Chemical To Temporarily Dull Fish Senses?.please Don't Slam Me&#33

[daddySEAL]

OK, here goes my reason.
I have had freshwater tropical fish for years....but now am guilty of a basic fishkeeping error...Very Stupid of me!
I have a number of 125 gallon tanks. They are all hugely filtered WAY passed required capacity with numerous large bio-wheel filters that cycle all water in each tank completely every 10 minutes.

My mistake is that one tank is not quite able to keep up with the bio-waste from the large number of large fish in it.
I've made the bad error of not realizing how fast and large these 20 fish (among other smaller fish) would grow. And am pushing hard at the 1" of fish per gallon of tank size.

I NEED to move about 10 of them over to a near empty other 125gal tank...but the fish in question are all VERY Hyper, Very skitish...and Fast LEAPERS!!! (A large 8" Redtailed Shark....8 Bala(Silver) Sharks, about 8' each....12 Silver Dollar fish, each currently about 4 1/2" long, and others)

Every time I slowly approach the tank to feed or any reason....they literally FLY frantically around the tank. There is a Huge amount of tall thick plants for cover...but they still FREAK OUT!

I'm hoping for something to temporarily Mellow them out while I net them(and the other large fish in the tank) for transfere.
Is there such a chemical, Please? This is a Last Resort, before huge fish leap all over the living room during the "partially open" tank process.

I DON"T want to stun them...just dull their fright a little until the transfer is completed.
I know that IF there is such a thing the dosage would be VERY critical and I would err on the side if fish safely in amount used.

But PLEASE...can Anyone here answer and help me with this, Please??

 

[minxfishy]

The only thing I can think of is clove oil, which is used as a method of euthanizing, now obviously you would only want the lowest dose possible, but Im not too sure this is a good way of doing it.

 

[DiscusKeeper403]

The only thing I can think of is clove oil, which is used as a method of euthanizing, now obviously you would only want the lowest dose possible, but Im not too sure this is a good way of doing it.

Yeah I would have to say the same thing. If you move fast they should revive pretty quickly once in the new tank with fresh water.


Unfortunately there isn't anything that is just going to "dull" them up. Clove oil with put them under.

 

[Honeythorn]

Perhaps turning the lights off would help? Also if the tanks are on hard flooring your footfall vibrations may be more easily felt then if the tank stands were on carpet?

 

[daddySEAL]

Perhaps turning the lights off would help? Also if the tanks are on hard flooring your footfall vibrations may be more easily felt then if the tank stands were on carpet?

Thank you, Honeythorn.
My tanks are on carpeted concrete floors.

I already knew that very low light is the best time to do this....but they still freak out with the lights off, if I just approach the tank!


And Guys...about the Clove Oil. Does that "oil" dissolve in water?
What amount would be an "underdose" for a 125 gal. tank....with many small Congo Tetra and Rosy Barbs in there too?

HELP!...I need to do this soon. Daily 1/4 water changes are a hassle!

 

[minxfishy]

I dont know what dosage would be good for that size tank and those fish that dont need to be moved, really dont need to be 'dulled' so removing them first to a bucket would be better for them.

To be really honest, I would hesitant to do it at all, it would be best to bite the bullet, put on some clothes that can get wet, lots of towels around and some large nets and just quickly and quietly catch them and transfer them immediately to the new tank.

 

[Inchworm]

To be really honest, I would hesitant to do it at all, it would be best to bite the bullet, put on some clothes that can get wet, lots of towels around and some large nets and just quickly and quietly catch them and transfer them immediately to the new tank.

I agree with minxfishy. If one of them does get away from you, be sure your hands are wet before you pick it up. Oh, and if you have a cat, make sure it's in another room.

 

[jess6905]

do you have any sort of divider that you could herd them into so they dont have as much space to run away from you?? if you could do that then just keep a towel over the top so they cant jump out as you try to net them. you could even do it during a water change to lower the water level a bit. to me that would be the easiest and safest solution might just be me though..... good luck

 

[Honeythorn]

And using a pair of nets is also a good idea

 

[rdd1952]

Most answers I could give have already been given but I think a combination of all would work.

1. Lower the water level to about 50%, Less chance of them jumping out and less room for them to maneuver to escape. You will basically be doing a 50% WC on the tank. You could actually move the water removed to their new tank to help with acclimation. They would be going back into the water they just came out of. When you finish filling it, once again, it's basically a 50% WC.
2. Put in a divider in the middle of the tank. It really doesn't matter which side the fish are on and there can be some on each side. You're just trying to reduce the space they have to escape. Once it's in, you could possibly even slide it towar the end, limiting their space even more . With plants though, sliding it probably isn't an option
3. Use 2 large nets. One to herd them with and the other to catch them. You may even try herding them into a smaller bucket rather than a net to help prevent loss of slime coat. That may be easier said than done though as a bucket is much more difficult to move in the water.

I would have the tank ready to go and simply take them directly to the new tank as soon as you netted them. Don't bother witha bucket or anything like that in the middle. Of course, you will need something on the floor between the tanks to prevent gettng the carpet wet as you carry them over.

Obviously, it's going to be stressful and the quicker you can get them caught and moved, the better. It will only be a temporary stress situation for them and they should recover fine. This would definitely be easiest accomplished as a 2 or 3 person job (3 or 4 nets maybe). One person will have a hard time catching them.

 

[daddySEAL]

Thanks All,
I'll forget about the chemical thing.
(never wanted to do that except as an absolute last resort)

Yes, it will be a 2 person operation.
The two tanks are very similar chemically and in temperature.

I have a net BIG enough for a pond that I use in that tank....and a regular sized large net too, Thank you.

I like the 50% water change timing idea. I think that will be important to give "the freaked-out JUMPERS" less water to get up to speed and make the distance farther to jump. Thank you.

I also like the divider idea. But I don't own one for tanks that size.
Do they make them OPAQUE, Sem-Opaque or smokey colored one ?.....So fish in the side I'm not chasing fish won't see and freaking???
THAT would definitely make this doable !!

dS

 

[minxfishy]

Good luck, let us know how you get on

 

[daddySEAL]

Good luck, let us know how you get on

I will....but I am VERY interested in the semi-opaque divider help....and am trying to figure out what material (plexiglass only comes clear in my area) that I could use for that.
With 50% empty tank that is divided also, the LEAPERS would have to jump straight up to excape...Very hard to do.

I like it, but need to find inexpensive, non toxic plastic material for this one time use.

dS

 

[rdd1952]

For a divider, you could go to a home improvement store and buy a thin sheet of acrylic or plexiglas and have it cut to the dimensions you need (easier than trying to cut it at home). It isn't very expensive to buy.

 

[daddySEAL]

For a divider, you could go to a home improvement store and buy a thin sheet of acrylic or plexiglas and have it cut to the dimensions you need (easier than trying to cut it at home). It isn't very expensive to buy.

Yes, rdd1952
I've already called them and priced it. About $8, they said.

But I'm really not wanting clear, so the other fish will see what's happening in the netting side...and calm down (somewhat).
Clear (as I mention, is all they sell in my area)

I know someone has some very thin flexible plastic sheeting somewhere. But can't figure out where, or what it would be called.

Any other material ideas, guys?