Nem/Rock Separation

[Shanasman450]

Backstory:
I'm in a bit of a pickle right now. I let my LFS talk me into a kupang damsel claiming "I know most places say it's semi-aggressive, but it's generally peacfull". Well I bought the bs they were selling that day and got one of these little demons. We just added two ocellaris clowns today and it has been following them around everywhere they go bullying them to no end. We tried chasing the damsel around with two nets trying to get him to slip up and go into one, but there's too many hidey holes in the rock work to anything like that to work. I tried a jar near his main hole with a mouth small enough our net would fit over it hoping he'd go in to explore and find himself trapped. No good. We've come to the conclusion that the rockwork has to come out. I'm making up a batch of water now since a water change is due anyway and that'll give us something to keep the rocks in for a bit.

Question:
The problem is we have a nem that is in a hole crated by two rocks meeting at the top. It's attached to both rocks and it acting as a hinge between the two keeping them glued together. That being said, I can't move these two rocks because of this and these two rocks provide the most hiding places thus rendering null the purpose of removing the rockwork. Any ideas on how to get the nem to move or let go of one of the rocks?

Horrible picture, I know. Blame Samsung

 

[dking271]

Does your LFS have a trap you can borrow or rent?

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Hi. Sorry you ended up with a terror in your tank! Regarding the nem, what type is it? Bubble tip or something else? I personally only have experience with BTAs, so the rest of this post may not apply if yours is a different type.
Second question, is it possible for you to remove both rocks at the same time? If you are able to get the nem out of water, my suggestion would be to then hold the rocks upside down over a container and see if the nem will drop off one or both of the rocks.
If that's not possible, can you drain the tank far enough to expose the nem? If so, it might start to move and release its foot.
Good luck

 

[Shanasman450]

Does your LFS have a trap you can borrow or rent?

I'd have to call and ask tomorrow. With the severity of the bullying (the clowns can barely get a minute to breath) do you reckon they'll be alright overnight and part of tomorrow plus whatever time it takes to get the damsel to actually get himself in the trap?

 

[Scratch08]

Backstory:
I'm in a bit of a pickle right now. I let my LFS talk me into a kupang damsel claiming "I know most places say it's semi-aggressive, but it's generally peacfull". Well I bought the bs they were selling that day and got one of these little demons. We just added two ocellaris clowns today and it has been following them around everywhere they go bullying them to no end. We tried chasing the damsel around with two nets trying to get him to slip up and go into one, but there's too many hidey holes in the rock work to anything like that to work. I tried a jar near his main hole with a mouth small enough our net would fit over it hoping he'd go in to explore and find himself trapped. No good. We've come to the conclusion that the rockwork has to come out. I'm making up a batch of water now since a water change is due anyway and that'll give us something to keep the rocks in for a bit.

Question:
The problem is we have a nem that is in a hole crated by two rocks meeting at the top. It's attached to both rocks and it acting as a hinge between the two keeping them glued together. That being said, I can't move these two rocks because of this and these two rocks provide the most hiding places thus rendering null the purpose of removing the rockwork. Any ideas on how to get the nem to move or let go of one of the rocks?

Horrible picture, I know. Blame Samsung

If you can get to the foot, try rubbing a piece of ice on it, should cause it to let go. If that does not work, find a piece of pvc pipe that’s larger than the nem and put it over nem, it should move up into the pipe to get to better light… @Eagle_Steve @F i s h y can better explain the pvc method

 

[StanD]

You can use the rounded tip of a zip tie - gently slide the zip tie under the side of the nem you want to detach.

 

[Shanasman450]

Hi. Sorry you ended up with a terror in your tank! Regarding the nem, what type is it? Bubble tip or something else? I personally only have experience with BTAs, so the rest of this post may not apply if yours is a different type.
Second question, is it possible for you to remove both rocks at the same time? If you are able to get the nem out of water, my suggestion would be to then hold the rocks upside down over a container and see if the nem will drop off one or both of the rocks.
If that's not possible, can you drain the tank far enough to expose the nem? If so, it might start to move and release its foot.
Good luck

Sorry, should've mentioned, it's a BTA. I don't have enough water storage to get the water level that low and I only have one good hand to work with (birth defect and all that). I could get my wife to help me lift and hold the other rock, but I'm afraid one wrong move could end up with the nem being ripped off one of the rocks or in half.

 

[Shanasman450]

If you can get to the foot, try rubbing a piece of ice on it, should cause it to let go. If that does not work, find a piece of pvc pipe that’s larger than the nem and put it over nem, it should move up into the pipe to get to better light… @Eagle_Steve @F i s h y can better explain the pvc method

You can use the rounded tip of a zip tie - gently slide the zip tie under the side of the nem you want to detach.

I'll have to see if I can get to the foot while the water level is down. When I was chasing the damsel out from under that particular arch earlier I THINK I felt the foot. Probably not going to be able to use a zip tie, but I'll try the ice and pvc method.

Edit:
Strike that, I may be able to get to the foot from the top if I can get it to close up a bit.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

I'd have to call and ask tomorrow. With the severity of the bullying (the clowns can barely get a minute to breath) do you reckon they'll be alright overnight and part of tomorrow plus whatever time it takes to get the damsel to actually get himself in the trap?

Can you catch the clowns instead?

 

[gavinz]

Backstory:
I'm in a bit of a pickle right now. I let my LFS talk me into a kupang damsel claiming "I know most places say it's semi-aggressive, but it's generally peacfull". Well I bought the bs they were selling that day and got one of these little demons. We just added two ocellaris clowns today and it has been following them around everywhere they go bullying them to no end. We tried chasing the damsel around with two nets trying to get him to slip up and go into one, but there's too many hidey holes in the rock work to anything like that to work. I tried a jar near his main hole with a mouth small enough our net would fit over it hoping he'd go in to explore and find himself trapped. No good. We've come to the conclusion that the rockwork has to come out. I'm making up a batch of water now since a water change is due anyway and that'll give us something to keep the rocks in for a bit.

Question:
The problem is we have a nem that is in a hole crated by two rocks meeting at the top. It's attached to both rocks and it acting as a hinge between the two keeping them glued together. That being said, I can't move these two rocks because of this and these two rocks provide the most hiding places thus rendering null the purpose of removing the rockwork. Any ideas on how to get the nem to move or let go of one of the rocks?

Horrible picture, I know. Blame Samsung

Easy, take a liter soda bottle, clean it out and cut it in half. If it’s small enough to fit into the top part then take the top half and turn it around and put it back together and put food in it. If he’s too big for the top part then don’t use it and just put the bottom end in the tank with some food. When he’s eating just put the net over the open end of the bottle and voila! That’s how I got my diamond goby out

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

I'll have to see if I can get to the foot while the water level is down. When I was chasing the damsel out from under that particular arch earlier I THINK I felt the foot. Probably not going to be able to use a zip tie, but I'll try the ice and pvc method.

Edit:
Strike that, I may be able to get to the foot from the top if I can get it to close up a bit.

As long as it doesn't have its foot deep inside both rocks, you might be able to get it to release from one of you SLOWLY lift one rock and try to pull it very gently. I understand that getting big rocks out of a tank can be difficult under the best conditions though and that what I suggested might not be possible.

Edit: I am definitely NOT suggesting you actually pull the nem off by pulling the rocks apart... Just that IF he's not attached too deeply to both rocks, he may decide to chose one if made a little uncomfortable

 

[Shanasman450]

Can you catch the clowns instead?

That's an option. Once this water is done mixing in a couple of hours I could put them in the mixing container with the rock almost indefinitely while the damsel is dealt with.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

That's an option. Once this water is done mixing in a couple of hours I could put them in the mixing container with the rock almost indefinitely while the damsel is dealt with.

Do you have a sump? Or an acclimation box? If you do catch the clowns, you could put them in either.

 

[Shanasman450]

UPDATE:
It seems like I posted here too early. The nem just so happened to start closing up as our light got dimmer and I saw it was only barely hanging on to one of the rocks. A slow gentle pull got it to let go. I appreciate all the advice everyone who replied. Now it's just a matter of chasing him until he gets tired.

 

[Shanasman450]

Do you have a sump? Or an acclimation box? If you do catch the clowns, you could put them in either.

I don't have a sump, acclimation box, or QT tank, space wouldn't allow at the moment, but hopefully I can get everything moved, catch the demon, and get everything back in in a short span of time.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

UPDATE:
It seems like I posted here too early. The nem just so happened to start closing up as our light got dimmer and I saw it was only barely hanging on to one of the rocks. A slow gentle pull got it to let go. I appreciate all the advice everyone who replied. Now it's just a matter of chasing him until he gets tired.

Yay! Glad one problem is solved!