Who has torn tank down to catch damsel?

[corbett_n]

Who has torn tank down to catch damsel? This will give everyone an idea of how mean these little fish can be. Of course there are exceptions, but damsels have almost made me want to quit reefing.

[woodiecrafts]

You are so right. It just might save someone new to the hobby from a very troublesome mistake.

[seattleguy]

Here is a way to catch them that you may not have considered. It is a little cruel but effective and certainly not as hard as breaking down the tank. Find somebody that has a small laser light. One of my local reefer buddies has one of the "now illegal type" that will blind the wicked fish and enable you to capture him with ease. I don't know if it is temporary or permanent but it really worked. This laser was not the laser pointer used for lectures. This is the kind that they arrest you for using when shinning them at passing aircrafts. This solution is not for everyone and requires caution. Hey but so does using Muratic acid to clean stuff.

[flrn]

I used this method to catch a mantis shrimp and it worked wonders, so don't see why it wouldn't work for a small fish too. Take a plastic soda bottle, and fill with tank water, add a piece of food in the bottle, and tie a string to the neck of the bottle. As soon as the little bugger went into the bottle for the food, I pulled up on the string, and caught the little bugger. Hope this helps.

[Fingers68]

I got two dominos and two red ones with a blue spot on there back.

Within 2 days I realised they needed out, the whole tank had turned into a nervous tense atmosphere. I just used a trap and time. I caught the four by leaving the trap in the tank and feeding from the trap for about a week. I suspended it so only the fish could get to it and when I had time I would sit and fish. The fish were happy with the box and I caught the critters I wanted in not to many sessions. Then off to the LFS to give them a present. I have two other damsels blue with yellow tails which are smaller and too small for the trap. They are behaving and have been in the tank for some time now, so they can stay, but as soon as I see any arression to other species, then its a fishing session again.

Agressive fish, never again.

[fasteddie99]

I did. I tore my whole tank apart for a Damsel, right down to the last rock.:mad:

I'll never do that again.;)

I would definately recomend a different method. IE: fish trap, de-barbed fish hook, 12 gauge shotgun...etc...:D

[rendogg]

There should also be a poll on Okinawa Gobies..... I even tried the tiniest hooks I could get baited with mysis, caught a few chromis' but no goby.

On a related note, i'll be tearing down a tank with a loco damsel next week.... fun times, fun times!

[reefergeorge]

My porcupine puffer ate my original three yellow tail damsels. Maybe I should rent him out. :)

[b_s_c1]

When I first started my tank the LFS suggested a blue damsel for a starter fish. Bad mistake. After adding more fish only to find them dead within a couple of days I almost gave up on salt water aquariums. The damsel never acted up during the day but I found that as soon as the lights went off he was on the hunt.

After seeing this I wanted the damsel out right then. It took several hours of trying to net it before I removed all the rocks. Then it was still hard to catch it.

That one damsel turned me against all of them. I will never own another one.

[Imzadi]

Tonight...

I have been 2 weeks trying everything BUT tearing it down... I got some #20 hooks... I couldn't find #26... and that didn't work. 10 nets in the tank to force them into one path... and no go.

I tore out half the tank, and managed to catch them in the one half of the tank.

I bought them cuz I liked them... not for the live sacri-cycle-stock use. I was inches from dropping a toaster in the tank to get them out... Good thing for me is I didn't have any other fish, or corals to worry about... if it was a full tank of stuff, it would have been a disaster.

[pwoller]

Just drain the water out and save yourself some time. Get some big garbage cans and drain the water into them, after you catch him pump the water back in.

[Hogfish77]

I had to when I needed to catch my cleaner wrasse that kept stealing food from my acans. Fed him to my african cichlid predators.:strooper:

[tankjunky]

here is a change in the normal story, I tore my tank down to get a domino damsel out of my tank to save it from my bicolor angel, I bought a pair of them and within 1 hour my angel killed one and was working on the other

[rendogg]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15327891#post15327891 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Imzadi
Tonight...

I have been 2 weeks trying everything BUT tearing it down... I got some #20 hooks... I couldn't find #26... and that didn't work. 10 nets in the tank to force them into one path... and no go.

I tore out half the tank, and managed to catch them in the one half of the tank.

I bought them cuz I liked them... not for the live sacri-cycle-stock use. I was inches from dropping a toaster in the tank to get them out... Good thing for me is I didn't have any other fish, or corals to worry about... if it was a full tank of stuff, it would have been a disaster.

Yeah, #26 are pretty hard to find. I'm surprised the #20s weren't working for you, I was hammering the Chromis' on them.... fish on!!!.... reminds me of the first fish I caught on my fly rod, about the same size, when I went to recast I noticed a tiny fish flying through the air attached to my hook.... classic!

[steelhead77]

Here's what I did....
Small water bottle, cut the top off (about 1/4 from the top), Put a small rock in it to weigh it down, set on bottom of tank, drop food directly into it, when Damsel swims in to get the food, quickly take bottle out. Fish don't tend to swim up. You may need to not feed him for a day or two. It worked like a charm for me.

[likwidglostix]

I had a four stripe bullying my clowns. When I did a water change a few months ago, I pulled out half the rocks. Just enough so he had no place to hide. It still took me twenty minutes with both my nets to get him out. I'm glad I only have a 14 gal biocube with 15lbs live rock. I'd hate to think about having to break down a big tank. Don't buy these fish unless you have a shark that needs feeding. I hate to say that, but they are horrible creatures.

[corbett_n]

all the traps in the world wouldn't catch my damsel, he was very crafty.

[WhoDey64]

Its a right of passage into the world of reefkeeping.

[barclayrl]

I would say a better questions is "Who hasnt torn down a tank to get a damsel out" lol

[corbett_n]

The LFS are the ones that should be ashamed for telling unsupecting people to start there tank with damsels. My LFS which is a great knowledgeable store, told me to start with 2 blue and 2 four striped damsels. Needless to say, i went back and had some harsh words with them. I don't let LFS get the best of me, if they give me wrong info just to make a sale, I strongly lecture them and tell them I am going to get my reefing club to switch stores, and they always are very apologetic, but they never really change.

[Megabite]

I heard this works as a trap. Get one of them cereal containers and put it in your fish tank. Only put the food in there until the fish are use to going in and out of it. being that the hole is on top, it's easy to close and fish usually rush away from your hand and will swim to the bottom of the container.

Again, I haven't tried it but sounds like this would work.

http://www.weatherdon.com.au/wtn/images/product/81620074173875.JPG

[macchicks]

I did so much research on here before starting my tank that I knew not to get one.

[sanababit]

no damsels here but a flame angel gave me hell before i had to tear half my tank up to catch him....,

sana

[Shane Hoffman]

LOL...

Well about a year ago when I though I could trust my LFS I bought a few domino damsels. & months later tore down whole tank to get the last one I couldnt catch with a net.....

175lbs live rock blah not fun....

[corbett_n]

I have access to Rotenone, i wonder if that will kill corals also.

[goldmaniac]

for me it was a red coris wrasse, and i even had to remove most the sand because the son-of-unwed-mother was hiding in there....

[likwidglostix]

See newbies, this is why it's best not to take the cheap route. I know I was thinking, "well if I kill a five dollar fish..."

[xtm]

I had a three striped damsel that was a true killer. It killed a Purple Tang that was at least 3 times his size, and a Yellow Tang. when I gave him away to a fellow reefer, it killed his Puffer. This is the same damsel who lifts huge frags away from his territory.. it's an amazingly strong little fish!

I was able to net him out of the tank while he was sleeping at night. It was surprisingly easy, just don't wake him up.

[drummereef]

I'll join the club. Been there done that. Never again. :D

[corbett_n]

I find the blue damsel to be the meaniest, but a LFS told me the neon velvets were very mean.

[Alaskan Reefer]

Purple pseudochromis. Tore the tank completely down, removed all sand, still couldn't find him until I started shaking all the live rocks and he fell out on the floor after being out of water for about 15 minutes. Put him in water, took him to LFS, they sold him to another sucker. Mean fish, and tough as nails. Never again.

[rendogg]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15331443#post15331443 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by corbett_n
I find the blue damsel to be the meaniest, but a LFS told me the neon velvets were very mean.

I guess the one thing you can never bank on is individual personality, I have a female Electric Blue and it is a very amiable tank mate. I have never seen any aggression from her.

[Megabite]

I wonder if the size of tank matters?

I have 6 Chromis and a couple of damsels (one blue & 1 yellow tail, first fish in tank) and there about the tamest fish in my tank and I have a lot of fish. Go figure.

[Dave Harms]

I've torn down tanks many times to get fish out, but never damsels, I love them. :D

I had a male blue devil that was the nicest, most docile fish I have ever seen, never bothered anyone except a neon velvet damsel.

[corbett_n]

I would to have a blue damsel again, I think it is one of the prettiest fish available. Of course would never go through that again, but people who have nice ones are very lucky. I can't believe that guys damsel killed a puffer fish, that's one bad fish.

[rendogg]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15335149#post15335149 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by corbett_n
I would to have a blue damsel again, I think it is one of the prettiest fish available. Of course would never go through that again, but people who have nice ones are very lucky. I can't believe that guys damsel killed a puffer fish, that's one bad fish.

The puffer killed 3 damsels.

[corbett_n]

I was referring to XTM's comment

[beachgyrl0]

Two different tanks two different damsels.
Tank one I tore down the whole entire tank, everything came out of it.
Tank Two I used the fish trap for about a week, I just fed the fish in the back of the trap, I caught all my fish, and one day the damsel was hungry enough he joined in the trap :-)

[corbett_n]

anyone ever seen any pics of a big reef tank with just damsels, that would look pretty cool

[400M1963]

Moved LR to give a Royal Dottyback the heave-ho (back to LFS) after he started in on Peppermint Shrimp.

[bolo7735]

2 Blue and a Blue/Yellow Damsel. I drained the water pretty low and had to move my rocks around. After rebuilding my reef I later have to catch my brittle star. I had to move all my rocks again. I always forget how I set up my rock formation. Every time my tank looks different. :(

[Imzadi]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15336786#post15336786 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by corbett_n
anyone ever seen any pics of a big reef tank with just damsels, that would look pretty cool My tank was like that... mind you it was only 2. lol

The two I JUST got out were the blue/yellow tail variety. They detroyed 5 Green Chromis, and when they dispatched them, the two turned on the third. Pounded him into the rocks with sharp sideswipes. I put a Lawnmover blenny in, and in minutes, they chased him into the overflow.

I took them to the new LFS... soo happy he opened a store... and he put him in a tank with some type of grouper, and the grouper put them in their place. The second it was aggressive back to them, they turned on each other. Unreal.

All I can say is I have never hated a fish... till now. And they really are sooo pretty. How can they be so mean. And they got a tiny little mouth.

[ziyaadb]

LOL will always stay away from the spawn of satan.

[corbett_n]

Can damsels be tank bred?

[corbett_n]

Whats the biggest fish you have seen a damsel kill?

[merek123]

I've gotten pretty close. I tore my old 75 to pieces try to catch a nasty velvet. I finally got a tiny barbless nymph that resembled a mysis, tied to 2# tippet, skipped feeding for a day, and then fed and went fishing. Dummy took it and was delivered to the lfs and they were warned of his disposition. I will never own another damsel!

[goldmaniac]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15408521#post15408521 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by corbett_n
Whats the biggest fish you have seen a damsel kill?

about 6-7 years ago a LFS near me had a 1200 gallon tank, 4 ft deep, with sharks. One of the LFS employees tossed in some damsels (not sure which kind, maybe Domino, maybe 3-stripe, maybe yellow-tail) and they killed multiple 3'+ sharks.

I didn't see it happen but I was in the store, saw the sharks before damsels, and the next time i was back and tank was completely empty. I inquired and that's the story I got.

[corbett_n]

that's crazy mean

[KafudaFish]

Another tip: egg crate from HD lighting.

You cut it taller than your tank and just leave it in for a day or two. Feed in a corner of your tank something frozen and stick it to the wall. If you want skip feeding before hand. The fish will go after the frozen food and you can move the crate slowly to cut off the rest of the tank. If they swim away just repeat.

If necessary you can put a piece in front of your LR to prevent escape back to the rock and simply slide the other piece until you have trapped the damsel. If other fish are present you just open the one crate and re direct them with your hand.

[jbird69]

Shopping the net is an easy way to find anything you need. catching a small fish with a tiny hook is simple and fast. I recommend squid for bait as it cant be stripped from the hook.
Heres where you can get some micro hooks for cheap.
http://www.fishusa.com/Mustad-Signature-Series-R30-Premium-Dry-Fly-Hook_p.html
You will need a magnifying glass to thread line thru the hook (and dont drop the little sucker in your carpet) If possible, pinch the barb flat with sharp nose pliers.

Some of us cant tear down with sps branches growing every which way and fusing live rock together and intricate aquascaping etc...


I think LFS should sell a small pack of these hooks to all damsel customers. :)

Damsels are the smartest fish I have ever kept, Make sure you where a tinfoil hat when you go fishing for them so they cant read your thoughts!...Im serious!!