HELP??? 1 fish 2 fish red fish blue fish- Recommendations for catching a Damsel fish....

Nanorock1970 · Jul 27, 2020

I have been at it a few day. I have a Damsel that has gone rogue in my tank and has to go. I've tried to "net" the fish...yikes almost took out the tank sweeping around the rocks and coral. Tried 2 nets hoping to chase with one into the other.... Currently I have a "fish trap" I made from a 16 oz water bottle. Cut the top off where the narrow part gets to be the diameter of the bottle. Then cut the neck off to make an opening that is larger then what I have seen it swimming through. Finally inverted the top and hot glued it into the bottle as sort of a restricted opening, attached a string, and put some frag plugs inside to weigh it down. The damsel rules the right side of my tank so I replaced the decoration it was using as one of the hiding places with my trap. I have placed food inside and the dam fish waits for it to come out or sticks its head just inside the hole of the inverted top to dine and dash.....Dam fish does not seem to want to go in and eat (get caught)...Anyone have any suggestions....The trap has been in for about 2 days. The fish does seem more curious than before. Keep putting food inside??? just be patient? or try something else....
Thanks in advance....

DeniseAndy · Jul 27, 2020

What kind of damsel? I had to get out a big one once and nothing worked. They are survivors for reasons.

I would say, keep at it and maybe do not feed tank (if possible). He should be first to go after food. Little bugger.

Others have tried fishing line and hook. I am a terrible fisherman, so never tried. I tore my tank down and got him out. I was moving tanks anyway though.

Nanorock1970 · Jul 27, 2020

DeniseAndy said:
What kind of damsel? I had to get out a big one once and nothing worked. They are survivors for reasons. I would say, keep at it and maybe do not feed tank (if possible). He should be first to go after food. Little bugger.

Others have tried fishing line and hook. I am a terrible fisherman, so never tried. I tore my tank down and got him out. I was moving tanks anyway though.

Yeah, when I first setup my tank, I had a dottyback that I tore my tank apart for but I didn't have much but sand and rock at the time. Now I have coral growing on the rock and I don't want to do a tare down.

https://www.liveaquaria.com/product/108/azure-damselfish?pcatid=108&c=28+108

Azure damsel is the PITA fish

Amstar · Jul 27, 2020

Non barbed small fishing hook with food on the end - fish for him

Cole.mormon · Jul 27, 2020

I have 3 damsels a neon dottyback a cbs, an yellow watchman goby, they all get along

hangurber · Jul 27, 2020

If you have LEDs, I turn on only the red lights when they are out and about and fish them out as quickly as possible. I had two clowns that were tormenting the others and that’s the only way I got them last night.

Nanorock1970 · Jul 27, 2020

Cole.mormon said:
I have 3 damsels a neon dottyback a cbs, an yellow watchman goby, they all get along

I would like to say the same was true in my tank...The damsel is running my fish down 1 by 1. I had a midas blenny that he started on first and now he is after my coral beauty...I want to replace the blenny but I don't want to stress out another fish to potentially have the same thing happen...The damsel seems to be enlarging its territory also now that the blenny is gone. My 56 gal tank is getting way small for the rest of the fish that all get along..

Nanorock1970 · Jul 27, 2020

hangurber said:
If you have LEDs, I turn on only the red lights when they are out and about and fish them out as quickly as possible. I had two clowns that were tormenting the others and that’s the only way I got them last night.

So at night, turn on the red LEDS and net him out? I am up for anything...

Bfragale · Jul 27, 2020

I spent weeks with a trap and trying to net an electric blue damsel who developed an appetite for Zoe’s. He finally went in the trap one day I was walking by and saw him. But took me literally 4-5 weeks to catch him. I baited trap daily, tried to feed at top of water and swoop in and catch him and I was about to give up and finally he went inside trap.
Good luck lol. Its not easy in a reef tank to catch any fish.

Nanorock1970 · Jul 27, 2020

Bfragale said:
I spent weeks with a trap and trying to net an electric blue damsel who developed an appetite for Zoe’s. He finally went in the trap one day I was walking by and saw him. But took me literally 4-5 weeks to catch him. I baited trap daily, tried to feed at top of water and swoop in and catch him and I was about to give up and finally he went inside trap.
Good luck lol. Its not easy in a reef tank to catch any fish.

I agree with hard to catch...we build them with intent to have lots of hiding places....Yeah still sounds like I should keep the trap in and keep putting food in it...make him comfortable with the "new home"....then BAM....out you go...

hangurber · Jul 27, 2020

Nanorock1970 said:
So at night, turn on the red LEDS and net him out? I am up for anything...

Yup, they can’t see for awhile and it works well. They will adjust after awhile so you may need to turn the lights back on and try again

Cole.mormon · Jul 27, 2020

my damsels are actually peaceful

Nanorock1970 · Jul 28, 2020

hangurber said:
If you have LEDs, I turn on only the red lights when they are out and about and fish them out as quickly as possible. I had two clowns that were tormenting the others and that’s the only way I got them last night.

So tonight I tried the LED thing. I set up the manual setting to all red about 50% and switched from sunset to red and all the fish hid like it was night time.... Damsel was never far out in the water column to net him out....

hangurber · Jul 28, 2020

Nanorock1970 said:
So tonight I tried the LED thing. I set up the manual setting to all red about 50% and switched from sunset to red and all the fish hid like it was night time.... Damsel was never far out in the water column to net him out....

Ah, I am sorry that didn't work. It worked for me only because they don't have a spot to hide I suppose

Nanorock1970 · Jul 28, 2020

hangurber said:
Ah, I am sorry that didn't work. It worked for me only because they don't have a spot to hide I suppose

No worries it was worth a shot...

Nanorock1970 · Jul 28, 2020

Update.....fish caught

He finally got brave and was swimming to the back of the bottle and I snagged him....

Paulie069 · Jul 28, 2020

Nanorock1970 said:
I have been at it a few day. I have a Damsel that has gone rogue in my tank and has to go. I've tried to "net" the fish...yikes almost took out the tank sweeping around the rocks and coral. Tried 2 nets hoping to chase with one into the other.... Currently I have a "fish trap" I made from a 16 oz water bottle. Cut the top off where the narrow part gets to be the diameter of the bottle. Then cut the neck off to make an opening that is larger then what I have seen it swimming through. Finally inverted the top and hot glued it into the bottle as sort of a restricted opening, attached a string, and put some frag plugs inside to weigh it down. The damsel rules the right side of my tank so I replaced the decoration it was using as one of the hiding places with my trap. I have placed food inside and the dam fish waits for it to come out or sticks its head just inside the hole of the inverted top to dine and dash.....Dam fish does not seem to want to go in and eat (get caught)...Anyone have any suggestions....The trap has been in for about 2 days. The fish does seem more curious than before. Keep putting food inside??? just be patient? or try something else....
Thanks in advance....

I had the same problem with a blue devil damsel and well he still in the tank I just gave up dang fish are smarter than I look

Nanorock1970 · Jul 28, 2020

Paulie069 said:
I had the same problem with a blue devil damsel and well he still in the tank I just gave up dang fish are smarter than I look

it's been about 5 days of taking some frozen food inside the bottle till he was brave enough to go all the way in...I just happened to be watching also this afternoon. Back to the LFS for that bad fish....