How do I catch this sucker?

ReefRatz · #1 03/10/2005, 01:22 AM

HI everyone!
about 4 weeks back I setup a new tank with 180lbs or Cured live rock and Live sand. I had no cycles... All readings were 0.. And I was told by the LFS to add some damsels. I added 4 of these guys and now its a pain to get them out. I cannot use a net ..they are fast. ANy other Ideas? I added a clown and they are constatnly after the poor fish.
Thanks

Smokey057 · #2 03/10/2005, 01:26 AM

Go fishing! small line + hook with the barb filled off.
beats taking out all the rock!

Smokey

ReefRatz · #3 03/10/2005, 01:35 AM

These guys are tiny..about 1.5 inches long. a hook will work? what do you use for bait?

tankslave · #4 03/10/2005, 01:41 AM

use "salmon egg hooks" might work. You can also try putting a large clear container in and try to chase them in, or somehow divide off sections with some sheets of acylic.

Texasgirl · #5 03/10/2005, 02:07 AM

I have not tried this yet, but I bought this off ebay... "Tropical fish trap" turned out to be instructions on how to make one.

Get 2 litter coke bottle. cut about 2 2 sided triangle holes in it( with the bottom of the triangle still being attached) push inward. Also poke some hole in the coke bottle right under the triangle so that when you pull it out of tank...water drains out and fish can not escape. Do not feed fish for 2-3 days ( make them hungry I guess) and put some gravel in the bottom and then some of thier fav. food inside. They will swim in, but not out becuase of how the triangle goes in.

Or you could buy a minow trap at bait shop or sporting goods store.

Like I said I have not tried this method yet....so I am not sure it works, but I paid 5 dollars for the idea. (I thought I was going to get sent something)

Hope this helps

Natalie

ReefRatz · #6 03/10/2005, 02:19 AM

2 sided triangle? or its two 2" sided trangle?. please clarify.

cokeandsmile · #7 03/10/2005, 02:22 AM

honestly rent a lion fish great to look at easy to catch

ReefRatz · #8 03/10/2005, 09:01 AM

I have a small clown in there also will the lion eat the clown?

boz151 · #9 03/10/2005, 09:06 AM

I used some advice from another thread on this forum and it worked like a charm so I'll pass it on:

Take a coke bottle (I used that new size they have, something like 1.5L). Right where the taper of the top of the bottle stops, about 4" from the top, cut it off. Cut the screw cap off of that piece so there is about a 1.5" hole created and throw the screw top out. Invert the former top of the bottle into the base of the bottle and silicone it so it stays. Place some food into the bottle and put it in the tank. When the damsel swims in, grab the bottle and lift him out. He will swim into the inverted part of the trap, not out the hole.

jallard · #10 03/10/2005, 09:15 AM

start feeding them by placing the food in a large net in a calm area of your tank. ...i dunnoif it would work but saw it posted some where

adickerson0 · #11 03/10/2005, 09:47 AM

Grap them at night when they are sleeping. You have to sneak up on them so leave your hood open with the net already in the tank. Then you just snatch them up using your mad ninja neting skills.

Texasgirl · #12 03/10/2005, 10:10 AM

2 sided triangle(so that the botom of the triangle is not cut at all)......hole needs to be only larg enough to fit through the fish you are trying to catch.

The other idea from boz151 is the same as a minow trap, they should cost about $2-3 at sporting goods store (acadamy has them I know) and they are small enough for a damsel.

Hope this helps

Natalie

ReefRatz · #13 03/10/2005, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by boz151
I used some advice from another thread on this forum and it worked like a charm so I'll pass it on:

Take a coke bottle (I used that new size they have, something like 1.5L). Right where the taper of the top of the bottle stops, about 4" from the top, cut it off. Cut the screw cap off of that piece so there is about a 1.5" hole created and throw the screw top out. Invert the former top of the bottle into the base of the bottle and silicone it so it stays. Place some food into the bottle and put it in the tank. When the damsel swims in, grab the bottle and lift him out. He will swim into the inverted part of the trap, not out the hole.

Its and inverted bottle with top open and neck cut off and sealed to the bottom. The bottom and the neck is isolated by the base of the bottle. and where do you place the food? inside the large part and I dont understand how the fish will swim from the bottom. I'm lost. Please help. I tried everything large net.. to chasing them to a corner. Too many rocks and they are fast. Hope this works.
THanks

Aji

boz151 · #14 03/10/2005, 11:39 AM

Here's the best pic I could get of it. Hopefully it helps.

Good luck.

rookie46 · #15 03/10/2005, 12:59 PM

I like the make-shift trap from the coke bottle; haven't heard of that. If that doesn't work I have used a fish trap called "The Trap" which has a door that you hole open with fishing line. You put food inside and after the fish swims in you let the fishing line go so the door slides shut. Two problems 1) you have to sit and wait for the fish to swim in which can take awhile 2) the trap cost $60, but is probably worth it.

Good luck

cougaraug · #16 03/10/2005, 01:32 PM

he he mad ninja netting skills. I still say fishing sounds like the funnest. And with th problem those darn things can put you through, some fun is what you need. I'd say that #18 or#20 hook should suffice, and maybe some brine shrimp as bait. course you probably want to take your clown out first.

then you can brag to your buddies about the 18" trout you caught.

loup · #17 03/10/2005, 01:35 PM

To catch my fish i usually sprikle some flakes on top of the water and wait for them to come up and eat then take a net and swipe them up. You have to be fast but i always get them. If you dont get them the first time try again. Most damsels are little fat and greedy fish always wanting to eat so they will come up for food and you can swpie at it again.

but mine was to smart, i tore the tank apart for one damsel

ReefRatz · #18 03/10/2005, 03:03 PM

I tried the netting thing...Did not work.. the tank is 34" high.. and I use a large net. I even left the net in the tank for about a day and didn't feed them for 2 days. They are fast suckers... not to mention I have 180 lbs or rock. THe coke bottle thing I'm waiting for the silicone to dry. I'll even pay someone to get them out!. I'm tired of them creeps.

boz151 · #19 03/10/2005, 03:26 PM

Give the bottle a chance, put it on it's side, not upright. Once they get used to it...about 3 minutes, you will catch them. Heck, then you have a fish trap for the next time you need to get something out... I caucht a wierd snail that Dr. Ron ID'd for me too !!!

ReefRatz · #20 03/10/2005, 11:49 PM

This was only 50 minutes of fight this past weekend. The 4 lousy darn damsels driving me bananas for the past 5 days. If this doesn't work I'm unloading 180lbs of rock. Please the Bottle thingy work !
ReefRatz

tankslave · #21 03/11/2005, 04:48 AM

is it a domino damsel? I think I fed my domino so much it had a heart attack and died. Don't want to suggest anything underhanded like that, but that domino was an #@@!(* of a fish.

ReefRatz · #22 03/12/2005, 10:19 AM

Two with black strips and two with white dots

puffer21 · #23 03/12/2005, 10:36 AM

do you have four-striped damsel and the domino damsel and you want to kill them are you really going to kill them

ReefRatz · #24 03/12/2005, 11:18 AM

Kill them? I just want to get them out and donate it back to LFS. They are attacking everything around them

puffer21 · #25 03/12/2005, 02:03 PM

oh i thought you wanted to kill them and what is LFA