need tips on how to capture the damsel alive.

[tran]

hi all,

I've been trying to catch the damsel and get him out of my tank. (no longer want it).
I have not had any luck when trying to catch him (20 attempts so far). He wins all the time.
he always goes into the caves.

any tips that would help lead to capture him alive will be rewarded .

thanks
tran

 

[Turbosnail]

Fish trap. Make one out of a two liter bottle.

 

[frank180reef]

or try to section the tank off and feed him behind a wall

 

[ava420]

What frank said. a sheet of plexy glass in the front corner of the tank with some string attached and only feed behind the sheet. As soon as the fish swims in to eat pull the string and kitty corner the glass into the corner with the fish... iv cought 3 fish this way so far... Even the pesky flame devil that zipped into the rocks as soon as I got near...

 

[frank180reef]

I do it with Eggcrate but the plexy glass would be just as good

 

[fishfry]

Sounds interesting. Could someone explain further? I'm having a hard time picturing it. Thx

 

[ava420]

sorry rough paint skills here.. but ya get the idea. its a top down view. the plexy is as long as the depth of your tank maybe a little longer. i stick the bottom of the plexy in the sand let it tilt back so the fish can swim in the top then pull the string and trap them in.
hope this helps

 

[frank180reef]

Yup!

I dont even use a string, but if u leave it in a few hours or less they get used to it. they plexy is best with smaller fish......................

 

[fishfry]

Sweet! That's easier than the way I've done it in the past. Thanks for the diagram too, I totally get it now.

 

[tran]

sweet, I will give it a try again tonight.
I've been using two nets trying to capture him but he runs faster than human hands. (may be I was to cautious about the corals/sands that was why)

I did not know that fish can tell the present of the net in the tank every time I put the net in

thanks
tran

 

[tran]

Thank you everyone for the great tips. With the plexy glass, I was able to trap him into the corner and asked him to give up. When I reached in to catch him, he jumped and was trying to escape and got stuck between the sharp edge of the plexy and the tank. He got hurt badly and did not make it the next morning in the qt tank.

Story ended.

Thanks everyone again.

Tran

 

[Turbosnail]

Great idea never thought of that.

 

[don in mass]

next time when all else fails or when you have to much stuff in your tank that you don't want to break or bother get the smallest trout hook they make i mean they are tiny and pinch the barb on the hook shut and tread the hook it's like trying to tread a needle put a real tiny piece shrimp from a frozen cube a you should be to go it works well hth don

 

[delta]

There are a few fish traps kicking around the club post in reef talk asking to borrow one. they are an acrylic box and have a trap door operated with a string. probably the easiest with smaller fish as they tend to hide in the rock work. you need to feed in the trap and be patient. the more you fail the harder it will be. let the fish get comfortable eating in the trap.

Although, I have always been successful with after lights out night time extraction. whack them with a flashlight, then they are stunned for a sec or two and scoop. Put the net in the tank before you hit them with the light. been 100% successful with this tactics but it can be a pain,with smaller fish, to get them out in the open to begin with.

The barbless fly fishing works too, I think MoeK has had a lot of success with this technique

I think the fish trap will be your most stress free tactic

quick search

http://www.bostonreefers.org/forums/showthread.php?113563

 

[Jocko]

I use my acclimate for trapping fish.

 

[tran]

thanks all.
I did not have problems with catching the clown fishes, was able to do with my hand as well.
The damsel fish was a lot smarter.
I do not think I will ever buying a damsel again.

The only fish I have in my tank now is just the lonely yellow tang. (he is an algae eater). He has kept my tank and rocks very clean .

thanks