Coris wrasse

[Passionfish]

Now that our coris wrasse is a teenager and clearly eating every crab and snail in sight, we must pull her out of our tank. Anyone with a fish only (or even just no inverts) interested? She is much too small for our fish tank.

[mrivers]

Have you removed the coris yet? If you can get him out of your tank(fun!), I'm sure I can find a home for him.

[Passionfish]

Have not gotten him out yet, but an thinking of doing a refrugium and putting him in there. If not I'll let you know if I need a home for him. I am actually quite attached to him and it has been wonderful watching him develop his irridescent blue dots and green stripes.

[mrivers]

"I am actually quite attached to him "

I'm the same way with my Coris :) When I put him in my tank, he was only about an inch long, now he's probably 5 inches long, blue dots & yellow tail.

[Passionfish]

Any suggestions on how to catch him?

[mrivers]

Idea 1:

If your wrasse isn't very timid, and will come after food when you're over the tank. Put some frozen food (it must float), when the wrasse is close to the surface, you might be able to quickly net him - key: QUICKLY, and aim so that he goes head first into the net.

Odds are, your going to get one shot to catch him, I sure he'll bury himself if you miss.

If your wrasse is anything like mine, idea 1 doesn't have a chance :) (FWIW, that method does work well for triggers)

Idea 2:

Scare him so he buries himself, then dig up underneath him with a net. Your going to want to get a lot of sand so that the wrasse doesn't feel/see the net. Once you've got the net under him, quickly pull the whole lot to the surface. If you let too much sand sift out, and he becomes uncovered, he'll probably bolt.

I think the key is to get enough sand so that the wrasse doesn't know he's in a net!

PS, turn the MH bulbs off first!

[Passionfish]

Thanks for the suggestions, but I don't think either will work. He is too fast and shy to go for the net thing and if he buries himself, I have no idea where he is, nor could I hunt for him without disturbing corals,etc....I do have to get him out hough before I put any more crabs in. I ws thinking about doing the coke bottle trap. What do you think? He is about three inches long now.

[mrivers]

"...if he buries himself, I have no idea where he is"

Well, what I would do is, have a person on either side of the tank, then scare him, and watch where he buries himself.

"I ws thinking about doing the coke bottle trap. What do you think?"

That might work. I'ld tie some fishing string to the bottle so it can be pulled out quickly. Some sand inside the bottle would probably be good too, that way he can bury himself while you pull him out, odds are he'll head for the sand instead of trying to get out or darting around in the bottle.

[Passionfish]

I'll let you know what happens. Thanks