started with damsels

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jparcell

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Apr 16, 2009
Messages
46
Location
Middlebury In.
When I started my 75g up I started out with 2 blue devils and 2 zebra damsels. I heard they where great to start out with so a got a couple. Now I'd like to add other fish but my lfs says the damsels will attack everything! Does anyone have suggestions on what I might be able to put in with them? I've tried to catch them but thats almost impossible without removing all the lr:confused:. I also want to start up corals in the near future too so I know I have to watch out for some other fish that will eat those as well
 
I've had the tank running for almost six months. Everything has been going great so far I've had no problems with the water. My nirites and nitrates have stayed at zero and ph is 8.2. Do you think I'll have problems with other fish?
 
When I get home tonite I`ll post a link on how to get fish out the tank.Dont have it here at work.
 
I sure wish I would have known about he fishless cycle when I started out. The lfs I started out with told me to use the damsels. He said to let the tank run for a month and add them in. I had no idea how bad that would be at that time. I know now to never recommened that to anyone!!
 
Thanks I'd appreciate that. My 2 clowns don't care about the net in the water but the damsels instantly disapear. I wouldn't mind keeping them if I could add some other fish with them. My advice to ALL BEGINNERS is to NEVER start out with damsels!!!! unless thats all your going to get
 
I sure wish I would have known about he fishless cycle when I started out. The lfs I started out with told me to use the damsels. He said to let the tank run for a month and add them in. I had no idea how bad that would be at that time. I know now to never recommened that to anyone!!

I find out that LFS advice can be questionable at times. Using damsels to start a cycle is just a poor method because of cruelty to the animals, you will have problem of territorry control due to the aggressive nature of damsels and there are better methods available. I think you should remove them as soon as possible and return then to your LFS for credit. DP
 
I would have removed them already if I could catch them. I don't use that store anymore either, I think he just wanted to sell things instead of working with what I wanted to do in the future. That's why I joined this group because I get advice from so many people that really know what their talking about
 
Yep, our advice is free and have true experiences. There are a few ways you can try to get themo ut.
After lights out, find out where they sleep and give them about 2 hours to settle in, get your net ready and turn on the lights and snatch them.
Leave the net in the tank so they get used to it and feed and try to catch that way.
Use a coke bottle with the lid cut off and turned into the rest of the bottle with food in it, they swim in to eat and can't get back out.
Remove all the rock and chase around the tank....
 
The coke bottle trick has always worked wonders for me. It helps to not feed the tank for a day or two before and to use a piece of meaty food.

Funny part about the trick is that i used it at my LFS. They had a really nice dartfish they just couldn't catch in a tank full of LR. I was talking to the owner of the store about it and he said they even had it on reserve for someone. In the event they got it caught they were to call him so he could come pick it up. I told the owner i could catch it and he bet me 25% off my next fish purchase that i couldn't. I walked across the street, bought a bottle of water from the mini-mart, drank it down, whipped out my pocket knife and walked outta the store with a 25% off voucher for when i start to stock my tank.
 
thanks I'm going to try that right away! I've never heard of that trick but it sounds like it should work, thank you
 
to keep them from scattering you could use a head lamp (like a headband but with a flashlight on your forehead) the one I use to peak in all my tanks has night vision which is a red light and a regular light - with the night vision no one "runs" away. Either they can't see it or it doesn't bother them and you could ease the net in and just attempt to catch them. good luck!
 
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