Tank Journal Archive

[Jacques Pels]

Hi,
we only got our first few corals 10 days ago. Just got 5 Zoas from Frankie. The next morning, they ll seemed to be ok, with varying degrees of extension. One was "missing". After looking all over, I foud it, or its frag plug between the rocks... Lo and Behold, I was an idiot, and forgot to remove the Hermit crab.. he had mauled it, but it looked like a single polyp may recover.
We left it, and astonishingly after 2 days, there appeared what looked like 4 or 5 hair-thin stalks, with tiny heads... the beginning of new polyps !!
It was great to watch each day... but , 3 days ago the Green Star, which had always opened fully, was not opening, and then we saw the regenerating polyps were all gone. I had my suspicions.... next day the new Rastis had 3 or 4 polyps missing, and would not open. I observed, and now have proof - it is the little Bicolor Angle nipping at them !!
It isalways a risk with Angles, but I was hoping he would leave the Zoas alone.

Problem now is, how to catch him.. ?? To try an net him is impossible - any good 'trap' ideas out there ??

Jac

 

[Buddy]

I have caught fish some different ways in my old 6x2.5x2 tank. First thing you need is patience!
You can look where it goes to sleep for the night and try and grab him in a net or with your hand in the dead of night. Usually fish are a little sluggish at night but it can still be tricky.
I have used a container sitting on the bottom of the tank with the opening facing towards the glass. You only want a gap big enough for the fish to swim in the container.
Chuck a cube of frozen in there and wait for the right fish to enter and just push the container against the glass and trap the fish. If the fish is super skittish you can leave the container in for a few days so they get used to it first.
The other option is to buy a fish trap online but I didn't want to pay for it so I haven't tried.

 

[Sam Parker]

yeah angels will always be a risk, bi colours a pretty high one. I'd go for a fish trap, put a zoa tile in there and play the waiting game

 

[Jacques Pels]

Buddy, Sam,
thanks guys. I knew it wa a risk when I got him, but being a juvenile, I was hoping he would be a good boy.
Did not know there are traps to be bought - will look for one on line.
The jar idea sounds ok, but not in my tank with 900 depth.
Tks
Jac