how to catch a DESTRUCTIVE DAMSEL!

[mtodd001]

How do I accomplish this feat?

[dakar]

Without a LOT of luck, you *might* be able to bait the devil out of there into a net... most of the time you end up tearing the tank to bits trying get them out... DAMNsel's as I like to call them are very smart and you can chase them for weeks and never catch them with a loaded tank.

[lReef lKeeper]

i agree with Dave, because of the expieriance i just went through. i had to remove over 100 lbs of LR to get 5 DAMNsels out of my reef. i wil never own another one, unless it is to start a cycle on a new tank, but when the cycle is done they are in the toilet.

[dakar]

My dislike for them isn't quite that bad Bobby, they have their place... the natural agressiveness just makes them ideal canidates for their own tank.

I would never suggest using them for tank cycling, especially givent here are much more humane methods of starting the cycle.

[lReef lKeeper]

that was just being a little sarcastic Dave. I dont think i could ever REALLY flush a live fish down the toilet. These DAMNsels are a great fish for beginners also. In fact i gave 3 of them to my sister to put in her tank. and i agree they do have there place, it just is NOT in any of my tanks !!

[mtodd001]

is there any trap I can use, like the inverted water bottle or something? I have a loaded tank and really can't rip it apart. I tried to bait it w/food it the food in the net...didn't work :(

[dsfdbutterfly]

If your not able to remove the rock in your tank the only success I had with catching these little guys was to get more than one person envolved. My daughter had two nets and I had two. We eventually rounded up 6 of the little quick damnsels :) Keep in mind that this technique will stress the rest of the tank out. If you have other fish in there or have any corals I wouldn't suggest it. I knocked over rocks (dangerous to others in the tank) and had a heck of a time doing this. It still took over three hours and the fingers were raisins. It may be time for a new landscape which would be easier and a lot faster. They are quicker, smarter and can fit into amazingly small spaces in the rock to get away. How they ever get caught in the first place is still a wonder to me.

[mtodd001]

I tried the trap, but he did not go for it :(

[lReef lKeeper]

i think you are going to HAVE to remove everything in the tank to catch him. i know this sounds impossible buttake water out of the tank and put it in a rubbermaid bucket (be sure not to smash anything) putting all the rock in the bucket of water. then it will take all of 30 seconds to catch him. a good point is that when you are done you can then reaquascape your tank.

[mtodd001]

someone over @ RAG told me to use a #28 hook and go fishing.

[lReef lKeeper]

good luck with that ... probably being sarcastic. best bet is to probably remove everything.

[mtodd001]

no, I would never hook 'em. I'll give 'em time and maybe he'll settle down once he's familar w/his new tank mate. Heck...there's only 2 fish in a 54 gal. tank!!!


thanks, mike

[lReef lKeeper]

it MIGHT happen, but remember ... it's a DAMNsel fish. DAMNsel = aggressive. and it only gets worse the bigger they get. thats my exp. anyway. that is why i HAD to remove all aquascaping and get them out of the tank.

[dsfdbutterfly]

Mine did just fine I thought. Then I started to grow with the hobby and wanted to add more fish. If all you ever want to keep is the two fish in your 54 gal then you will be fine. They don't really go after other things (like coral)that I am aware of. The thing is that you will probably want to bring home some show fish. This will create the problem. If you just have one damsel then he will more than likely just Terrorize the new fish. When you are trying to aclimate a new tank mate this can create problems. I didn't actually have a problem until I added a few other aggressive tank mates and they fed off of eachother. The damsels were able to just go after the new guys better because of their size and the fact that they were a pact. If that makes any sense. I also noticed that the larger they got the worse it got. So the longer it stays in the tank the more likely you are to have trouble. That is not to say that you can't own one of these fish. Just don't plan on owning anything shy, smaller or intimitated easily or else it won't hold up to them. They are relentless in their pestering.

[mattsfishin2989]

OOOH OOOH OOOH pick me i know lol umm the best way to get any fish out of your tank is to get a piece of fishin line like 8 lb test or 4lb if you can find it. then tie the best knot you to a 1/16 or 1/24 size hook. Clean it with hot water then get a piece of frozen food such as brine or sponge and cut a 1/4 of it and stick it on the hook, be sure to have a little bit of the tip of the hook stickin out that way its easy to hook em. Then stick in in the tank real slow as you would feeding them and dance it about midlevel around the tank but dont shine it in his face. when he bites on it give it a little pull (hook em) then yank em out and throw in the toilet.

[mikeniccy]

I just caught my damsel. I used a suggestion I think I found skimming this fourm if I remember correctly. I let my net sit in the tank for about a day for the damsel to get used to it. I put the net near his spot in the tank. then I used brine shrimp in the net while holding the net about 3 or 4 inches above the water and would keep pouring a few shrimp in to the net and sure enough he came to get a bit and whamo I caught him. It took about 3 min. Maybe I got lucky? but its worth a shot...

[gobbler]

Good Job! We just caught a yellowtail blue and a large (and aggressive) Chromis out of our 75 (130 lb live rock and some coral frags). Didn't want to dismantle either. Set a soda bottle trap, didn't work; tried nets and bait, didn't work; tried the hook and line method (fish too small or hook too big!), didn't work. Finally took my largest net, cut off the netting, paperclipped a clear fish bag as a net, let it set in the tank for a day or 2 and let the fish feed in it. Let my wife (more patience) sit quietly and put surface pellets above the net and waited until each got in on their own!

[mtodd001]

I think I'll try the net method w/the brine, he loves to eat brine shrimp. Last nite the Damnsel was picking up the small crabs and dropping them from the top of the tank. I don't know why, but it really p#@#& me off!!

[lReef lKeeper]

he was probably trying to break thier shells so he could eat them. its the same method the Golden Eagle uses on turtles. they fly them about 500 feet up and drop them on a rock to break the shell for dinner. i saw that on the Discovery Channel the other day.

[Randy-L]

Sounds like fun. I have 3 to catch. :-(

[Randy-L]

I just thought of something has anyone tries catching them with nightvision goggles and all the lights off?

[Fally]

With a little patience you can get them out with a net. It helps if you've spent most of your childhood playing video games too.

What I have done in the past is give my wife one net and take another and chase the fish towards each other. You will notice that the fish has little patterns it uses when it flees from your nets. After a few minutes you may be able to trick him into swimming right into one of the nets by chasing him with the other and putting the net right in one of his 'escape routes' so he darts right in.

Another good method is chase them with the net until they get panicked enough to go for a corner of the tank, then their done. Just trap them with the net up against the glass.


Good luck!!!

[mtodd001]

no luck this weekend, I tried for an hour to net him. Maybe a large Grouper will be my next purchase.

[dakar]

Handful of M80's should do the trick.... Depthcharge his butt! :)

[Randy-L]

I cought the 3 I needed to catch, but allas I emptied the tank of all but a few base rocks. Then it only took 60 seconds! :-)

[lReef lKeeper]

thats what i have been saying for a week now Randy. some have luck with the nets, but it doesn't work for everyone. most have to empty the tank.