Fish in overflow box

[jk1nole]

Any bright ideas on how to get my clownfish out of the overflow box? I've been standing on a chair with a net for over an hour now. He is mostly staying at the bottom not giving me much of a chance to get him. I had him in the net once and lost him.

This is the first time in 4 months I've had something jump in there.

[snorvich]

Well, depending on your setup, you could stop the return pump and capture him when he goes down the drain.

[jk1nole]

Well, depending on your setup, you could stop the return pump and capture him when he goes down the drain.

I thought about that. I honestly can't tell if there is a screen or anything on the drain and I didn't want him getting stuck somewhere... or getting injured if he doesn't actually go down the drain.

I have a filter sock at the end of the outflow into my sump. So, that would be easy if he actually went down in there.

I guess it is worth a try.

[money_kirk]

My clown use to do the same thing. I turn all pumps off. Pull the overflow tube out of the bulkhead a little to where the water draind slowly out. The clown would stay on the bottom of tank. Slip him up with my hand and put him back in the tank. I made some covers to go over the overflows since then and also so net covers over the tank just incase he decided to carpet surf.

[Aquarist007]

I thought about that. I honestly can't tell if there is a screen or anything on the drain and I didn't want him getting stuck somewhere... or getting injured if he doesn't actually go down the drain.

I have a filter sock at the end of the outflow into my sump. So, that would be easy if he actually went down in there.

I guess it is worth a try.

He should end up in the filter sock---I used to do that all the time wiht a clown fish that was intent on taking a water slide every once and a while

Once you get the fish out of the overflow you might want to cut a small piece of egg crate and put it over the overflow--that did the trick for me

[slojmn]

One way I was able to get my clownfish out of the overflow box in my last tank in which I could not get the overflows out and had very little room for my hands and nets was to get a large diameter tubing, larger than the clownfish. Then I used it as a siphon hose and literally siphoned him right out and into a bucket full of tank water. It was easy as could be and no damage to the clown fish what so ever. On another ocassion in my present tank, where there is more room for a net, but not much, I have drained as much water as possible so the fish can't get away from me and then use a net to scoop him out of an inch of water. Once it gets low they have no where to go. Good Luck and let us know how it goes.

[jk1nole]

Two hours of trying so far. The bastard is toying with me. The draining into a sock won't work the way it is set up.

I'm not sure I can drain the water real low either because the net I have isn't long enough and there is little room to maneuver with the tubes in there. I can't reach the bottom of the box.

Currently, I have a bright light shining up from the sump underneath the glass bottom overflow box. That seems to get him to at least stay closer to the top. But, no luck getting him yet.

I could try the siphon idea, but not sure that it would be strong or nimble enough for the area I have to wrk with. It is a 65 gallon.

I'll keep trying after I give my neck a rest. The girlfriend will be hungry soon too. Not good.

[terri_ann]

Since you have a girlfriend, tell her you need one of her nylon stockings, ie. pantyhose. Cut a hole in the crotch to fit over the overflow pipe. Slip it over the pipe and let one side fall to the bottom(the opposite side of where the fish is so you don't cover that clown ;-)!) while holding the legs of the pantyhose. Now make the fish go to that side and lower the other half of the pantyhose to the bottom. When ready, lift quickly to catch that Clown!!! WaaLaa!!

[DaveAngie79]

you could always take the overflow box loose and dump him out probably would have taken less than 2 hours

[lordofthereef]

If your arm is long enough I would just slowly grab him with my hand. He won't bite... TOO hard! ;)

[jk1nole]

Well... finally got him. Went to Home Depot and bought some large tubing to make a siphon. The siphon was really strong and should have worked in theory, but I could not get the tubing all the way to the bottom of the over flow box because it was so inflexible.

After siphoning on different times and hosing my girlfriend down with salt water she asked out of frustration if she could try... Within 2 minutes she had him in the damn net. I guess I should have let her try two hours prior when she asked... :) Granted... there wasn't much water left in the box and her hands are much thinner than mine.

Going to get egg crate tomorrow.

[slojmn]

Glad to hear you were able to get the little bugger safely back into the right box with water in it, hehehehe. Go wifey :D