How to catch a flame angel?

[Reef Devils]

Hikari mega marine has sponge in it. This is what I feed my coral beauty couple times a week so he doesn't mess with my corals.

Ok I will give that a try.

Thanks

 

[KrisReef]

Hikari mega marine has sponge in it. This is what I feed my coral beauty couple times a week so he doesn't mess with my corals.

@Reef Devils
If this works it seems like a better solution than draining the tank?

Either way, please keep us posted on the final disposition of this angel fish issue.

Post pictures to document the sol'n. :cool:

 

[Reef Devils]

@Reef Devils
If this works it seems like a better solution than draining the tank?

Either way, please keep us posted on the final disposition of this angel fish issue.

Post pictures to document the sol'n. :cool:

Yes I will keep y’all updated on this.

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

I took a short piece of PVC Pipe, rubber banded several layers of Cling Wrap to one end. Rubber banded a string to the other end. Put the Flameback Angels favorite frozen food in the pipe. It was very cautious, would wait for food to drift out, from other fish going in and out. Caught it on the Third Day. I needed to move a Vox Angelfish from Quarantine and the Flameback from 65 to my new 120 tank at the same time.

 

[Jesterrace]

I got mine with an Aquafina bottle. Cut off the top and fold the top inwards. Weigh down with substrate/rubble and put some food on the bottom of it. Place it upright on the sandbed and leave it. Took about 2 hours for him to get comfortable and curious enough but he did it. You can also place a mirror at the bottom of the trap and there is a decent chance it will go after it's reflection.

 

[Reef Devils]

Hey everyone,

I finally caught the Flame Angel! Let me tell you what worked for me and what didn't.

I didn't want to drain my tank so I started with the easiest techniques.

What didn't work-
1. The first thing I tried was turning lights on in the middle of the night and having the fish come out of his cave all confused and I could catch him with a net. Well, the flame was the only fish that didn't come out of the rocks while all the other fish were going crazy.

2. I used a red flashlight at night and waited for the flame to swim into a vulnerable spot but he stayed so close to the rock work in the back of the tank it was impossible.

3. I tried cornering the fish into a corner of the tank but he was so fast it was impossible to work around the rocks. At this point every time I walked by the tank the flame would be hiding the rocks knowing that I was after him.

What Worked -
4. I ended up buying the Nyos Floating Fish Trap on BRS for $70. When it arrived I put it in the tank for 1 day to let the fish get used to the new foreign object. The next day at feeding time I put some food in the trap and the flame went in. It took 1 minute from the time I put the food in the trap to him going in. Buying a fish trap was definitely the way to go.

I hope this helps others in the future to catch a fish like the smart Flame Angel.

Let me know if you have any questions and thank you to everyone who helped me with this.

 

[KrisReef]

Great write up. Glad you captured the angel. We still need to know if you put it in the sump. or traded it in at the local fish store, or if it got it's just deserts and went swirling down to goldfish heaven? :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:

 

[Reef Devils]

Great write up. Glad you captured the angel. We still need to know if you put it in the sump. or traded it in at the local fish store, or if it got it's just desserts and went swirling down to goldfish heaven? :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:

I am going to try LFS to trade it in!

 

[greenie8459]

Gotta give a vote for the Nyos as well. Just caught an ****** flame angel in 20 mins.