Help me get my damsel out of the tank please

[lougotzz]

Hello everyone,
I have to move my damsel into his Qt due to an ich outbreak, but I cant get him out, when I go up to the tank, he swims right into the rock. Does anyone know any tricks or anythign like that? When he sleeps at night time he sleeps in the rock.....

Thanks.

[jimmy n]

I recommend cyanide.... or, do you own a shotgun?

[lougotzz]

Yeah, should I shoot myself or the tank? lol

[ptomoson]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gKizvpGKPk (fish trap)

[Agu]

Take out the rock ?

Because damnsels are aggressive feeders most commercial/DIY fish traps are effective for catching them.

Or go fishing with a barbless hook .... believe it or not people have reported that this works.

[jayk198030]

you try the soda bottle trick. put food in soda bottle and hope he goes in. i had to break down my 120g to get 3 out. dont buy damsels. that why they are called DAMsels. they suck and are now in my 30g frag tank.

[Hal]

Are you using a net? If so, I recommend switching to a clear plastic fish container (the kind that petstores hang on the side of the tank when they're grabbing fish with their nets). It's more difficult for the fish to see. I use the net to herd them into the plastic container. Works every time.

[d3rryc]

+1 for the soda bottle trick. It works even better if you drill a few holes in the bottom of the bottle so the scent of the bait disperses better.

[Sugar Magnolia]

I had to remove all my rockwork to get mine out. Tried the barbless hook and the little buger wouldn't bite.

[Fluid]

I was actually able to get mine out. It took me about two hours, but I did finally do it. I'm sure he hated life by the time we were done, but he did survive back at the LFS.

I first just tried using a net for about a half hour. Terrible idea. Then I started using a net and my turkey baster. This two-sided attack allowed me to corral him into a corner of the tank. Then, I switched to my funnel and my turkey baster to corral, and my fiance scooped him with a net. It sucked...bad!

[widmer]

Get those large clear generic food storage bags from the grocery store (~2 gallons?). Get a 3-foot long plastic zip tie from the hardware store. Slice off the locking feature of the zip tie, then poke holes in the plastic bag to make a butterfly net looking thing. Set it in your aquarium so that the bag is entirely open, it should take up like a third of your tank. Leave the handle sticking out of the tank. Then back away from the tank however much you need so that the damselfish swims into the bag, then come in and yank the bag out. It probably won't turn around to swim out of the bag as you're walking in, unless you leave it in there too long and it learns that there's only one way out.

[patsfan1130]

I agree with removing the rock. It's a pain but when all is said and done, It's quicker than the time most spend on catching them. Plus it gives a good reason to re arrange your rockwork and give it a little scrubbing with a toothbrush :)

[Dave & Monica]

So did you get it?

[lougotzz]

Not yet..when I do hes going back to the pet store. I really dont want to move my rock around, it took me hours, to find a rock scape I liked, and after I move it, I cant get it back because I wont rembmer how it went. That clear bag thing is what I am going to try next.
Thanks.

[mustang51js]

i caught mine in 5 minutes with the soda bottle trick, cut top half off and put food inside, stay near by with a net and put the net in front of it when it goes in.

[lougotzz]

I got the bottle in now, to lazy to go to the store to get a bag, I see him thinking about going in the bottle.