How to catch brooding female?

johnnymax

Dovii
MFK Member
Jun 7, 2019
431
563
105
Southeast, Texas
I have a very hard time catching any of my tilapia in me 75g tank. They are escape artist and they all run together. I have 10 fish in the tank. The only way I can clearly tell which fish have babies in their mouth is at feeding time. They are the ones who are not eating. Any tips on catching the females with eggs in their mouth without destroying they tank and shocking the fish?
I am about to set up a couple of breeding tanks this weekend.
Thanks...
 

johnnymax

Dovii
MFK Member
Jun 7, 2019
431
563
105
Southeast, Texas
Ok, I devised a way to catch one fish out of 10, in a 75g long tank with substrate, rocks and artificial plants. Not to mention a canister and HOB filters.
I thought long and hard on this and when I went to catch the female with a mouth full of eggs it took less than a minute.
Originally, I was going top make a net that was the size of the tank's ends. It would be a dividing wall I could put in the tank and move it toward the end and reduce the area to catch the fish. Then I thought, what about making two rectangle nets the together would make a wall, that I again could work the target fish toward the end and then catch her.
Well, I did not do that. I took two butterfly nets I got from Dollartree (My favorite store on the planet) and removed the handles. Each net is about 10" in diameter. I took one in each hand and I was able to corner the fish in the middle of the tank and push one net toward the front of the glass and catch her. Normally, the fish would dart away from the net and there would be an intense chase, but I was able to use the second net controlled by me other hand and keep her from darting away. Once I had her in the net with it pressed against the front glass, I just slid the second net between the first net and the front glass. I was then able to carefully raise her out of the water and into my new nursery tank.
I hope that made sense.
 
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dr exum

Goliath Tigerfish
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Sep 29, 2007
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congrats!
 

johnnymax

Dovii
MFK Member
Jun 7, 2019
431
563
105
Southeast, Texas
Boy I caught her just in time!
I put her in the nursery tank two days ago and today I had to put her back in the community tank.
She spit out all her babies. I only counted about 60...
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20201025_172107.jpg
 

johnnymax

Dovii
MFK Member
Jun 7, 2019
431
563
105
Southeast, Texas
Now that I am set up and can breed my tilapia, what can I do with them?
I have a 65g tank that I am about to reseal. I am thinking about getting something that I can feed most of them to.
Maybe something like an Oscar, unless someone can recommend a much cooler Monster fish that will do well in a 65.
Any thoughts?
 
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