Got to get it out!!!

[LegendaryCG]

I would think your way would be easier if it's a fish only tank with no corals. I just hate having my corals out of water for any period of time.

Corals will be fine if you keep it under 15 minutes. They produce a slime coat to protect themselves and many species have to deal with low tides daily.

 

[LegendaryCG]

For that matter I’ve had cup corals survive 3 days out of water in 40 degree weather.

 

[Rubberfrog]

What do you mean? With a hook like you going fishing?

Yes. He will make a great fish taco.

 

[ca1ore]

What do you mean? With a hook like you going fishing?

Probably not the first thing to try but, yes, smallest hook size. I used this approach a couple of times on three stripe damsels. I used to file off the barb so that the hook can be easily removed. Both fish were fine ..... unhappy but fine.

 

[jaganshi066]

Toss an small angelfish in there and watch the chaos.

Put a flameback in there he will teach it a lesson for sure

 

[jaganshi066]

The tank doesn't seem to be overcrowded. But Clownfish are extremely territorial. I'm not very familiar with Dottybacks, but I do understand that they will fiercely defend their territory.

This may be the problem, and you would be right in removing it.

I had a neon dotttyback and he was like a great white shark hunting

 

[saullman]

I had a neon dotttyback and he was like a great white shark hunting

Who knew that this small innocent looking fish was so mean?

 

[AviR]

Use the vase method, so cheap and easy you’ll hit yourself in the head for not thinking of it....

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/t...ome-and-nuisance-aquarium-inhabitants.786446/

 

[saullman]

Use the vase method, so cheap and easy you’ll hit yourself in the head for not thinking of it....

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/t...ome-and-nuisance-aquarium-inhabitants.786446/

Hey, thanks for sharing. I would have never thought of that. I'll give it a try.

 

[kev.2013]

Can you elaborate? What size water bottle? And how do you quickly snag up the water bottle?

https://www.nano-reef.com/forums/topic/249712-water-bottle-fish-trap/
The above link describes this. Once the fish is in the trap, you just pull the water bottle out. Most likely they won’t be able to escape.

 

[N.Sreefer]

If its a small tank why not remove the rockwork and net it? I know its a pain but id do that before trying to hook the fish..

 

[Zionas]

Ouch. Get it out in the ways that others have suggested, and get a Royal Gramma or Orchid in its place lol.

 

[jaganshi066]

Who knew that this small innocent looking fish was so mean?

I think the whole dottyback family is really aggressive

 

[ca1ore]

Who knew that this small innocent looking fish was so mean?

Lots of people LOL ..... especially any of us that have kept one.

 

[jaganshi066]

Lots of people LOL ..... especially any of us that have kept one.

The guy I got my tank from gave me his neon dottyback and now I understand why

 

[vetteguy53081]

Strawberry basslets are little territorial monsters. Fish trap will be your best bet