Removing Baby Bristlenoses

[PaulEbs]

Hi,

My pair of bristlenoses have produced 3 generations of miniture versions of themselves, and I think it's time to move the majority to a separate tank. The babies range from 0.5cm to 2cm and seem to be everywhere I look.

Has anyone got any tips on catching a herd of tiny catfish from a bogwood ridden tank with plenty of hiding places?

Thanks,
Paul

 

[Tolak]

Zuccini in a glass jar. When they go in to chow down, remove them jar & all.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

You can syphon them out, its how I tend to do it.

 

[smithrc]

or at a last resort - strip the tank apart.

 

[PaulEbs]

Thanks for your ideas,

Smithrc, my tank is a mature bogwood set up, with bog roots all mingled together which would be an absolute mission to take apart - deffinately a last resort!

Twotankamin, does this method not harm the catfish? What size of syphon would you use?

Tolak, I like this idea the best - will give it a shot tonight, am I right in thinking Zuccini is the American version of a corgette?

Thanks,
Paul

 

[andyj]

cucumber also works a treat

 

[PaulEbs]

The BNs love cucumber, and corgette - just confirming that zuccini was a corgette

 

[PaulEbs]

I have tried coaxing the mini-BNs into a cup with corgette, although this didn't really work as the adults over-threw the cup and ate all the food!

It seems to me that the only conceivable way of removing the majority of them is the syphon [without stripping apart the tank]. Has anyone used this method before? Does it not damage them at all?

Any help on this is greatly appreciated.

Regards,
Paul

 

[dane261]

if you have bog wood in your tank lift it up with the net under and when you have done place it back down where it was



cheers dane

 

[Tolak]

I siphon angel & cory fry all the time, I have 3 small tanks to do that with later today. It doesn't damage them at all, it's hard to tell if it disorients them, as they are going from a 2.5 gallon to a 20 or 29 gallon. That in itself may confuse them a bit, but there is no higher losses after the siphon move than any other time.

 

[PaulEbs]

The net under the bogwood sounds like a good idea, although I have anubias that joins the majority of the bits together - so unless I cut the plant I would have to lift the whole lot out.

These aren't fry anymore, they range from 0.5cm to 2.5cm - would syphoning them at this size be okay?

Regards,
Paul

 

[smithrc]

The net under the bogwood sounds like a good idea, although I have anubias that joins the majority of the bits together - so unless I cut the plant I would have to lift the whole lot out.

These aren't fry anymore, they range from 0.5cm to 2.5cm - would syphoning them at this size be okay?

Regards,
Paul

You'll need a bigger hose - but the theory is still sound.

 

[cahnnarel]

To throw another idea in - a turkey baster!! Haven't tried this yet - my bristlenoses have literally just had their first lot in the last few days, but i have a book on bristlenoses that I bought a while back..anyway, reading up on it last night, they suggest a turkey baster. Sounds like it might be a gentler option ..

 

[Hero]

To throw another idea in - a turkey baster!! Haven't tried this yet - my bristlenoses have literally just had their first lot in the last few days, but i have a book on bristlenoses that I bought a while back..anyway, reading up on it last night, they suggest a turkey baster. Sounds like it might be a gentler option ..

At .5 - 2.5 cm I think not...

 

[tophat665]

To throw another idea in - a turkey baster!! Haven't tried this yet - my bristlenoses have literally just had their first lot in the last few days, but i have a book on bristlenoses that I bought a while back..anyway, reading up on it last night, they suggest a turkey baster. Sounds like it might be a gentler option ..

My pair of BNs just threw a litter for the first time. The Fry are between 1/4 and 1/2" long (probably 1cm or thereabouts). I've been pulling them out to my grow out tank with a turkey baster. Seems to work fine. I've only seen 8 so far, though. Should work OK up to about 1.5cm, and after that, nets, traps, or siphoning are going to be the options.