Any clever ways to get a fish out of the overflow?

[kgstei]

My dottyback has found his way Into the overflow, again. I thought he has bit the dust a few weeks ago until he reappeared on my filter pad In the sump. After a few days back In the main tank he went back Into his fortress of solitude. I guess I'm going have to patch that gap in the overflows teeth. Any easy solutions to getting him out? Thanks Kurt

 

[Kdocimo90]

Few methods have work for me.

Turn off your pumps and siphon out most of the water from the overflow and use a net to grab him. If you're lucky and he's small enough you might siphon him into the bucket as well.

Turn off your filtration in your sump, remove filter socks and pull out your drain pipe so he gets sucked to the bottom (be careful your sump is big enough to handle the water).

Turn off your whole system, remove filter socks and pull out the drain pipe (stronger siphon for him to get pulled into the sump. Be careful like previous method of water levels)

If you pull the drain pipes out and he's does get siphons down quickly, check to see if he's still in the overflow. If he is just make sure he gets water and doesn't lay there dry. You might have to carefully put the drain pipe back in to fill the overflow back up. Don't crush him when putting the pipe back in!

 

[clueless]

had a wrasse caught in my overflow,he had been in there for a couple of days,and prior to taking more drastic measures i saw a you-tube video where a gut cut the top off a plastic water bottle,inverted it to create a "have a heart trap. i followed what he did, drained the overflow about half way,lowered the trap into the overflow with a piece of string attached,baited the trap with a piece of shrimp. Within 2 minutes the wrasse was in the trap, i pulled up the trap and released him into the tank. This worked very well for me, and seemed to be the easiest way to get him,relieving both he and I of undue stress prior to taking more drastic measures. I hope it works equally as well for you

 

[kgstei]

Thanks guys. I'm going to try the Inverted bottle trap first. There Isn't much room In there but I might be able to get a water bottle In there. Its worth a try. Ripping things apart Is my fall back plan. I still have my old 28g nanocube tank set up next to this one so I have to break it down first. Kurt

 

[bigdiscus513]

Flood the overflow

 

[brutuscz]

I have used a simple method In the past. I keep a small betta net on hand. I form the frame of the net part thin enough to fit In a small space. Then...catch him with your extra thin net.

 

[Triggreef]

I've netted then out pretty easy too. But it helps to shut off the pump and siphon the water out of the over flow...

 

[kgstei]

Thanks everybody. I went with a small water bottle trap. I cut a hole In the side for entry, a few small holes near the top to let the air out and a hole In the cap. I threaded some twine through the cap, tied a few knots in it then screwed it on the bottle. I put some brine shrimp in the bottle and squeezed it down into the overflow and went fishing. Caught him this morning. Oh and I repaired the gap in the overflow. Thanks again for the ideas.