HOW DO YOU CATCH A DAMSEL in a reef tank?

[kat 4]

We are so frustrated. We are trying to move our aggressive 2 damsels to another tank - how do you catch them? We tried everything - food in nets, fish corral, etc. but can't catch them. they hide in the LR and around corals. Any ideas??? I'm desperate!

 

[catawaba]

It is next to impossible. The only thing I've heard of is to use an empty gallon water jug (nothing ever been in it) and cut some triangle 'flaps' into the sides--don't remove the piece--just cut 2 of 3 sides....large enough for the fish to get through easily. Then put some good food in it and put in tank. Sooner or later, the fish go in to get the food--when they do, you lift out the gallon jug. Remember to cut the holes high enough to let enough water stay in the jug when you lift it out. Hope that helps.

 

[hops523]

Awhile ago when I had two damsels that I wanted to remove, I had a large net. I put opened the top of the aquarium,and just put some food in. I waited till they came up and I had to be really quick. I got one, but the other was still in there. What I did was had another person get a net and cover the damsels favorite place to hide, and kind of "shoo" him towards my net.

 

[reckler]

I have a really aggressive damsil also. I have tried and tried to catch him but I can't. everytime I put my hand in the tank he starts to bit me.
I am convinced he knows I don't like him anymore. I am half tempted to build a mini harpoon gun and spier him. :scared:

 

[joshd123]

Originally Posted by reckler
I have a really aggressive damsil also. I have tried and tried to catch him but I can't. everytime I put my hand in the tank he starts to bit me.
I am convinced he knows I don't like him anymore. I am half tempted to build a mini harpoon gun and spier him. :scared:

HAHA that is funny!!!
I have thought about getting my BB gun out and taking a shot at him. I really think I could get him without hitting the glass. He would have to come close to the top because BBs will not go deep before they slow down. A long time ago I would take a BB gun and shoot in a pond and I never hit a baby fish (if I did i never seen him) but just from the bb hitting the water so fast it would shock the fish and they would float up. Maybe I should try it in a 5 gallon bucket. Then clean a bb real good and the gun and take a shot. you never know!!

:cheer:

 

[fishieness]

wait until he is sleeping. then when he is really lazy and cant see very well net the sucker.
or you can always buy a lionfish

 

[fishy7]

Originally Posted by fishieness
wait until he is sleeping. then when he is really lazy and cant see very well net the sucker.
or you can always buy a lionfish

My friend had 3 that were just horrible. Now he has 0 since a lion come over for a few nights.

 

[fishy head]

time to die

 

[jrthomas40]

good grief you guys are so mean to those little guys....altough not to long ago i had to take apart my whole tank to get them out when i added some ocellaris....they are mean little boogers...lol

 

[dude23455]

This way is pretty easy and works well. Take a Plastic soda bottle and cut the top off of it so that it can be turned around and stuck back into the bottle. This way the fish can swim in but will have a harder time swimming back out. I'll post a picture in a few.

 

[reckler]

Originally Posted by Joshd123
HAHA that is funny!!!
I have thought about getting my BB gun out and taking a shot at him. I really think I could get him without hitting the glass. He would have to come close to the top because BBs will not go deep before they slow down. A long time ago I would take a BB gun and shoot in a pond and I never hit a baby fish (if I did i never seen him) but just from the bb hitting the water so fast it would shock the fish and they would float up. Maybe I should try it in a 5 gallon bucket. Then clean a bb real good and the gun and take a shot. you never know!!

:cheer:
That is funny too. I can see it now in the fish and reef news. "serial killer caught with bb gun kiling own fish!"

Ok people we have some psycho fish killers here....... :notsure: :happyfish

 

[cajamajo]

I moved to South Carolina. The pet shop here is also half gun shop. It makes it easy to get salt, and shot gun shells for the damsels!

 

[lazypinoy]

lol i like the gun idea.. but i dont kno if a bb gun would sink that far. maybe a 50 cal. would ahahaha

anyway heres how i caught mine. i love pepsi!!

jus put like a cube of mysis in there and make sure it doesnt float out. i kno ull kno what to do.

 

[kat 4]

What if the wrong fish swims in??? Don't want my tang to get caught...

 

[kat 4]

OK, HERE WE GO - WENT TO THE STORE AND GOT A COKE BOTTLE - THE ADVENTURE HAS BEGUN......thanks for all your great ideas! :happyfish

 

[reckler]

good luck... next time you have this problem just remember me and joshd123 will bring our bb guns over to get him for ya. just don't invite lazypinoy..... :scared: you might not have a tank left.. jk

 

[rsd]

I dissasembled my entire tank once... the darn thing hid in a rock and I couln't find him... put everything back and out he came.
6 months of trying every-trap known to man kind... considered buying a mantis for the fun of it.
I made a small harpoon gun with a straw, rubberband, and needle... couldn't do it.
I dissasembled the tank again and got him this time... I'll never buy a damsel again. That was 4-5 years ago... I still have nightmares.

 

[reckler]

Originally Posted by RSD
I dissasembled my entire tank once... the darn thing hid in a rock and I couln't find him... put everything back and out he came.
6 months of trying every-trap known to man kind... considered buying a mantis for the fun of it.
I made a small harpoon gun with a straw, rubberband, and needle... couldn't do it.
I dissasembled the tank again and got him this time... I'll never buy a damsel again. That was 4-5 years ago... I still have nightmares.
lol. you should make them and sell them here on swf.com. you could probably retire from the sales.

 

[sylvius]

Luckily, my yellowtail blue damsel (the mean SOB) thought he was was spongebob and liked to sleep in a pineapple under the sea. I just came down one morning before the lights were on, put a bag over the pineapple and lifted the whole thing out with him in it...easy as pie. I debated trying to keep him in the tank, but I am so glad I got him out when I did...

 

[benter]

I think we all have gone through this....this should be a good post for newbies who want to cycle there tank with a damsel...Better get it out before you get your other fish...