches of water in the tank,
> place the pail inside on its side and let the water pour in. Then you
> can corral the pleco inside, tilt the pail upwards and lift. The pail
> might even double as your transport. Dark pails work best for this (they
> aren't keen about swimming into a white pail, but they will if you're
> persistent.
>
> Another alternative (you can see that I've had some practice with this
> ;~) is to drop the water to almost nothing, and move the tank with the
> pleco in it. Plecos do a good job of breathing air, so just keep their
> exterior reasonably wet. A sheet of plastic saran-wrap across the top of
> the tank will keep his environment humid and keep out any drafts during
> the move.
>
> Things NOT to try: plastic shovel, 2 small fish nets, bare hands.
>
> Most anyone who has worked in an LFS would have some practice at handling
> big plecs.
>
> In the store, I had three 60g pleco tanks (sailfin gibbiceps, small
> common and something else like albinos or golden or medium common), and I
> would keep one *BIG* pleco somewhere inside (surrounded by 60 1-1/2" to
> 2" plecs). We would tell people how big they would get, but numbers
> never had as much impact as actually seeing one, and usually people would
> not even know the big one was even alive. He would look like a part of
> the driftwood (or an entire chunk of driftwood ;~). Then he would move,
> and people would jump backwards, realizing it was alive. It was *very*
> effective at impressing on customers their potential size (and I sold
> lots of bristlenose this way ;~). My understanding is that the common
> plec can get to 16", but the biggest I've seen is about 11", and the
> biggest I've personally owned (called Batman cause he would glide through
> the tank with his fins open) was about 8" long.

So how would you move a Plec that stubbornly embeds himself into his
driftwood hollow?

Mine, rarely comes out except for his Tab in the morning and his night
time roamings and not at all if he thinks anyone is watching. I've tried
moving the driftwood once before out of the water but he scurried back
to and jumped back in even though it was almost all out of the water...

At the moment the only thing I can think of is a big bucket and putting
Plec and log in it together and moving them to the new tank together...

Thanks
Gill

[Koi-Lo]

"Gill Passman" > wrote in message
.. .
> So how would you move a Plec that stubbornly embeds himself into his
> driftwood hollow?
>
> Mine, rarely comes out except for his Tab in the morning and his night
> time roamings and not at all if he thinks anyone is watching. I've tried
> moving the driftwood once before out of the water but he scurried back to
> and jumped back in even though it was almost all out of the water...
>
> At the moment the only thing I can think of is a big bucket and putting
> Plec and log in it together and moving them to the new tank together...
===========================
That would be the safest way, or do some sawing on the log to open the hole
larger. They way you can remove him by hand if necessary.
--

Koi-Lo.... frugal ponding since 1995...
Aquariums since 1952
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
Troll Information:
http://tinyurl.com/9zbh
~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>

[Gill Passman]

Koi-Lo wrote:
>
> "Gill Passman" > wrote in message
> .. .
>
>> So how would you move a Plec that stubbornly embeds himself into his
>> driftwood hollow?
>>
>> Mine, rarely comes out except for his Tab in the morning and his night
>> time roamings and not at all if he thinks anyone is watching. I've tried
>> moving the driftwood once before out of the water but he scurried back to
>> and jumped back in even though it was almost all out of the water...
>>
>> At the moment the only thing I can think of is a big bucket and putting
>> Plec and log in it together and moving them to the new tank together...
>
> ===========================
> That would be the safest way, or do some sawing on the log to open the hole
> larger. They way you can remove him by hand if necessary.

Wouldn't really fancy getting a saw to a log that contained a live
Plec...woodwork isn't my strong point...

Gill

[Koi-Lo]

"Gill Passman" > wrote in message
.. .
>> "Gill Passman" > wrote in message
>> .. .
>> That would be the safest way, or do some sawing on the log to open the
>> hole
>> larger. They way you can remove him by hand if necessary.
>
> Wouldn't really fancy getting a saw to a log that contained a live
> Plec...woodwork isn't my strong point...
======================
LOL!!! I didn't mean with him in the log! :-D
--

Koi-Lo.... frugal ponding since 1995...
Aquariums since 1952
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>

[Gill Passman]

Koi-Lo wrote:
>
> "Gill Passman" > wrote in message
> .. .
>
>>> "Gill Passman" > wrote in message
>>> .. .
>>> That would be the safest way, or do some sawing on the log to open
>>> the hole
>>> larger. They way you can remove him by hand if necessary.
>>
>>
>> Wouldn't really fancy getting a saw to a log that contained a live
>> Plec...woodwork isn't my strong point...
>
> ======================
> LOL!!! I didn't mean with him in the log! :-D

Yeah, I sort of guessed that but couldn't resist :-)....the point is I
can't get him to vacate it...I lifted it 90% out of the water once to
try and get it out to create an escape route for my silly Clowns that
had a tendency to go in there when he was out and about and then got
stuck in the morning...Mr Plec was immediately on the case and dived in
when it was that far out of the water....a fish that truly knows what he
wants and how to keep it :-)

Love him to bits...even though he cost me more than any other fish
(apart from the Snowball Plec)- they are L number critters....and I
never see much more than his bottom poking out of his beloved hollow...

Gill

[Koi-Lo]

"Gill Passman" > wrote in message
.. .
> Love him to bits...even though he cost me more than any other fish (apart
> from the Snowball Plec)- they are L number critters....and I never see
> much more than his bottom poking out of his beloved hollow...
=====================
These little critters can sure grow on us, like a wart in fact. I think
tomorrow I'm going to go back to the store and buy those little Plecs I saw.
I couldn't find one decent healthy algae eater today. There was one mini
plec (forget what he called it) for $10 but it was small enough for my
biggest GF to eat, and they will eat other fish. Problem is those with the
spiked fins don't go down too well.... as I learned to my great sorrow some
years ago. I know it'll break my heart when they reach a size where I have
to trade them in but it looks like I have no choice.
--
Koi-Lo.... frugal ponding since 1995...
Aquariums since 1952
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>

[jabriol]

Koi-lo wrote:
> "JeffinMississippi" > wrote in message
> ...
> > No question I am going to have to move my Algae Eater and give him to
> > someone who can support him, he is getting LARGE. He's close to 7-8 inches
> > right now in a 20 gal. tank with 8 other fish. So my question is "What is
> > the proper way to move this fish" without stressing him out too much when
> > I
> > find a place to put him.
> ===========================
> I move larger fish in either a large plastic bag (you can get from your
> local fish store) or those plastic totes from Wal*Mart.
> --
> Koi-Lo.... frugal ponding since 1995...
>

Carolyn Adamo Gulley
3245 North Lamar Road Mount Juliet TN 37122-7806
Phone 615-459-9345

has been caught in various vicious lies!
Before plaguing ARJW with her nonsense, she use to plague the Health NG
do a google search on Yarrow / windsong / Carol for more details.

http://tinyurl.com/99azt
http://tinyurl.com/87ow4
http://tinyurl.com/d6t5m
http://tinyurl.com/aheek
http://tinyurl.com/ck97r
http://tinyurl.com/cm3dp
http://tinyurl.com/8bscg
http://tinyurl.com/7epdg
http://tinyurl.com/bya3z
When she is best by a man she accuse him of stalking

http://tinyurl.com/8wryt


Before you reply, you may want to ask her a few things or only one.
_Where does she get her information?
_Can her information be verified?
_Is the information up to date?

[[email protected]]

Koi-lo wrote:> =======================
> At this time when I have fish to deliver in the nearby city I use a covered
> (but not sealed) Wal*Mart tote with 2 battery powered aerators. No gasping
> even on the hottest day.

lies....


The point about sharp fins is appreciated.
> --


because you forgot to cut an paste that part from the website.


Carolyn Adamo Gulley
3245 North Lamar Road Mount Juliet TN 37122-7806
Phone 615-459-9345

has been caught in various vicious lies!
Before plaguing ARJW with her nonsense, she use to plague the Health NG
do a google search on Yarrow / windsong / Carol for more details.

http://tinyurl.com/99azt
http://tinyurl.com/87ow4
http://tinyurl.com/d6t5m
http://tinyurl.com/aheek
http://tinyurl.com/ck97r
http://tinyurl.com/cm3dp
http://tinyurl.com/8bscg
http://tinyurl.com/7epdg
http://tinyurl.com/bya3z
When she is best by a man she accuse him of stalking

http://tinyurl.com/8wryt


Before you reply, you may want to ask her a few things or only one.
_Where does she get her information?
_Can her information be verified?
_Is the information up to date?