How to capture/catch clownfish in a tank

[JHardman]

Since I see so many posts about people having to move their clownfish for whatever reason and I so often see poor or stressful (for the fish and keeper) techniques being tried I thought I would share my techniques for catching and moving clownfish.

First we are smarter than the fish, even though sometimes they make us feel that they are indeed smarter. Since we are smarter than them, we know that clownfish are territorial and we can use this against them.

Using territorial defense response to catch clownfish

Find a clean, clear container that is large enough to hold the fish or pair in question. You can buy clear plastic specimen containers at better stocked LFS or online. These are ideal, but anything that is clear, has a wide opening and is not easily broken will work, the key here is clear.

You will need both hands for the capture. Place the clear container in the tank near the fish. Hold it in place with one hand and use your other hand to herd the fish into the container. Most clownfish if you move slowly and carefully will not flee and can be herded into the container and lifted out of the tank.

If your fish is a runner... Place the container in an open corner of the tank and herd the fish into the corner and container. This is where having a rectangular specimen container is handy, no gaps for escapes.

When you carry or move the fish in the clear container it is a good idea to cover the top and bottom. Scared clownfish tend to jump so having something on top to keep them in the container is nice. Covering the bottom will help to not scare them with suddenly moving floor.

Clownfish sleep, attack at night!

If you are unlucky enough to not only have a runner, but one that is really good at it, you may have to resort to catching them at night when they are asleep. You can either go with the flash light and not light up the tank or you can flip on the tank lights. However if you flip on the lights, the fish are going to wake up, giving you much less time to get the job done than if you just use a flashlight.

Careful not to scare your fish to death with a night time attack! Some species of clownfish are very prone to night time scares and wild runs and jumps that could lead to their death.

Using evil nets!

I do not recommend using nets to catch clownfish. Clownfish are very visual fish with excellent eye sight. Having a large "thing" chasing them around a tank can cause a great deal of stress. I have even seen fish die shortly after netting them. I avoid them and the only ones I own are for straining brine shrimp.

NEVER EVER use a net on a maroon clownfish! Maroons have cheek spines that can easily be caught in the netting and result in very bad, even deadly damage to the fish.