Damsels

[billb]

Ok..I hadn't read this board yet, the day I bought two Damsels to cycle my tank...(I've since learned/heard of the problems)
that said:
It's time to get rid of them!
Anyone got any pointers? I don't want to screw with my live rock at all. Maybe some sort of trap set up? I have patience.
I do have two clowns, my cleaners and two brittle stars in there already.
I want to make room for maybe, two more reef friendlys!
Thanks.
Billb

 

[birdy]

do a search for the coke bottle trap. I have had some luck just feeding them from a net for a few days and then when they are not afraid of the net you can scoop them out.

 

[nacl-man]

Get two nets and chase one into the other. Works well for me when I have to get a fish out of my tank! Or a net and a specimen container (those clear plastic things that hang on the side of the tank) but that is a little harder to pull off.
Hope that helps

 

[billb]

The coke bottle trick looks good. (of course this is the first time in a year, I don't have liter of something in the fridge) I'll give it a try and post the results...thanks for the help folks..
billb

 

[doodle1800]

sorry to say this - and its not the only way of course, but I had to empty my tank of LR and catch them... pain..

 

[mimo]

I caught 2 blue damsels and 1 yellow tail in 5 minutes last night. Wait until 1-2 hours after the lights are off and you know they must be sleeping. Put the lights on full blast and start netting! The fish are drowsy and move slowly. I think the light blinds them also. I was amazed at how easily I caught them. Just don't wait too long to catch them or they'll wake up and get faster. Mine are all in the fuge until I have a chance to go to the LFS.

 

[billb]

Those little Bas*a@ds...
Coke bottle trick didn't work for me..it was loaded with a buffet of Flakes and shrimp (mysis)....drove other inhabitants of the tanks nuts..but nobody wanted to check it out...
Two nets didn't work to well..she had one, I had the other...couldn't get out of each others way fast enough..(although I think a video of us would have been pretty funny...
last resort: Cleaned out all the live rock... It was something we were talking about anyway..(the set-up just didn't look good the way I had originally placed it...)
The problem with all of this was of course the hassle and danger of hurting existing tenants.. (brittle stars, 3 types of shrimp etc..all hiding in areas that could hardly be seen due to the dust cloud I was stirring up...
Finally bagged the little buggers in nets after chasing them for 1/2 hour (even without the LR)
After one day we have the LR set up better than before..the water is crystal clear again..all inhabitants are alive,well and back to normal..
LESSON LEARNED:
DON'T BUY DAMSELS UNLESS YOU WANT TO KEEP THEM IN THE TANK FROM THAT DAY FORWARD!
Thanks for all the suggestions and input from the forum...
Billb