Catching Damsels

Ray1214 · 10-07-2003, 03:03 PM

K. I have to post this on a new thread but if you have read my Shrimp Goby and Jawfish thread, you will notice I have a demon of a damsel living in my tank. So far this is what I have tried to do.

1. Just net the thing. Nyet, nope, doesn't work. I even tried coaxing with food in the net. Still doesn't work. I can destroy my reef though and refrag my caps, rip up my gorgos, tear shrooms but no damsel.
2. Just leave the net in the tank. Let the damsel get used to it then when he isnt' looking.....
Nope doesn't work. He be a crafty individual.I have two nets in my tank and it looks ugly as crap. On a brighter side though, I have pulled out a few of the bristlworms that feed on the food that gets trapped into the netting., and I have caught an emerald crab that pinched the tar out of me as I tried to free him from the net.
3. I took a clear plastic tube. About the size of a 50 cent piece in diameter. glued a cap to one end of it. tied a fishing line to the open end. put mysis and brine shrimp inside the tube.
Nada, nothing, refuses to go inside the tube. It does work for neon gobies and grammas however.
4. Screamed at it and told it leave.
Still didn't work. He just kinda looked at me raised his spines and laughed.
5. Fishing line with the smallest treble hook I can find. Every fish in the tank nibbled on the bait. Except for the damsel.
6. Build a fish trab by using a 2 litre coke bottle, cutting it in half and inverting the top half. I figured it was a tight fit but he would be able to squeeze it.
Caught me a chromis.

Any ideas?

Ray

ReefDave · 10-07-2003, 03:15 PM

Good Luck Ray...this is one topic that it seems like every single reefer has had to deal with at one time or another. I had it 5 or 6 years ago in a 55 low light reef....I had three of those yellow tailed devils.....I, like many others, had to remove 75% of my rock and corals to get them out.......a stress to the entire tank to be sure, but the tank will eventually be better off......

Its a major undertaking, maybe even a 1/2 days job....and even if you take a picture of your rocks before hand, you won't get them back they way they were....its some sort of law of physics....

Dave

Jimmer · 10-07-2003, 03:29 PM

Argh, I've been there myself. The only hint I have for you...granted its not gonna be too helpful but here goes.....

Light a firecracker, dump it in the water, see what floats to the top.

Seriously, Ripping out the rock is the "easiest" way I've found to get the boogers out.

The Mayor · 10-07-2003, 03:50 PM

Ray,I caught both of mine using the your coke bottle trick.But instead I used a 20oz water bottle.I put in frozen brine shrimp,flake food.The stuff mine eat all the time.I also caught my sand sifting star.Those are not quite as fast to chase around a tank as the damsel.Good luck.

grazzit · 10-07-2003, 03:52 PM

My experience, after trying for weeks to remove my damsels with nets, coke bottles and what not I eventually had to pull most of my live rock and just chase'em down. I feel I need to warn you though, they still aren't easy to catch in a naked tank and after chasing them around and finally catching them all after a few hours, all my remaining fish still hide when I'm close to the tank and especially if the lid is off, kinda ruins the experience of watching your tank when all your fish hide from you whenever they see you.

Alice · 10-07-2003, 03:53 PM

Ray,

You should have added a commandment against Damsels

Nasty little buggers, ain't they? You might try this, it works for fish that like to fight with everything, especially their own kind: Put a mirror in the back of the tube trap, he might go in to square off with "the newcomer." You've tried everything else I think so if this doesn't work it's the M-80 or the tank re-do.

Good Luck!

Cookie_Monster · 10-07-2003, 03:55 PM

I agree with jimmer. A good cherry bomb will take care of it and it will even help you aquascape.

Alice · 10-07-2003, 03:59 PM

LOL Grazzit; I love your sig line

Casey · 10-07-2003, 05:02 PM

I feel your pain there is a $200 reward for anyone who can capture my yellow damsel.

Prismaco · 10-07-2003, 06:10 PM

I am in the same boat...good thing is I am moving and I have to tear my tank apart. I ave tried everything you could think of, I have tried syphoning him out, fishing line and hook, bottle, turning the lights off at night time and trying the net, none of it worked...your going to have to flat out take your rock out...sucks because it will never go back the way you took it out...Thats why you never put the DEVILS fish in your tank....you might as well get a pet rock...

-Paul

Kman1987 · 10-07-2003, 08:06 PM

How long did you try the fish trap? I had to get a wrasse out of my 20 gallon and its filled with coral but i sat around for an hour with brine shrimp way in the back of the tube and eventually he found out how to get in and went in and then SLAM!..and hes out of there. I was also hiding, but luckily for me I had a new cd with me to listen to and make the time go by.

Joel · 10-07-2003, 08:14 PM

I just bought a fish trap last weekend at The Fish Store and More and haven't even had a need to use it yet. (my wife thought it would be a good thing to have) I paid dearly for it but if you need to use it pm me. It is called "the trap"

Casey · 10-07-2003, 09:41 PM

Joel I could use the thing.

CAT · 10-07-2003, 10:31 PM

A friend of mine used a home-made trap made out of 4" clear acrylic tubing with a sliding door and fishing line. He left it open, in the tank for about a week. He would put the food in there until many of the fish just went in to eat. After a while, the wily tomato clown he was trying to catch went in and he nabbed it. Patience might be the key.

Take it from me, re-arranging your rock is a pain. I moved my tank a few months ago and I'm still not happy with the way it is now

Ray1214 · 10-08-2003, 07:59 AM

Joel, I may take you up on it. right now I am trying to use the excuse to tear down my 40 gal reef and build a new 75 gal reef with all my spare parts. (I have a 75 gal and a 55 gal sump and stand waiting for me in my basement.) Wifey won't bite though since I will obviously have to upgrade my lights again.

Boy you should have heard her hollar at me when I had to replace my MH bulbs.

Ray