fewskillz Posted September 29, 2010 Share Posted September 29, 2010 Here is a quick DIY guide to making a water bottle fish trap. It works best if you can starve the tank for a day or three before hand. You will need: A bottle — I like 20 oz Dasani bottles A razor blade or sharp scissors Bait (regular food works if you've starved the fish, something extra tasty helps if you haven't) and maybe some SuperGlue Gel I like the Dasani bottle pictured below because of the two bulges in the bottle above the label. This way you don't need any super glue or have to wait for it to dry. Also, when (not if) you catch the wrong fish you can release him and put the trap back together immediately instead of waiting on the new glue to dry. Step one: Remove the cap and label. Step two: Cut the bottle in two. Step three: Flip over the top. Step four: Insert the top into the bottom. The bulge of each piece fits together tight enough to hold the two together. Step five: Insert the bait and fill the bottle with tank water. Step six: Place the bottle in your tank near the favorite hiding spot of the fish you're trying to catch. Make sure its stable, if you have strong flow this part can be a PITA. Once it's in place be patient. Only touch the bottle if absolutely necessary. Some fish need longer than others to learn to trust the trap. (i.e. a dottyback vs a firefish) The fish will peck at the food from the outside and eventually be guided down the cone and into the opening. Once inside the bottle its hard to get back out. It may take a couple days, but its always worked for me. It works best on small-medium sized aggressive fish like damsels, dottybacks, and wrasses, which are typically the fish people want to catch. Have somewhere to put your captured fish ready to go. The first time I used the trap I didn't plan that far ahead. I caught the fish, removed the water bottle from the tank, THEN thought "now what?" I'll try to update this thread with actual photos of a real bottle trap, but between the Paint pictures and the descriptions it should be pretty simple to figure out. Happy Hunting! Link to comment
AZDesertRat Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 A couple additional comments. One is you may need to cut the neck off an inch or two down to enlarge the entrance size for larger fish or crabs. Another is I poke a small hole in the bottle and tie a long piece of monofilament fishing line to it then sit across the room watching the fish enter the bottle so I don't spook them. I pull the bottle up when the one I want is in the bottle and it works well. Link to comment
cbandotho Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 I have used this with great success. I also make sure I don't feed the day before so I know they will go for the bait. Link to comment
B.C. Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 I just finished making one and came across this,except i used a 2 liter coke bottle which also has the bulge in it.. Now to go trap my Jewel damsel thats been bullying my pj cardinals... Link to comment
jesus_cs92 Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 This is soooo useful, i actually used it today to get a purple pseudochromis out of my tank.... Link to comment
starrsmith Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 I've used this to capture freshwater shrimp and crays, it's great!!! Never thought to use it for fish......hopefully won't need too anytime soon! Link to comment
fewskillz Posted October 7, 2010 Author Share Posted October 7, 2010 Glad you guys like it. Thanks! Link to comment
CONSTANTNE Posted October 7, 2010 Share Posted October 7, 2010 I caught my fourline wrasse this way! Bottle trap FTW! Link to comment
1fishmonger Posted October 7, 2010 Share Posted October 7, 2010 I caught my fourline wrasse this way! Bottle trap FTW! +1 Sixline though but close enough! Had to starve it for about a week until it was hungry enough to go into the bottle... Target feeding helps Link to comment
Yossarian88 Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 No luck after a few days, trying to get a blue damsel. Tried cutting the bottle neck as well. Should the bottle be placed standing up or horizontal? Link to comment
fewskillz Posted January 23, 2013 Author Share Posted January 23, 2013 I always place it horizontal. Link to comment
Veng Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 I'm fairly certain the poster to which you are replying has either been successful or failed and there's nothing you can do to help him now. Link to comment
fewskillz Posted January 23, 2013 Author Share Posted January 23, 2013 I would pretty much guarantee it, but in case anyone in the future is wondering...now it's answered. Link to comment
MeepNand Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 I once used this to catch some shrimp in a freshwater aquarium. I check back the next day and I see 3 fish in there. No shrimp. I felt bad for those fish. Oh, but I put it vertical. Link to comment
fewskillz Posted January 5, 2014 Author Share Posted January 5, 2014 Here's a finished Dasani bottle trap: Link to comment
Paandemonium Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 Used this to catch a bunch of peppermint shrimps in my tank after one of them went AWOL and started killing acans Link to comment
ndrobey Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 You didn't include the part about removing the cap. That should be obvious, but I know there will be somebody that doesn't figure that part out. Link to comment
fewskillz Posted January 9, 2014 Author Share Posted January 9, 2014 You didn't include the part about removing the cap. That should be obvious, but I know there will be somebody that doesn't figure that part out. Yes I did! "Step one: Remove the cap and label" Link to comment
ndrobey Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 Oh, you are right. My bad. Link to comment
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