How to take damsels out?

[bivi]

Hi all,

both my hubby and I used the same log-in name so hope u won't be confused by it.

Anyway, we just started with our aquarium and we first have damsels in the fish tank. Now the damsels are getting big (about 7 of them) and we just started putting a few new fishes (blue tank, yellow tank and pink/purple anthias).

The damsels started to chase them quite often, anyway to take them out of the tank? I think it's quite impossible, but maybe we'd try trapping them with food, hopefully works *sigh*

My new cardinal is dead , not sure why.. but the last time my old cardinal dead we couldn't find the body.. but now, we know who ate the body.. the prawns!!! *yuck*

[jervismun]

Oh dear... catching fish out is the hardest

Bad news sis... it's very hard to trap them using food unless you starve them for 3 days... make sure the trap is inside the water all the time (to make them familiarize with the trap).

[xersion]

i have a fish trap if ur interested can leave me a pm or 93677669

[mansiz]

The prawns did not kill your cardinals, they ate it after they are dead. Try the mirror in the bottle method, it works very well. place a mirror in a bottle, tie a string to the bottle, when it goes in, da da, lift the string and the damsel was caught. But you can't expect fast work done, all these will be time consuming. Of course when you 1st place in the bottle, all fishes will hide for a while, but they will automatically go into the bottle eventually. Btw its tang not tank, keke. jkjk.

[Underwater]

You may want to try this method also. Simple and no harm trying. This is how i used to catch my damsels. (p.s. May not always work)

1. Put flakes (which float on water surface) at one spot where there's no LR nearby the water surface

2. Position the fish net near the tank top edge and water surface (but not too close)

3. Forever hungry damsels will swim up to the surface to eat

4. Scoop up (must be damned fast) the damsel using the net as swiftly as possible while it is coming near the surface to eat or just reached the water surface for the food

[glim18]

...must be big net and super fast...make sure the net doesn't get catch any rocks, or you'll be having an avalanche in your tank!!!

[ystad8]

Its every new reefers mistake to put that DAMM DAMSEL in their tank. If u want the other fishes or new introduce fishes to live peacefully, remove them immediately even before adding new fishes. Hard to trap them as they are aggressive SMART, SMART , SMART. Dry the tank to get them out unless u have a big net with no LR inside......HUNT THEM BEFORE THEY HUNT YOU.....(Yr pocket)....Happy Hunting.....

[w3ish3ng]

its not every, at least i didnt put in. haha. its just depend how much research you did before you got your new tank up.

[Jameshong]

Hi sis,

You can fish it by traditional sea fishing method.Buy prawn hook with size 5(smallest), hook with bait (prawn meat) and let enjoy fishing in your tank .

It seem cruel, but can't be help...this is a very effective way. You can hook damsel easily within 5~10mins but becareful of other fishes lor !

cheers.

[jun]

is it onli the blue damsel which most of u are getting rid of??

how abt those stripe damsel /Three Spot Domino damsel??

[aquabeanzIII]

Catching them by "surprise mode", i.e. switching on the lights suddenly 2hrs into their sleep (lights off) might be the best way out

[flamey]

Catching them by "surprise mode", i.e. switching on the lights suddenly 2hrs into their sleep (lights off) might be the best way out

i second this.. dats hw i caught my unwanted fishes... but first u hv to study where is their hiding place... no point u surprise them end up u yourself dunno where it is! bt i think damsels a bit difficult..

[remus]

i use a more troublesome method but it works for mi.Only for agrressive fish,i use a betta box put a fish that it always like to chase put the weaker fish in a plastic big and into the betta box.So the aggressive fish will see the fish and charge into the box to fight and u can close the door.Try tis only after u try the mirror method and if that does not work then can consider mine.

[jun]

is it onli the blue damsel which most of u are getting rid of??

how abt those stripe damsel /Three Spot Domino damsel??

is it onli the blue damsel which most of u are getting rid of??

how abt those stripe damsel /Three Spot Domino damsel??

[monpire]

Hi Sis, I was going thru your previous posts...seems you only have LR and fish without any corals (I maybe wrong as I was trying to read all your past post in 60 secs) . If that's the case, you may just wanna try removing all the LR into a basket, scope up all the fish and case closed. Fast and effective...Of course if you have very siong siong rockscaping than this method is out...I did this when I was trying to get those craps out of my tank. Happy hunting

[searching4dan]

got a DAMNsel in my tank too

kinda regret it ..

tried mirror, feeding and net method!

no use! the damsel is smarter then i tot

i wanna try the sleeping method! but i have no idea where is it hiding..

think inside some small lobangs..

dam damsels..

buy lionfish to makan it then it noe..

haha..

[bivi]

Thanks for your suggestion, my hubby has tried all ways and we managed to get 3 fish out. I think there are 4 more to go.

We got a few issues now:

- We bought trivoli (not sure how it's spelled) and they ate like crazy. Any of you keep this kind of fish? Is it worth keeping? They ate a lot until their stomach BIG and BULGING .. gross. Should i take them out too?

- We bought 3 purple queen anthias and we already lost 1 while we're not sure if the other 2 are eating. Sometimes we see them eating something like bubble.. or particles... but not sure if it is enough (we tried to feed them live brine) as they look thinner now.

Anybody has advise on what do anthias eat?

Thanks...

[bivi]

Thankssearching4dan for your link to fish names http://marinedepotlive.stores.yahoo.net/fish.html

Maybe i should keep to buying only 'easy' fish suitable for novice.

Currently we have:

- Yellow tang

- 2 small blue tangs

- maroon fish

- royal gamma

- goby

What other fish that are suitable for novice?

[remus]

for pruple queen its quite hard to get them to eat, u can try cylopezee which mine like it alot.when i have new fish they sure eat it so i assume it is one kind of food to train them to eat.

[monpire]

Maroon fish...you mean clown...once you have that (unless it is a baby) you basically will have problem trying to get the rest of the clown family in... maroon and tomato clowns are bullies when they are in the tank with other clowns.

Just my 5 cents worth, some clown fish may distrub your LSP...my baby tomato adopted my bubble while the clarkii sleeps on the open brain...which is currently stressed...U may want to have a overall idea of what you want your tank to be before purchasing any more fish. Angels are not reef safe.

Happy reefing sis

[searching4dan]

umm.. i am a newbie in marine reef

juz 3mths..

i have 2 very senior "old bird" fish given by bro remus to start off with..

1 foxface rabbit fish

1 brown surgeon tang

super hardcore..

nvr say DIE..

i added in a yellow tail damsel (which i regretted BUT now seems to be tamed liao! nvr attack or disturb any fellow roommates leh)

also a longnose hawkfish

and a sand sniffing white goby

all my fishes are relatively cheap..

that is all i have to start off with..

myb u wanna try??