removing fish from overflow

[harryk]

Hello all,

One of my clowns managed to get himself into one of my overflows. how do i get him out of there? any help would be great.

thanks
Harry

 

[Hawkeye]

You may have to remove the durso pipes and then you'll have room to manuever to capture the clown.

With eels - I've read using a pvc tube to get it in, and then pulling the whole tube out. I just don't know if something similar would work with a clown. If it was a maroon - I'd put a fake anemone on the top and it would come right up. I think you have percs/ocellarus?

 

[panmanmatt]

How about scooping him out with a net?

 

[chase33]

I had this occur on two different occasions to two different fish. I removed the pipes in the overflow and let the fish run down the drain line toward the sump and into a waiting net at the end of the line.

 

[adesimone1]

I would try a small net with an extension so you won't bother the overflows. We had a lantern basslet who decided to go in our overflow he needed a vacation for a few weeks then decided to go home he was so depressed when he got back in the main tank he jumped out to committ suicide. Go figure!

 

[razorfingerz]

i actually had a hippo tang do the same exact thing.. i removed my stand pipe and luckily he dint go down the drain, i scooped him out by hand so i wouldnt crush him or anything..

 

[MadReefer]

My perc just did that last week. The drain tube into the sump is 2 pieces. I took the inner one out and used a net. The clown swam to the top when I placed the net in and as it swam down I scooped it up. I closed the ball valve under the tank first.

 

[malulu]

this happened to me twice:
- first time, i removed the dorso pipe, and use the net to get him out...
- 2nd time, while netting him, he flushed down the pip to my refugium...

after that, i put up this shield... no more problem since...

 

[jceli728]

when it happen to me I just used a Net with a long handle, I didn't need to remove the durso pipes....


Malulu that's a good idea. I'm going to have to find something like that that blends better with The tank.

 

[panmanmatt]

when it happen to me I just used a Net with a long handle, I didn't need to remove the durso pipes....


Malulu that's a good idea. I'm going to have to find something like that that blends better with The tank.

Plastic gutter guard mesh from Home Depot works great and blends nicely.

 

[malulu]

may be you can find a BLACK colored one??
and beside it is halfway on top of the waterline, so hardly can see it if you are NOT specially looking for it...


FYI:
here is how i made it, with tie-wrap:

 

[MadReefer]

Dave,
Good idea. I'll have to find a round one as I have a corner overflow.

 

[harryk]

I got him out, i had to remove the durso and it still took me 10 minutes to get him. its not so easy reaching down 30" in a confined space.

David thats a great idea, I have to look for a little basket like that

thanks for all the help everyone

Harry

 

[REEFLECTIONS]

what about cutting a piece of egg crate that fits around the pipe and sits on the bottow with a couple pieces of fishing line tied to it, then when a fish goes in, you just slide up the egg crate and it picks the fish up with it??? could work, then you never see it and it's there when you need it...

 

[harryk]

what about cutting a piece of egg crate that fits around the pipe and sits on the bottow with a couple pieces of fishing line tied to it, then when a fish goes in, you just slide up the egg crate and it picks the fish up with it??? could work, then you never see it and it's there when you need it...

That's actually a great idea, but if you didn't raise it perfectly level the fish could go underneath it. i would prefer that they didn't get in there in the first place so i'm going to cover the overflows

thanks
Harry

 

[chase33]

If the overflows are covered and he jumps up there he is going to either land on top of the covering or slide off and land back in the tank or on the floor. I think I'd rather mine land in the overflow then on top or on the floor where they may die.