Quote:
Originally posted by Luis A M
JHardman,how you catch and count a large number of fish being packed for sale?(and returning those not big enough)
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Good question!
I use 10g tanks for growout. I keep basically three types of tanks...
1) For fish that are ready for sale, i.e. size, color, species, misbar or regular.
2) For fish that are not ready for sale. These are for the most part community tanks that I keep multiple species in at a time and only include or exclude based on size or very bad aggression.
3) Mutt tank, this is were runts, deformed, picked on fish go. Some make it out, some don't.
So when I ready to fill a order I remove the stand pipe, cap off the bulkhead after draining about 1/2 the water, remove hiding places and air line. Then I use a large specimen container and herd a hand full into it. Then I drain a part of the water out of the container so that the fish are force closely together, this really helps keep them calm, schooling instinct I guess. Then very gently and slowly I scoop a fish out at a time holding them between my thumb and fingers. Being touched on both sides at once, even if they are out of water generally keeps them calm. I give each fish a final inspection (as they already got when they went to the "ready" tank), if the fish passes then they get plopped into a temp container, if not into the "mutt" tank. I keep one of those little "click with your thumb" counters to keep track of how many I have sorted out. From the temp container depending on if they are going long distance or locally they either get bagged in breathing bags or a plastic bottle with a battery powered air stone in it and then off to the store.
A couple of notes about the above...
1) I would not recommend handling fish by hand with anything but your own fry. Adult fish generally do not take well to it at all.
2) I am VERY VERY careful not to hurt the fish and try very hard to keep them calm during all this. I want these fish to see people and the things they do are not harmful, painful or scary in any way.
3) I keep my hands very clean and do not worry about contaminating the tank or the fish.
4) I do not waste time, this is a fairly quick process once the fish is in my hand, if the fish is in my hand, out of the water for more than 30 seconds, something is very wrong...