How To Build a Simple DIY Aquarium

Trap
Here is a simple do-it-yourself aquarium trap you can build and use to easily capture
and remove fish, as well as modify to catch common saltwater aquarium pests with,
such as problem crabs, bad type errant bristle or fireworms, and mantis shrimps.

Difficulty: Average

Time Required: 1 hour or less

Here's How:

1. Cut a piece of PVC of suitable diameter and length. (Refer to Tips 1 & 2 below)

2. Looking at the PVC pipe vertically, drill some 1/2 inch holes, spaced out around
and 3/4's of the way down the length of the pipe.

3. Using medium grain sand paper, sand and smooth the cut and drilled hole edges of
the PVC pipe.

4. Stick the end cap onto the end of the PVC pipe that does not have the drilled holes
near it. (Refer to Tip 3 below)

5. Tie a suitable length of rope or string on to the open end of the PVC pipe. (Refer
to Tip 4 below)

6. Place the trap horizontally on the bottom of the aquarium, with the rope sticking
out of the tank.

7. Watch and wait. Once the fish or animal has gotten used to the trap and adopted
the pipe as a place to hide, when it goes inside, pull on the rope and raise the trap.
(Refer to Tip 5 below)

Tips:

1. Choose a diameter for the PVC pipe that allows the fish or other animal to
move and turn around in comfortably.
2. For PVC length, cut it equivalent to at least one and a half times the body
length of the animal to be trapped.
3. If the end cap does not attach tightly and stay on by itself, glue it on with PVC
glue, allowing to cure for 24 hours.
4. The rope needs to be long enough to attach to the trap positioned on the
bottom of the aquarium, and be pulled on to raise the trap.
5. Don't expect instantaneous results. It may take some time for the animals to
get used to the trap being in the tank before they will enter it.
What You Need:

• 1 piece of PVC pipe

• 1 matching PVC end cap
• Some rope or string
• A drill
• Medium grain sand paper
• PVC glue (optional)
• Patience!

Here is a list of the items you will need to build this aquarium trap, and a
diagram showing what it should look like once constructed.

• PVC Pipe - The size and cut length is based on the size of fish you want to
catch. For pipe size, choose a diameter that the fish or other aquarium
animal can swim in to comfortably, without having to squeeze itself in, and
enables it to move around. For pipe length, remember the shorter the tube
the higher probability the animal can dart out of the tube when it is being
raised. Cutting the PVC length equivalent to at least one and a half times
the body length of the aquarium animal you want to catch works best.

• End Cap(s) - One end cap that fits the diameter of the PVC pipe you are
going to use. Buy two end caps if you plan to modify this trap to catch
Bristleworms and Mantis Shrimps.

• A Drill - The hole drill bit size should not be too small, or too large. The
smaller the holes, the slower the water drains out of the tube trap,
resulting in the trap moving slower when raised. Holes that are too large
may cause a fish's fin spines to get caught or wedged into them when
trying to remove the fish. 1/4 to 1/2 inch sized holes are a good general
size to use when trapping fish.

• String or Rope - A good strength that won't break when you pull up and
raise the tube trap, and cut long enough to tie on to the tube trap (laid on
the bottom of the aquarium) and extend up and out of the aquarium to
pull the trap up.

• Sand Paper - Medium grain works fine.

 • PVC Glue (Option) - Only necessary if the end cap is not sticking on
firmly by itself. If glue is needed, once applied, let it cure for 24 hours
before using the trap.

Page 3 - How To Use the Trap

Now that you have your trap constructed, all you need to do is lower it into the
aquarium, laying it horizontally on the bottom with the string sticking out of the tank.
Most of the time it doesn't take long, maybe a few hours, or in some cases a day or
two, for the fish or other tank inhabitant to become accustomed to the tube and go
inside. Watch and wait for the animal you want to catch to go into the tube, then
quickly pull the string, raising the tube vertically to the surface of the water.

Once you take the tube out of the water, holding it vertically, the area at the
bottom of the tube that does not have drilled holes in it and is capped will have
the aquarium animal in it, along with some water still in the tube so the fish is not
high and dry, as shown in this diagram.

Page 4 - How To Modify the Trap to Catch Bristleworms & Mantis Shrimps

This trap design will work to catch just about any type of aquarium animal, such
as eels, crabs, mantis shrimps and bristleworms, just to name a few. The smaller
the drilled holes, the smaller the critter you can trap. And, the larger the PVC pipe
diameter, the larger the critter you can trap. Just fit the making of the trap
around the size of the aquarium animal you want to capture.

How To Modify the Trap to Catch Bristleworms

• Make the trap with fewer drilled holes.

• Make the holes just barely big enough for the bristleworms to crawl
into.
• Add some bait, such as raw unthawed frozen shrimp, squid, fish, etc.
• Cap both ends of the PVC pipe.
• You'll also need a fine mesh net large enough to fit under the trap when
raised.
 How To Catch Bristleworms: Trapping bristleworms is best done at night
with the tank and room lights out. Bait the trap and wait overnight, then
the next morning slowly pull the trap up, placing the fine mesh net
underneath the trap as you raise it to catch any nasties that might fall out,
because you don't want them ending up back in the tank again.

Net Tip: If you don't have a fine mesh net, you can bend a wire clothes
hanger into a loop or square with a handle (like a net), then cut off and
stretch the leg of an old pair of panty hose over it.

How To Modify the Trap to Catch Mantis Shrimps

Use the same trap design as above for bristleworms, but just size the drilled holes
accordingly to catch mantis shrimps instead. To catch them, also use the same
method above for catching bristleworms.
For more information on how to remove or control bristleworms, mantis shrimps,
as well as aiptasia anemones, copepods and amphipods, refer to these Pest
Control Resources.