Catching Damsels in a reef tank

F

Finding_Nemo

New member
Well, everybody would say it is impossible and cannot be done unless you remove all the rocks and 3 quarters of the water.
These little devils are smart, fast and intelligent to not be caught by a net or using other procedures.
I was reading on the net some technics used by other reefers and none of them worked; net, fishing, open bottle, by hand. Some of them were even willing to pay 200$ for everyone who could catch these devils;
Well here we go; i have a black "devil" who was the king of the tank until 3 hours ago. Any other fish was his servant, it started today when i have added a Koran Angel which was seriously beaten by the Damsel. Here is when i decided that it must be caught immediately. All my rocks are well arranged with corals and lots of hiding places. Removing everything was not the solution to me.
So i have taken an aquarium glass top with two mobile parts and i have introduced this one in the water in the front of the tank where there's no rocks and the free space was allowing me to create a corridor where fishes could go in. I start feeding the fished but keeping my hand on the mobile part, First time the damsel went right into the corridor to the food and i have closed the glass right away after it. So the sucker remained stocked there but with some other fish together. I have placed my net in the opening to taking out from the enclosed space but unfortunately i probably moved the glass and he escaped. I have repeated the procedure but the second time he won't go in. I had to open the glass from the other side and by my surprise he has came in. Again he escaped while trying to catch him insight. The third time i had to wait over 6 hours. I could not make him to come in the opening ( i think they are very smart!) however in the night time i start feeding again, he was coming only in the beginning of the space but then running out faster than i could slide the glass. However using my other hand i managed to scar ed him from the back so he got in. This time successful caught and removed. Now he is waiting nicely in a recipient to be carried away to the new LFS.
I hope this helps;
Here's a pic.

Note very important, you must do it in the first try, otherwise they are learning fast and second time would be hard to make them go in.
 

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I caught all 5 blue devils in about 3 hours once by placing half a dozen pint glasses all over the reef rock with the openings facing outwards. The glasses are of course nearly invisible under the water. Then I sat back and waited. When a damsel came out in front of the glasses, I would walk up to the tank and the damsel would try to scoot into the rocks. If he swam into one of the glasses he would not come out because he would have to swim at me to do so. I then just put my hand over the end of the glass and lifted it out. It worked quite well.
 
I used the funnel part of a Python gravel cleaner. It's clear and long. Dropped some dried mysis shrimp in it, and waited. They would swim in, half way, then a little further until they just couldn't help themselves and went for the bait. All I had to do was tap on the glass or put my hand in front of the funnel and they stayed in. I raised the funnel, put a net under it,and just let it sit in the tank until i could get them back to the star. Works all the time, and with most every fish that's small enough to get in it.

Rev
 
i tell everyone to go to the bait shop and ask for "shiner" hooks and fish them out with the tiny hooks and favorite treat as bait. it works every time and is less stress full to fish than bashing them with a net IMO
 
I like the explosives method...

I tore my tank down to almost nothing to catch mine. He cost me about $250 in fish he killed before I was able to catch him.

I tried fish traps, nets, glasses, night time stalking, food luring, and almost tried a little voodoo as well. Stupid fish eluded my every attempt until I tore it down and used that white mesh stuff to section off the side of the tank he was on. I actualy didn't think I caught him until I looked in the bucket. He was stuck in a rock hole when I removed the rock from the water...

Damsels are evil...
 
I'm a fan of the size 22 fish hook from bass pro shop.

I was tempted to drop my wifes hair dryer in there to get thoes evil fish.
I passed on the fact of too much collateral damage.

Bill
 
I have used the tiny fish hook and thin fishing line method for years. Put a small piece of shrimp on it. Damsels are so greedy they are always the first ones to steal food, which in this case works to your advantage.

After the 3rd or 4th damsel caught they do get a bit suspicious...
 
i have a aquapod 24 that had 2 damsels in it i took them out because i think they liked the taste of my new fire mushrooms. I just set my green net in the tank for about 10 minutes then feed them a little flake food. when they was eating i snagged then both. it worked great.
hope it helps somebody. but next time i gotta try the fishing idea. even sounds like fun !:)
 
Took me 3 weeks to get my Jewel damesl but finally he went in the "large" fish trap--pretty much he was starving as thats the only place food was being keep. Never again w/ I get a damsel.
 
I just left a net in the tank close to the front glass. and everytime I walk by, I just check if the damsel is in front of the net, sure enough after a couple days, I spotted it in front of the net and I just quickly hold the net against the front glass then tap the glass for it to swim into the net. I suppose it is the same principle as other methods.
 
i built a fish trap and cought mine in a two days i was only watching a couple hours a day while i was doing other thgins, it was pretty, he was the last fish to go in the trap though
 
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