How to catch a fish?

[divemasterjim]

How do I catch my Yellowtail Damselfish (Chrysiptera parasema)

I have 2 of them and they are getting very aggressive towards the other fish.
My blue tang is afraid to come out of the corner of the tank, every time it does they attack it. They are so smart, as soon as they see the nets they hide under the rocks. I cant catch them. HELP!!!!!

 

[cleverdave2k]

I had the same problem mine where attacking everything in the tank then wneh i went catch them going in andout the rocks so i couldnt get them nippy little things i ended up having to take out the rocks catch them still hard then

 

[divemasterjim]

Ack I dont want to have to take out the rocks

 

[Sk8r]

Unplug everything. Pump the tank dry except for a deep well at one corner. They'll find it. The process won't hurt your corals. What you need is a potent pump and barrels for your water. Net the blighters. Then get it all back in asap. Test, test, test, stand by with 20% water change. Test again. Take fish to store.

 

[finsurgeon]

Use a fish trap! My LFS has one and lends it out - I've used it successfully 5 times without fail. It's a clear acrylic tube with clear flat ends, one of which is a door attached to fishing line. It has a container for food that slides to the back end - mysis has been best for me - and you put it on the sand and sit down and wait for the fish you want out to swim in for the food. Last time I brought home the trap and went back to the car and my daughter met me at the door with my mean little son of a gun dottyback in the trap about 3 minutes later. One time I had 6 or 8 other tankmates in and out until it became quite a party, attracting the killer 4 line wrasse I was after. The LFS lends or rents the trap, noting that the cost of $55 would not be reasonable to anyone who just needs it on a rare occasion, but it sure beats tearing up your reef. Drs Foster and Smith had a couple versions in their last catalogue if you can't find one. Maybe your LFS could help you defray the cost.

 

[maddyfish]

If you have time, start now feeding your fish from a net. Put the food into the net, then put the net in the water, it will take a while, but after a few weeks the fish will swim into the net to eat. I do this and can catch any of my fish at any time, and I do have a yellow tail blue damsel.

 

[stykthyn]

the fish trap works well, but if they sleep in the open or where you can get to them throw the lights on in the middle of the night. they will have that deer in headlights look and you can easily grab them

 

[JC2005]

I agree with maddyfish. This system has worked for me on numerous occasions.

 

[mike89t]

This was in this months reefkeeping magazine:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-06/sp/index.php

 

[divemasterjim]

I made a trap out of a 64oz plastic apple juice bottle. Caught him in under 15 minutes. Now to get the other one.:rollface:

 

[divemasterjim]

Caught the second one about 20 minutes later