# safe and easy way to catch plecos?



## Madhav (28 Mar 2017)

Any easy and safe way to catch bristlenose Plecos?
I have 3 in my 5 ft tank, about 6" long, grown from 2" to this size in an year, hard to give them away but they are making the tank water dirty and uprooting my plants. my tank is planted with lot of hiding spots.
Any idea how to deal with ada soil and plecos?


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## zozo (28 Mar 2017)

If netting isn't an option, try to build a trap large enough to fit one and catch them one by one.. Those large PET bottle might do.

this is the idea



 

Obviously a 6" fish doesn't fit in a 0.5 litre bottle.. So you need to size it accordingly.. But the trap principle stays the same.. Maybe a 2 litre Coke bottle? 
Only thing is you need to cut off the screw cap and make that hole bigger. Make sure there are no sharp edges inside the trap.. If the fish freaks out in there and cuts itself it will be fatal..


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## roadmaster (28 Mar 2017)

Bristle nose did NOT grow from two inches to six inches in a year as has been stated. (been feeding/ raising/trading them for a few year's).
Are you certain it is not common pleco(s)?
In any event,the Bottle trap is how I catch the long finned albino bristle nose pleco's,shrimp.cory's,loaches.
Just need a bottle with opening large enough for the fishes head to enter.
Would advise poking some holes half way up from the bottom of the bottle if left in the tank overnight which is what I do.
The holes will help keep oxygen level's inside the trap from dropping to level's that could kill the fishes  before trap is removed ,and  poking the holes half way up from the bottom will allow the fishes to remain in water when you remove the trap.
I then pour the fish from the trap into Tupperware tub and net out those I plant to sell/trade, and return the other's.
I bait the bottle trap with Hikari sinking wafer's,or New like spectrum pellet's for larger fish which hold their shape longer, and do not dissolve as fast as some other food's.


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## Madhav (29 Mar 2017)

@roadmaster, 
I may be wrong, just mentioned as those were given to me as bristlenose.
Thanks for detailed reply, will follow this.

@zozo 
Thanks for reply, will do it.


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## Madhav (29 Mar 2017)

Any idea what is this? but this is not the one grown big


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## roadmaster (29 Mar 2017)

Many species of pleco's but best guess from photo would be  Pterygoplichthys pardalis.
Could easily grow  at the rate mentioned .


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## dw1305 (29 Mar 2017)

Hi all, 





roadmaster said:


> Many species of pleco's but best guess from photo would be Pterygoplichthys pardalis.


My guess as well. If you can see the belly of the fish it should be patterned and the dorsal fin should have more than 10 rays.  

Have a look at <"PlanetCatfish:_Pterygoplichthys_ _pardalis_....."> 

cheers Darrel


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