fish getting stuck

[jthnhale]

Hi Guys,

I've had some bad luck with my vortech pump. So far I've had two CBB's and a starfish get caught on the housing. The first CBB had just one good eye, so I did not think the pump was to blame. The next was a star fish who was stuck backwards to the pump and lost half a leg to the prop. Then today the new CBB who replaced his one eyed cousin got stuck to the side. This was a healthy fish who now looks like he's going to die. I had the pump set at about 1/3 - 1/2 power each time. The pump is positioned 3" below the surface on the left side panel, and about 2" from the front of the glass.

I'm wondering if the problem are the large openings. Could a guard be fashioned around the cover to prevent fish and critters from being sucked against the side?

thanks for the help,

- Jonathan

[GSMguy]

a healthy fish wouldnt get stuck at half power.

[E-A-G-L-E-S]

above

[EcoTech Marine]

For customers running the pump on lower flow aquariums with delicate fish, we will be coming out with a foam guard shortly.

-Tim

[jthnhale]

Since a healthy fish (and starfish) did get stuck on mine I have to disagree.

Thanks Tim. I was thinking of making something with gutter guard, but the foam sounds better, and more space saving. I'll try to make something while I wait for yours to come out.

- Jonathan

[EcoTech Marine]

Gutterguard will be good in the interim. We hope to have the foam available by the end of September, maybe by MACNA.

-Tim

[phishlet]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10410182#post10410182 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by GSMguy
a healthy fish wouldnt get stuck at half power.

I disagree with this statement too. My totally healthy porcupine puffer seems got himself stuck once. I found it all puffed up so I turned off the power to free the puffer. It promptly swam away. I thought I'd lose it for sure... but that was several months ago. It seems to know better know as it totally stays away from the vortechs now.

I also had a Vortech kill my 12 line wrasse that had been in my reef for 3 or 4 years and was totally fine. I came home one day to found it literally sucked into the pump.

I can totally see where a copperband butterfly could get stuck since it is such a tall thin fish with a lot of surface area to get stuck - especially for slower fish with a lot of surface area that might not be the strongest of swimmers.

I think the foam sounds like a great idea. I've been trying to keep my wet sides as clean as possible. I've noticed that when algae grows on the wet side the fish seem to approach more often to pick at the wet side. I think that is where potential problems can begin.

[phishlet]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10410182#post10410182 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by GSMguy
a healthy fish wouldnt get stuck at half power.

I disagree with this statement too. My totally healthy porcupine puffer seemed to get himself stuck once. I found it all puffed up so I turned off the power to free the puffer. It promptly swam away. I thought I'd lose it for sure... but that was several months ago and all is fine with the puffer. It seems to know better know as it totally stays away from the vortechs now.

I also had a Vortech kill my 12 line wrasse that had been in my reef for 3 or 4 years and was totally fine. I came home one day to found it literally sucked into the pump.

I can totally see where a copperband butterfly could get stuck since it is such a tall thin fish with a lot of surface area to get stuck - especially for slower fish with a lot of surface area that might not be the strongest of swimmers.

I think the foam sounds like a great idea. I've been trying to keep my wet sides as clean as possible. I've noticed that when algae grows on the wet side the fish seem to approach more often to pick at the wet side. I think that is where potential problems can begin.

[jnarowe]

natural selection guys. Sometimes we just get stupid fish. :)

[jthnhale]

lol, I do think the shape of the CBB is why they got stuck.

mine got wrapped around the cover and could not get off :(

[BrianOKC]

a healthy fish wouldnt get stuck at half power.


I can Guarantee this is a false statement and can happen. I just removed my Clown Tang from the side of my Vortech the suction was so great it left little imprints on the side of his body for a few hours and this was set in reef crest mode. Perfectly healthy fish and is back to swimming around like nothing happened after a few hours of recovering from the ordeal.

[mcrist]

My two flame hawkfish love to perch on the top and sides of my Vortechs and they never have any problem getting off of it. I would also agree that a healthy fish should never get stuck on it. I can understand a puffer having trouble since they are not the most graceful fish in the ocean.

[davew0670]

Ive lost 3 tangs to the vortech. All my other fish swim all around the thing. My blenny sits right on it. I think it has something to with the shape of the fish. I dont buy the healthy fish wont get stuck either. I kept a friends 5 year old yellow tang while he swapped tanks only to find him stuck to side the next morning. He actually lived for a couple days after.

[BrianOKC]

My two flame hawkfish love to perch on the top and sides of my Vortechs and they never have any problem getting off of it. I would also agree that a healthy fish should never get stuck on it. I can understand a puffer having trouble since they are not the most graceful fish in the ocean.

So your basically calling me a liar and I didn't remove a healthy clown tang from my Vortech that is still swimming around as normal today?

I love how some of you can make statements with no experience at all on the situation. I also have a longnose hawkfish that perch's on the top and side but there body shape is no were near a flat shape like a tang. Thats like comparing a Corvette to a Ford Probe. There both cars so they must be equal.

[mcrist]

So your basically calling me a liar and I didn't remove a healthy clown tang from my Vortech that is still swimming around as normal today?

I love how some of you can make statements with no experience at all on the situation. I also have a longnose hawkfish that perch's on the top and side but there body shape is no were near a flat shape like a tang. Thats like comparing a Corvette to a Ford Probe. There both cars so they must be equal.
Attack my statement all you wish but I can still disagree with you. I never called you a liar. Calm down...

[BrianOKC]

Thats just it... Its your opinion you have no data or proof on this situation (other than hawkfish can get close to it). I have first hand knowledge and witnessed this in my own tank and your telling me it can't happen. I've seen this same fish countless of times get very close and try to take a piece of Nori that has been sucked onto the side of the Vortech and I assume thats probably what happened this time. I'm not hear blaming EcoTech for killing some fish of mine but for someone to state a fish must already be Ill or dieing to get caught into 1 of these pumps is a completely false statement.

[EcoTech Marine]

Ok guys, I think this has gone on long enough. Our forum is not the place for an argument between our customers. Moreover, this thread was inactive for over two years before brought back up by Brian, let's drop it.

[reefsafe]

what mode are you running? you might want to run a pulse mode then as the fish would be able to get off the pump when it slows down...just a thought.