Hi all, so I had a ich and velvet outbreak and managed to catch my surviving fish except one azure damsel. I have tried traps, nets, etc. tried not feeding him for several days to see if I could trap him. No luck. I have not fed him for 3 weeks now and he is still fat and happy. Now every time he sees me, he hides deep within the rocks. I need to get him out so I can start my 76 days of no fish. Any thoughts? I have no idea what he is eating. Tank is exceptionally clean, no algae and my crazy cerith snail outbreak is finally slowing down.
Cannot catch my last fish...
- Thread starter Rgbpixels
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Dr. Reef
www.drreefsquarantinedfish.com
Corner it in one area. Place acrylic sheet or eggcrate if it can't swim through to keep it in the area. Drain the tank.it will be easy to catch her in real shallow water than full tank.
If you can save the water well and good otherwise new saltwater.
You can buy laundry totes or large food grade trash cans at local stores, fill them and once done dry and return.
If you can save the water well and good otherwise new saltwater.
You can buy laundry totes or large food grade trash cans at local stores, fill them and once done dry and return.
4FordFamily
Tang, Angel, and Wrasse Nerd!
Ditto. Sometimes surprising him with a bright spotlight at night can stun it long enough to full a fast one in it as well.
I’ve always had to drain my tanks and remove contents to remove all of my fish.
ZoWhat
10K Club member
Damsel are smart....understanding your every move. They are quick. Netting him is impossible.
Options:
* set a trap with food in it and eventually he'll surrender to hunger and get trapped. Could take 7-14 days
* cornering with clear plastic sheets is hard bc if he sees even a 1/4in gap he'll get thru it even if it scars his fins.
* very cruel plz dont bash me..... let's say your pH is around 8.....if you pour a lot of Vinegar in the tank to drop the pH to 6.5~7 in under 1min (watching your pH monitor the whole time), he won't survive that big of pH drop but you coral will. he'll be lying on the bottom of the tank struggling to stay alive. Once you net him, do a big WC
.
Options:
* set a trap with food in it and eventually he'll surrender to hunger and get trapped. Could take 7-14 days
* cornering with clear plastic sheets is hard bc if he sees even a 1/4in gap he'll get thru it even if it scars his fins.
* very cruel plz dont bash me..... let's say your pH is around 8.....if you pour a lot of Vinegar in the tank to drop the pH to 6.5~7 in under 1min (watching your pH monitor the whole time), he won't survive that big of pH drop but you coral will. he'll be lying on the bottom of the tank struggling to stay alive. Once you net him, do a big WC
.
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ZoWhat
10K Club member
You can also do a 50% WC with only RO water dropping the salinity to like 1.010 or lower QUICKLY.
The sudden drop in salinity will make the damsel super sleepy....and you might net him in his sleepy state.
Once damsel netted.....up the salinity slowly to 1.024 over 4-8 hrs so the coral dont SHOCK
The sudden drop in salinity will make the damsel super sleepy....and you might net him in his sleepy state.
Once damsel netted.....up the salinity slowly to 1.024 over 4-8 hrs so the coral dont SHOCK
mcarroll
10K Club member
Sounds to me like you don't need to get him out – he's clearly as healthy as an ox (if you'll resume feeding him).
What could possibly go wrong, eh? ;Wideyed
Definitely impossible to net
It's in their nature to dive into coral for safety, so this may not work.
But if you can get him into a net-chase down one of the tank walls, you should be able to easily get him into a transparent specimen container that you've strategically placed downstream from the chase. Ideally the rectangular container has the long side up against the tank glass and the opening facing the direction from where the fish will be coming. He's running from the net that he can see, into the specimen container that he can't see. Net becomes the lid. You need to have a sure hand with the net to make sure that he stays in the container.
Consider a rational approach to the outbreak that involves using your judgement....IMO, leave the obviously healthy fish in the tank. Wait the 3-4 months you planned to wait before adding any more fish. Then add them back slowly – ideally one at a time, with at least a few weeks in between additions.
2¢
4FordFamily
Tang, Angel, and Wrasse Nerd!
This will lead to disaster, again.
dede
Active Member
I have read on this site of people using barb-less fish hooks with bait to catch difficult fish.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/i-cant-be-the-only-one-catching-fish-with-a-hook.389368/
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/i-cant-be-the-only-one-catching-fish-with-a-hook.389368/
Victoria M
5000 Club Member
I used the fish hook several times. The fish were fine. Definately get him out.
markstubb
Well-Known Member
the fish hook was the only way I was able to get rid of a gold head sleeper goby. I had tried for months to get him out. Took about 3seconds with a hook and some bait. I floated a bag of water on top of the tank to sort of scare everyone away, then lowered the hook right in front of the goby's cave. he took it immediately.
with one fish in the tank, i imagine it'll be a lot easier. You may have to jig up the hook and walk away, or just use very long fishing line.
with one fish in the tank, i imagine it'll be a lot easier. You may have to jig up the hook and walk away, or just use very long fishing line.
JasPR
Active Member
you probably have already been suggested the drill-- but this one is with a twist-- get a large clear apple juice bottle ( Costco sells a double pack of two that are perfect) and cut the upper half off with a bread knife. Invert the top half placing it into the base-- this creates a home made 'minnow trap'. Now here's the thing--- feed ONLY in the trap. No other food. If you are motivated-- use a transfer pipette and place live brine into the trap. Eventually the fish will become bolder and bolder and enter to eat. Be patient. use the pipette to put frozen blood worms and mysis in if the brine is too much to deal with. I have caught two four strip damsels in my 180 and 120 gallon tanks as well as a baby queen angel and springeri using this technique. I have to admit I am still trying to get a wrasse out of the 180 with no luck
Rgbpixels
Community Member
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Update: well after every trick it came down to draining the tank. Thanks to everyone for helping out. The 76 day countdown has begun!!! Now time to install a UV. I know it’s not a cure all, but I do not want to go through this again so anything I can do to help.
