HELP! Jawfish in biocube sump!!!

[Hdude]

Yesterday I brought home my only fish, a Yellowheaded Jawfish, Opistognathus aurifrons. After a careful acclimation I let him loose in my 6 gal biocube. Lots of fine substrate (crushed coral, sand and LS) lots of creviced LR, and no other fish, but this little guy somehow decided to make his way into the sump area behind the tank, inside the leftmost section where the impeller pump is.

I can't even begin to imagine how to get him out gently, and keep him out of there for his own safety. I don't want to stress him out too much, he's just a juvenile and hasn't been in my tank for more than 24 hours.

I've heard lots of ideas from reefer friends but I'd like to reach out to anyone with experience with this particular situation.

[nauticac4]

Get a large enough tube (that he will fit through) and start a siphon into a bucket. Thats how I got by baby clowns out of the overflow and they both survived no worse for wear.

[shouldabenacowboy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10710196#post10710196 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by nauticac4
Get a large enough tube (that he will fit through) and start a siphon into a bucket. Thats how I got by baby clowns out of the overflow and they both survived no worse for wear.

That is not a bad idea!!!

Thanks :D

SBC

[reefman13]

What I did, was I turned everything off, and pulled out the pump entirely, and then just reached in with my hand, that is how I got my High-fin goby out and he is as happy as can be.

Good luck though, I hope all goes well.

[Hdude]

Ok this is the best idea i've heard yet. Thanks!

[reefman13]

Happy to help.

Let us know how he does.

[siren]

I agree with reefman...just reach in. My wrasse kept jumping back there and all I did was grab him. In fact you probably won't even be able to grab him. He'll probably make an escape jump when your hand goes in and land back in the tank.

[tangelo_]

I had a bicolor blenny that liked to jump in the back of my Boyu. I would over-fill the tank so water was over the sump wall and then I would blow air through a tube underneath him. He would come pouring over the top back into the aquarium.

[kingfisher62]

Good luck hdude. I had a hard enough time getting my fish out of my 14g . I can't imagine the 6g. I used a wire rimmed fish net that I could bend to fit in the back chamber.

reefman13, my hifin ended up back there to as well as my fire fish and clown.

Here is a simple mod i made out of a sheet of plastic to keep my fish in the front of the tank. works great!

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r174/Kingfish62/PICT0091.jpg
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r174/Kingfish62/PICT0093.jpg

[Hdude]

Brilliant Kingfisher!!!! Ok well I managed to get him out with the siphon, and overnight he was back in the sump. I'm either going to go with your idea or I'm going to return him to the LFS where he will be happier.

[kingfisher62]

I think my trick will work. I used one othose flimsy plastic 3 ring binders for material but you coud use anything similar. good luck!