deterring from digging

[triggreef]

I have a damsel that is just determined to dig under my rock work. It's very messy covering corals with sand, making tank cloudy, etc. For a long time he was happy in a crevice but I guess he wants a new home& just keeps digging every where. My rock is quite stable so under mining my work is not an issue, just the mess he makes. I'd rather keep the damsel as it is a bit different than the normal ones you see, but I'm getting close to the point where I will start fishing him out.

Any way to simply deter this behavior?

 

[reepher315]

Get a rock that has alot of larger holes maybe it will stay put? No real way to break a fish habbit.

 

[triggreef]

Guess I'll have to pick up some fishing line. Ice been just tossing smaller rocks& shells in where he digs which stops him. But he just starts some where else. I'm running out of barricades though

 

[eatbreakfast]

There isnt much to do to stop this behaior once it starts. He is trying to entice a mate with a more desirable spawning location, regardless of whether there is a partner in the tank or not, and even if you found a partner for it they would excavate to lay eggs.