Removing a Psuedo

[reeferaddict]

I recently got all the livestock from an existing tank that came w a purple psuedo, not a fridmani but the Magenta... he's OK as of now but I wanna add some shrimp and smaller docile fish- its only a 34gl.
Besides tearing the tank down-- and making a trap any suggestions on catching him?
Based on all I read- this wouldn't be a fish I would have bought but I have it now... I had a royal gramma that was a holy terror.. are these fish really that bad? Will he eat my shrimp and emerald crabs?

thanks for any advice or input

 

[reeferaddict]

the bottle trap I left in for 2 days got no attention-- even quit feeding for a day but none of the fish checked it out even..

I got a high powered laser people are using to kill aiptasia.. guess I'm gonna snipe him out
Is that bad?:headwally:

 

[Bill Nye]

I got a jerky dottyback out of my tank using a bottle trap. Mean fish are usually the smartest for some reason so you need to really wait him out. It took me three days of trying to get him.

First day I just put it in the tank and let the fish check it out. The next day I started putting food in the bottle and he would check it out but not go deep enough to actually catch him. Third day he went in pretty quickly after I put food in and I got him. I would recommend not trying to catch him in the trap unless you are absolutely sure you can get him. If you try to pull it and he gets out he might never go near it again.

 

[SoloChromis]

Get yourself a plastic fish bowl (will usually run around $5), sink it in your tank, and maybe place a piece of rock inside to keep it submerged. Use a turkey baster to squirt food in the bowl every day and eventually every fish will begin wandering in to feed. When the dottyback swims in, either yank the bowl to the surface or slap a net over the exit and you've got your guy. It's worked for me every time, so don't waste your time and money investing in an expensive trap. Good luck :fish1:

 

[reeferaddict]

Thanks guys....
Honestly he hasn't been a huge issue yet but it's a small tank, not fully stocked yet- and he's already territorial. I just found out he sleeps in this huge coralline covered conch shell so if he does become an issue I think I could get him coming out in the early AM by fitting a net over the entire shell.. If not I'll be back at it w the bottle trap
Appreciate the fish bowl idea.. Its a smaller tank but may try a variant of it.

JK about the laser, lol...

 

[thebigblue]

I had a red elongated Dottyback in my tank who was being a jerk. He was elusive and skittish, always in and out of the rock.

I reluctantly tried the water bottle trap. I drilled a small 1/2" in the cap so only he could fit in. I dropped in a big piece of mysis and within 10 minutes I bagged him.

Oddly, my other fish didn't even go for the bait. It seems like since he's a little carnivore he couldn't stay away.

Good luck!