How to catch an Engineer Goby?

[Nyles]

Anyone have any advice on how to catch a 12-14" long engineer goby in a 155 gallon tank? I need him out (wife) ! There is around 150 lbs of rock and was hoping there was a TRICK without tearing out everything?

Nyles-

[impur]

Folding lawn chair, beer in hand, fishing pole, small hook, bait and a bobber :D

[Nyles]

well, come on over... I got beer and a scooby-doo pole. lol

I figure if I can net him (don't think my net is big enough though) I will throw him in the refugium till I find a home for him.

[Michael7979]

Try the 2-liter bottle trap.

[impur]

I have a big net. Worked for my 12" oscars.

Sometimes you need to leave the net in there a few days so the fish gets used to it. Try feeding while the net is in the tank. After a few days they get used to the net. Then you put the food in the net, wait till the fish goes in to eat and scoop it out.

[Nyles]

I can see I'm going to have to rip out the rock. Engineers don't come out of the rock usually, during feeding he will pop his head out about 8" or so but never get out far enough to be netted. I think I've seen his whole body 2-3 times for a second or 2.

Words can't describe my fustration, but this will give me an opportunity to get rid of my damsels too.

I would like some smaller fish and due to his size they will be lunch snacks in no time (learned this the hard way). This will have to wait till week after next.

Nyles-

[Nyles]

I have a big net. Worked for my 12" oscars.

Sometimes you need to leave the net in there a few days so the fish gets used to it. Try feeding while the net is in the tank. After a few days they get used to the net. Then you put the food in the net, wait till the fish goes in to eat and scoop it out.

I will give this a shot.... Might get lucky???

[rude944]

Ok, take a pop 2 liter bottle and cut off the top, right where the circumference is greatest. CA glue it inverted inside the body of the 2 liter. put smaller holes in it and affix some weight to the sucker so it sinks. insert food. Big food, like squid from the grocery store. That stuff is pretty stinky to fish, trust me, it's the only thing you can train baby sharks to eat. Put it on a string and turn the halides or daylights off. Crack a beer.

[Nyles]

I will go on a limb here, I assume I need to cut the cap / lid out to so he can get partially in....?

I will give it a try, maybe make one out of something a little bigger or 2 of those glued together so he has to get inside.

[rude944]

you got it... the goal is to get his entire body inside and make a hasty escape less... hasty.