Help Coaxing Raphael Cats Out of Their Hidey-Holes

[DirtyPaws949]

Hi folks.

I want to remove a large resin decoration (death trap) from my 75gal. I don’t like unnatural decor, and this is the last piece I have in ALL my 7 tanks rofl. I’ve had fish get stuck in them before, the faded color is ugly, and it’s bulky.

the problem is, the Raphael cats just LOVE wedging into the nooks and crannies, and last time I tried to remove the piece, the larger one didn’t budge even after 30 mins (and since then I’ve added a
I thought about propping it up closer to the surface so it’s brighter, but then the holes at the bottom would be exposed for them to then go INSIDE the decoration....
they sit it in all the time, and even when they come out to eat, they just snatch food and take it back to their lair.

any ideas? I’m going to replace the resin decor with a large piece of driftwood from my 150gal to give my big cichlids more space, and there’s already a piece in there, so it’s not like they won’t have new hidey-holes.
Thanks

 

[tlindsey]

Hi folks.

I want to remove a large resin decoration (death trap) from my 75gal. I don’t like unnatural decor, and this is the last piece I have in ALL my 7 tanks rofl. I’ve had fish get stuck in them before, the faded color is ugly, and it’s bulky.

the problem is, the Raphael cats just LOVE wedging into the nooks and crannies, and last time I tried to remove the piece, the larger one didn’t budge even after 30 mins (and since then I’ve added a
I thought about propping it up closer to the surface so it’s brighter, but then the holes at the bottom would be exposed for them to then go INSIDE the decoration....
they sit it in all the time, and even when they come out to eat, they just snatch food and take it back to their lair.

any ideas? I’m going to replace the resin decor with a large piece of driftwood from my 150gal to give my big cichlids more space, and there’s already a piece in there, so it’s not like they won’t have new hidey-holes.
Thanks

You could wait at night for them to come out and remove the resin decoration. Throw in something they really like to eat at the opposite side of resin decoration.

 

[jeaninel]

Good luck! I had a heck of a time getting my striped and spotteds out of my fake tree trunk when I had to break down their tank. They absolutely loved that thing! Needless to say, that decor DID NOT go back into the tank.

 

[FESHMAN]

Try dropping some food in the night when everything else is sleeping. They'll come out and that's your chance

 

[The Masked Shadow]

Step 1: Put on super sneaky ninja clothes
Step 2: Grab your super sneaky Plastic Net 3000
Step 3: Make a basket that would fit inside the tank
Step 4: Net the victims with the Plastic Net 3000
Step 5: Put them in the basket
Step 6: Take the decoration out
Step 7: Let the victims out

Excited to see if this plan works

 

[DrownedFishonFire]

Really slow lower the water level slowly that's how I got my cats to agree to get out when they feel water below them they will drop it took me 3 hours to disassemble 75g tank full of plants caves and driftwood to count everyone accounted for. I ended up smashing a cave to make it open ended when one jaguar cat holdout was not complying with my plan and time was running out (work) she figured out after her cave was open to try to get out on her own ?

If you hate the decor that much just smash it open to quicken the process.

 

[fishdance]

I breed spot & stripe Rafael so I'm a bit harsher but I'd take out the ornament with fish and place into a large bucket until it comes out. I usually place ornament half out of water so the fish wriggle out - could take 30 minutes. Don't keep fish body submerged or it will stay.

 

[beau1990]

I'm super leary of this stuff, my first striped Raphael stunted himself in his favorite hide hole

 

[DirtyPaws949]

If you hate the decor that much just smash it open to quicken the process.

that resin is sharp when smashed, and would probably do some damage to the raph. I’m not handy so I wouldn’t be able to control the breakage. Back in the day I had an eclipse catfish get stuck in a decoration... safest way I figured to get him out was cutting off a bit of his fin/spine. His head had turned white from lack and was roughed up, but lived. Rehomed them to someone that had more, since I only had two
???? Precisely why this piece needs to go.

 

[DirtyPaws949]

I breed spot & stripe Rafael so I'm a bit harsher but I'd take out the ornament with fish and place into a large bucket until it comes out. I usually place ornament half out of water so the fish wriggle out - could take 30 minutes. Don't keep fish body submerged or it will stay.

that’s one of the methods I had tried previously. But.. I got worried and kept resubmerging it so he could breath, then worried “maybe he can’t wiggle out at that angle...” ??‍
I’ll retry the method, set the bucket somewhere shady, and I guess just put my foot down til they come out.