Damsel removal?

[Fshlvr]

So I thought I'd start a new thread about my experiences with my damsel. I've had it for almost two years now, so I bought it when I had almost no experience. I've had it along with two tank-raised oc clowns. They've always gotten along well.

I recently bought a yellow tang and four blue-green chromis (you can read my RSM250 thread). The blue damsel harassed and finally killed the two smallest chromis. What I was thinking is that I need to buy bigger fish so that the damsel won't bully them (he doesn't do anything to the tang or clowns), but is it better if I just simply get rid of him? I was thinking the coke bottles trick (I've tried catching him, impossible without taking out all the rocks), does it really work, can't it trap the other fish? Help!!!

 

[bigred1]

Greetings,
It took me 2 weeks to catch a 6-line wrasse that became super dominant in my tank. I had a love hate relationship with the little bugger. I would suggest catching him because you dont want to make stocking choices because of your damsel. Ive had luck with two types of traps. The easiest being a strawberry container. Cut a whole in the middle of the top of one of those clear containers and put rubble in it and just leave it. If he gets in here you should be able to remove him. A trick is to squirt some brine in the container and step back. The other option is building a trap door trap from pieces of plastic sheeting and silicone. Same idea, put rubble in it, let it become a patrol area for him and snag him. Many designs available on the web.

Good luck

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

Good luck catching him, for my tank all the fish have to play well together or they have to go - I want a peaceful tank

 

[redneckgearhead]

Ok, here is what one option of the several I have used.

Make the room the tank is in pitch black, dark as you can make it. Leave the light on over the tank. Get the brightest flashlight you can find with fresh batteries. Have the net ready and have a friend kill the lights on the tank, shine the flashlight onto the offending fish and most of the time they freeze and you can scoop him out.

Another option that I have used is just to get a bunch of tubs a really good pump and drain the tank down low enough to catch the fish. Then fill the tank back up, your corals should be fine, most are exposed to air for hours on the reef during low tide.

 

[Fshlvr]

Thanks for the info guys. I will try the light trick first since it seems like the less-hassle one, but it does sound like I need to remove him, otherwise I will b making my livestock choices around him.

 

[jroberts51411]

I have used the water bottle trap successfully. I had a blue damsel I wanted to remove from my tank. I looked up the technique and tried it. At first, the damsel didn't take the bait, but when he became comfortable with the bottle in the tank (~ a day or so), he went for the food. If I remember correctly, I had either a shrimp or goby get into the bottle too. I just separated them out and placed the one I didn't want to trap back into the tank. I hate to reference another forum, but this post was helpful to me. I liked the pictures. Here is the link:

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=249712

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

Here a vid of the basic concept too

[video=youtube;6P_hI7drGSQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6P_hI7drGSQ[/video]

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

[video=youtube;vzAxie9FUK4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzAxie9FUK4[/video]

 

[Snowman]

If all else fails, try this. Get yourself the smallest unbarbed fish hook you can. Use a piece of whatever you have available for bait. You won't beleive it, but I used mysis shrimp... Yes mysis shrimp. It takes a few tries, but you will get him, and the hook won't hurt him. The hardest part is keeping the mysis on the hook. It took me about 10 tries. Once I got him I brought him down to the LFS. they were the ones who actually showed me how to do it and gave me the hook. I wish I knew what number hook it was, but it was small enough to fit in his mouth. Be sure you find an unbarbed one.

 

[Fshlvr]

Thanks guys, I am currently trying the bottle trick, but so far he just gets close but not inside. Playing the waiting game now... The hook might be next....

 

[Choff]

If all else fails, try this. Get yourself the smallest unbarbed fish hook you can. Use a piece of whatever you have available for bait. You won't beleive it, but I used mysis shrimp... Yes mysis shrimp. It takes a few tries, but you will get him, and the hook won't hurt him. The hardest part is keeping the mysis on the hook. It took me about 10 tries. Once I got him I brought him down to the LFS. they were the ones who actually showed me how to do it and gave me the hook. I wish I knew what number hook it was, but it was small enough to fit in his mouth. Be sure you find an unbarbed one.

Fishing in my tank... I love it.

Sent using Tapatalk 2

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

size 32 - is the smallest made... as last resort, I would bend down the barb, like we do fly-fishing in barbless waters & give this a go

Amazon.com: Umpqua Tiemco TMC 518 Fly Tying Hooks: Sports & Outdoors

 

[catran]

I've had to remove most of the rock from my tank several times to remove fish. When I bought 4 baby Perculas, I put them in my big tank. When I wanted to move them to other tanks, I tried for 2 weeks with no luck. I ended up removing 4 frag racks and the little bit of rock I had in there...everything to catch the little buggers.
Good luck!


I love reefers...

 

[dmatt88]

I vote go fishing. Why consider something as boring as a bottle trick when u can sit on the sofa with a pole n hook that mean dude. If u don't video this I'm gonna b disappointed.

Thanks Glenn. That's awesome.

..........rarely am I speechless

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

Thanks Glenn. That's awesome.

You are very welcome !

 

[Fshlvr]

Lol.. I haven't had time to try anything new yet, but believe me that damn damsel will be out this weekend. The third chromis is now dead. He's being so smart though, every trick I've tried doesn't seem to work with him! His new name is convict.

 

[kderobertis]

Last night I had to remove a True Percula clownfish, since there was lots of aggression going on. What I did was remove 30 gallons of water from my RSM 250 and I easily caught him, since he was small and fast. Didn't have to remove any of my rock work, so I was very happy. I tried the bottle approach, using a net and also the Aqua Medic Fish Trap, which is really to large for my tank base on the aquascaping in my tank. I now hold him in a breeders net to bring to my LFS.

 

[Snowman]

I guarantee the fishing method works... The hook Glen showed looks like the one I used. Like I stated before, keeping the bait on the hook was the hardest part. You just have to be patient, and try to keep from getting the other fish hooked. The best thing was nothing had to be moved around.

Mike

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

You just have to be patient, and try to keep from getting the other fish hooked

Good point Mike !

 

[Fshlvr]

Hey guys, been a while! As of now, the damsel has won the battle But he's not hurting any other fish so that's the good part. Been really busy with work so havent tried the hook yet. We shall see.