damsel not reef safe?

[fali]

Is it normal for a 3-stripe damsel to nip at clam mantels?

 

[Deanos]

It's entirely possible.

 

[fali]

I recently saw him nipping at my clam mantels. Looks like i gotta find a way to get this peice of @#@$ out of my tank!!!!:banghead:


Any suggestions or tips for catching troublesome fish? Besides "its hopeless".

 

[tosiek]

A grenade, dynamite, poison, speargun, fishtrap, ....

And i'm sure he will evade or live through all of the above. They are like cockroaches......

Best bet is either catching him while sleeping or during feeding and get real lucky. Might have to empty your tank of LR and catch him that way if nothing else works.

 

[scumonkey]

a small herring hook!

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Soda bottle trap.

 

[fali]

How does the soda bottle trap work?

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Take the label off and make sure you get the glue scraped off. Wash the bottle really really really good with some warm water. Cut the top cone part off and wash the inside again really goos with warm water. Invert the cone into the bottle, put some food in there as bait and wait for him to swim in. Make sure it's a clear bottle.

 

[fali]

i have a plan, will it work? I have 2 frogspawn coral at each end of the tank. If i buy a large clown, let it adjust to the frogspawn. Put the clams near them. If the damsel comes near the clam the clown will chase him away. Is that a good idea? Or will the clown start nipping this clam?:irked:

 

[thepudge]

The clown wont nip the clam, but the plan unlikely to work, cause you don't know what territories your fish will set up, and even if the clown does host in the frogspawn, there's no gaurantee it will protect the clam. You're probably better off just biting the bullet and getting the damsel out of there.

 

[lola]

Lots Of Luck Patience

 

[NYreefNoob]

damsel

i used a quart gatoraide bottle to catch a 6 line. took me all of 5 minute's. tied a piece of fishing line around neck. when he went in i pulled the bottle up and out.

 

[fali]

how did you lure him in the bottle? was he also causing trouble in your tank?

BTW thanks guys for all the advice.

 

[NYreefNoob]

fish

i put some food in the bottle and hadnt feed for 2 days. and yes he was a terror in my tank with other wrasse's

 

[fali]

Good idea. I got a clear soda bottle and put it in the rockwork with food in it. Hopefully he'll go in. 10 minutes after the blue damsel went in but he's the wrong guy i'm after. This 3 stripe knows he's public enemy # 1 so it might take longer for him to gain trust.

Wish me luck guys.

 

[fali]

He still in the tank. Its a good idea every fish in my tank is trying goin in that bottle even the damsel went in but when i pull up he speeds out. The only time when they investigate is when its near the bottom of the tank but when its near the top they don't pay any attention to it. I'll invest in a fish trap with a shutter hopefully that will work but until then i will continue to use that battle trap.

 

[yeahcheetah]

I hate these "zebra" damsels!!!!
Leave the bottle trap in the tank and I think your patience will pay off. Just put the ones that are caught in a separate net or container for now. It is not worthwhile to spend 30-40 on a fish trap.

 

[marki24]

A lesson learnt. Dont go with damsels. Even though they are pretty and VERY hardy and fast, they are just a pain in the behind. Dont worry you not the only one that learnt the hard way. But happy fishing and healthy reef keeping.

 

[fali]

I caught the bastard!! I used the fish trap i bought on line. The trap actually worked. Took only 10 mins. Caught my yellow tang and the damsel together. I put them both in a bucket then transferred the yellow back to the tank. Even my blue tang went in. I would recommend it to anyone and its worth the $$. I paid only 26 bucks for it. No stress, no luck, no long ass wait time either. What a relief. I would give the damsel away free to anyone but i wouldn't because he's not reef safe and i don't want anyone to suffer same thing i did in their tank, so back to the "money-hungry LFS" he goes.