How to remove yellow watchman goby?

[TheShepherdTrio]

I need help getting our yellow watchman goby out of the tank. We had what we believe was velvet go through our tank and wipe out all but 2 of our fish about 3 weeks ago. I was able to catch the melanurus wrasse, but have not been successful in catching the yellow watchman. I have tried everything from trying to catch him with a net, making a homemade fish trap (which is what worked for the wrasse), and trying to go fishing with a small hook. Nothing has worked. He’ll come out and look at it then slink right back under his rocks.

Anything else that I can try? My husband is against moving the rocks because he’s afraid the corals will be damaged and die. But I think that might be our only option.

 

[Zakery Murray]

Can, I see a pic of your tank to see where he is located? I would suggest to keep trying the fish trap, and only put food in the trap so if he wants food he has to go into the trap he is the only fish left in the tank yes?

 

[Sam816]

that's the most effective way imo. i've a blenny who wont come out of its cave. I had to take the whole piece out while it was hiding in there. i had an ich outbreak a month back.

 

[TheShepherdTrio]

Can, I see a pic of your tank to see where he is located? I would suggest to keep trying the fish trap, and only put food in the trap so if he wants food he has to go into the trap he is the only fish left in the tank yes?

He hides in this rock or the one directly behind it. Lately I haven’t been feeding him unless it’s in the trap but occasionally a few pieces of food will float out and he just eats those . Or he’ll sift the sand a little bit so he’s still eating some. I’ve caught just about the whole clean up crew except for the goby lol

 

[Tompickles]

If the fish is small enough I’ve had luck siphoning them out with a larger hose. That’s how I got a blenny out that was munching on my acans and he would always hide in the rocks

 

[Sam816]

are the corals glued directly to rock or on a frag plugs which are then glued on? this one will be very difficult. have you tried lifting the rock? try turning the lights as red as possible then slowly lift the rock. if he is on the bottom then u can slowly put the rock down and plan another approach. if he is in the rock then taking the whole rock is better option.

 

[Zakery Murray]

If those rocks aren't glued together, which I don't think they are you can easily move just a couple rocks to get the little guy, or you could wait and keep trying a fish trap. You are most likely guaranteed to get him if you move the rocks, if you use a trap its less likely.

 

[CMMorgan]

He hides in this rock or the one directly behind it. Lately I haven’t been feeding him unless it’s in the trap but occasionally a few pieces of food will float out and he just eats those . Or he’ll sift the sand a little bit so he’s still eating some. I’ve caught just about the whole clean up crew except for the goby lol

Tank Mates Fish Trap

This thing rocks!

 

[smlarson72]

Tank Mates Fish Trap

This thing rocks!

I’ve seen those advertise but wondered if they really work!

 

[CMMorgan]

I’ve seen those advertise but wondered if they really work!

I've seen so many videos. I will admit that it's tempting to find out.

 

[Sam816]

Tank Mates Fish Trap

This thing rocks!

I’ve seen those advertise but wondered if they really work!

it works well for fish that like to swim in water column all day like tangs, wrasses. doesn't work for bottom dwellers like hawkfish, gobies or shrimp.
I made a DIY trap based on same principle with magnetic algae cleaner. only in my design the magnetic cleaner blocks the mouth of the jar/container, leaving no room for fast swimmers to jump out.

 

[smlarson72]

I've seen so many videos. I will admit that it's tempting to find out.

I know! I have been too. LOL I am starting to move my fish to different aquariums (upgrading) and have some that are going to be extremely hard to catch.

 

[TheShepherdTrio]

Well I finally caught the little bugger. I moved the rocks sitting on top so I could get to the bottom easier. Then used a pliable plastic cutting board (cleaned and rinsed extremely well with RODI) to make a little barrier so he couldn’t dart to the other side of the tank. Slowly lifted the rock he was under which startled him and he froze. I was then able to grab him with the net. Transferred him to the QT tank and now we can begin the 90 day fallow period. (We’re going extra long on the fallow period just to play it extra safe)

 

[CMMorgan]

Little bugger does not look happy. He wants his house back.

 

[TheShepherdTrio]

Little bugger does not look happy. He wants his house back.

Lol he’s gonna have to just deal with it for a bit. He’s got some pvc he can hide under

 

[CMMorgan]

Lol he’s gonna have to just deal with it for a bit. He’s got some pvc he can hide under

LOL He's going to feel like he's living under a bridge.... but at least he'll alive and getting food.

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

If the fish is small enough I’ve had luck siphoning them out with a larger hose. That’s how I got a blenny out that was munching on my acans and he would always hide in the rocks

Exactly what I have done.

 

[Parker Kufel]

I need help getting our yellow watchman goby out of the tank. We had what we believe was velvet go through our tank and wipe out all but 2 of our fish about 3 weeks ago. I was able to catch the melanurus wrasse, but have not been successful in catching the yellow watchman. I have tried everything from trying to catch him with a net, making a homemade fish trap (which is what worked for the wrasse), and trying to go fishing with a small hook. Nothing has worked. He’ll come out and look at it then slink right back under his rocks.

Anything else that I can try? My husband is against moving the rocks because he’s afraid the corals will be damaged and die. But I think that might be our only option.

How did u make the homemade trap for the wrasse?

 

[Sam816]

take a deep cylindrical plastic food container with mouth big enough for your biggest fish to enter in. wrap airline hose(with air ) or Styrofoam around the mouth so that it floats with mouth facing upwards. poke a couple of holes on the side to put some food in. put wet side of a magnetic cleaner in the container and hold it (horizontally)on the glass by putting dry side on the outside. tie a string on the dry side so that you can pull it and release the wet side magnet. let the fish get used to the contraption for a day or 2.
add food daily. sit on the floor and wait for the right fish to swim in and pull the string. fish will always swim downwards when startled. take the container out of the tank slowly and keep telling the fish that she is a good boy while you do it.
It will help if wet side floats also else you will need to consider its weight in your design.

 

[TheShepherdTrio]

How did u make the homemade trap for the wrasse?

I took a small glass vase, cut the corners of a zip lock bag and sunk it into the vase. I rolled the sides over the top of the base and secured it down with one of my hair bands. I put the vase in the tank and let it just sit for a day so he could get used to it. Then I let the wrasse go hungry for about a day and only added food into the trap. If he wanted to eat, he was going to have to swim inside it. I sat and waited for him to swim in then quickly grabbed the vase out before he had a chance to figure out how to swim out of it.