How to catch Damsels??

ledzep fan

ledzep fan

Active Member
I have two damsels in my 75 that i'm trying to get out. I've tried a fishing hook, and that didn't work. I also tried to use a net but they are super fast. I don't know what to do anymore. I cannot move rocks or anything because the tank is over ten years old and the corals have just overgrown everthing. Please help!!

Thanks.
 
mie

mie

Active Member
There are some traps out there that you can buy.
You cqan also make one with a2 liter soda bottle; cit the top off about two inches down from the top and invert the lid into the bottle then super glue it on. Put food in there and hope they go inside.
If that dont work buy a fish that will eat them.

Then take it back.
 
srfisher17

srfisher17

Active Member
Originally Posted by LedZep fan
I have two damsels in my 75 that i'm trying to get out. I've tried a fishing hook, and that didn't work. I also tried to use a net but they are super fast. I don't know what to do anymore. I cannot move rocks or anything because the tank is over ten years old and the corals have just overgrown everthing. Please help!!

Thanks.
Fishing usually works, here's a link to a thread with more info; once again, I think this is the most common topic on this forum.
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/297670/how-do-i-get-this-damsel-out-of-here#post_2379198
 
zeke92

zeke92

Active Member
ok, you need a few things
1. mysys shrimp
2. string
3. a small twig
4. a tiny reel
ok, so with that make a mini fishing pole and go fishing in your tank...

haha, i am not sure really have to catch them, but i thought i would say that
 
travis99

travis99

Member
Last time I had to catch a damsel, I had to dismantle my entire tank. They are not fun to catch, at all.
 
danieljames

danieljames

Member
Ditto.....took me four hours before I finally decided to break down and take everything out.....they are ruthless little fish
 
donald

donald

Member
Try getting a hook from a flyfishing shop. they make some tiny ones then thread on a mysid shrimp and grab yourself a beer. It takes time but I have seen it work. There is also a guy on here that made a harpoon out of a small dowel and two needles. He speared the damsel and it survived. I made just about every trap that I could find in several DIY sections with no luck, your best bet for the least amount of work is the hook.
 
hurleykid69

hurleykid69

Member
ive caught wild damsels like this:
get a size 4 or smaller sabiki rig from your local tackle shop
then tie a few extra feet of line onto the swivel on the rig
tip each hook with a super small piece of shrimp
then just jig it in the tank and wait for a bite
good luck
 
b bauer

b bauer

Member
if you are near buffalo I have a fish trap I can loan you.I put it in my tank and the damsel was in it with in 3 min
 
gmann1139

gmann1139

Active Member
I just had to catch 2 out of my 29 this weekend... It wasn't fun. Between scaring the other fish, kicking up every particle that's ever been deposited in the tank, and having to lug 40 lbs of rock in and out, it wasn't my favorite day in the hobby.
After moving everything out, I finally figured out their mostly like swim path, and stuck a breeder tank in it. It took a couple tries, but I got one that way. The second one took a net and more work.
Good luck man. My tank and I feel your pain.
 
b bauer

b bauer

Member
Originally Posted by Shinobi9119
there was once someone on here that made a harpoon.. that worked well. the fish lived
user name CPT Ahab?
 
alix2.0

alix2.0

Active Member
Originally Posted by Shinobi9119
there was once someone on here that made a harpoon.. that worked well. the fish lived
hahahahaha really? thats great.
 
dinogeorge

dinogeorge

Member
I used a hand grenade once. I blew up my living room and killed the neighbor’s parakeet. The Damsel was unharmed…and now it just mocks me when I walk by the tank.
 
paintballer768

paintballer768

Active Member
Originally Posted by Dinogeorge
I used a hand grenade once. I blew up my living room and killed the neighbor’s parakeet. The Damsel was unharmed…and now it just mocks me when I walk by the tank.
This statement is the only one Ive heard thus far about damsels that fully captures the evilness of them.
 
stimpy4242

stimpy4242

Member
shop vac, works like a charm and you can return anything you didn't mean to suck...do it at a water change...then you don't have to worry about the loss of water...
 
B

bonita69

Guest
I had 6 of these and one very very mean one the largest of the group and the soda bottle trap worked in seconds the biggest and the meanest Just had to go first!!!
stupid fish!! oh man was he pissed when he got stuck inside.
I have a post on how I build mine, let me see if I can find it.
 
spiderwoman

spiderwoman

Active Member
HEHE I love the toilet bowl pic. I was looking at it and thinking *wow, that is a sharp pic of the fish* after I figured it was PhotoShopped to it
 
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