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View Full Version : EMERGENCY please help


ramtmac
05/15/2010, 05:22 PM
woke up and my bta was sucked into my filter. he is still alive, and the foot isn't damaged, and the mouth isn't sucked up. about 1/3 of him is badly sucked up and stuck in the intake. i don't know if he will be able to get out himself.
he has weasled alot of himself out today but i dont know if the last part he wil be able to do. his tentacles are inflated but the part inside the filter is also inflated so he can't pull out. what can i do? its been 9 hours since i saw him this morning.

1st and 2nd picture is how he was this morning right after turning off filter
3rd picture is how he is right now after turning off filter and detaching it. and about 3 hours of him trying.

will he die? i'm so so sad

Tuscaquatics
05/15/2010, 05:25 PM
He actually looks OK. I'd leave him be a little while and see if he jumps out. If that doesn't work, you'll have to grab him and pull him out, carefully.

You gotta cover your pump intakes with an anemone. Furthermore, he wouldn't have been running around if he'd been happy where he was at. So that needs to be thought about, too.

ramtmac
05/15/2010, 05:28 PM
we have had him for about 2 weeks, and for about 9 days he was in one spot doing great.
yesterday we added another k3 which changed the flow which must have caused him to move. we hadn't covered anything yet, but i already have bought stuff to cover my intakes and powerheads. i learned my lesson

Tuscaquatics
05/15/2010, 05:30 PM
The new flow is what did it. Glad to see you're taking precautions for the future.

Raggamuffin
05/15/2010, 05:31 PM
That prefilter piece... does it unscrew? detatch? If you can get that off and move the filter for a day or two he will get himself out. Or if you can live without the filter for a few hours long you could annoy him enough to fully retract no problem. He will not die from annoying him but try to keep your hands out of the tank, use something smooth and rounded preferably plastic, you dont want something that can damage him or the oils from your hands in the water.

I am no expert on anems but this happened enough in the aquarium I worked at that I would be ok risking it if he is not torn up already.... they are tough critters :) be calm and take your time thinking things through!

ramtmac
05/15/2010, 05:42 PM
yeah you cant tell from third pic but i took that piece off. its just a small part of him that is inflated in there. So i should just leave him alone ?

Usul0
05/15/2010, 06:26 PM
Had the same thing happen to my BTA three years ago and it got chewed up really bad. After a day it was able to remove itself from the intake and she is still with me to this date.

ramtmac
05/15/2010, 07:08 PM
so wait another day you are saying? he seems content.. inflated and attached.. despite the fact that a huge piece of plastic is stuck to him

ramtmac
05/15/2010, 07:46 PM
new picture... this is the problem. look inside the plastic

this is the only part that he wont deflate to get out

Tuscaquatics
05/15/2010, 08:13 PM
What part of him do you think we're looking at? To me it looks like part of his base, like just below the tentacles, but I'm not sure.

Like someone else said, try annoying him to get him to shrink up. Wave a net or something at him, anything like that.

ramtmac
05/15/2010, 08:45 PM
ive already touched him and handled him earlier today getting him off the glass onto a rock. and even touched the part inside.

Tuscaquatics
05/15/2010, 09:12 PM
Damn, you may have to cut the intake thing to get him out. Drastic, yes, but to save the 'nem, it's worth it.

ramtmac
05/15/2010, 09:14 PM
should i do it tonight? or wait over night since it looks like he will be staying put?
since i had to turn off my filter, all i have running now is an aerator, my skimmer, and 2 powerheads. okay for my fish for the night?

Tuscaquatics
05/15/2010, 09:20 PM
Once again, damn. You need to get the filter back online ASAP. They would probably be OK for the night, though. I would personally try and cut him out now. If it doesn't look like he can get out, then there's no point waiting.

rayn
05/15/2010, 09:24 PM
What a HOB filter? Why is that so important to run?

ramtmac
05/15/2010, 09:29 PM
yeah it is a hob filter.
so what do i use to cut him out?

Tuscaquatics
05/15/2010, 09:30 PM
I would use scissors or something similar to clip the little plastic strips on the intake. You should only have to clip one or two to loosen it up enough.

ramtmac
05/15/2010, 09:37 PM
i'll give it a shot. i'll let youknow how it goes.

goochesfish
05/15/2010, 09:41 PM
leave the strainer off, run to petco or lfs and buy aqua clear foam. Bore a hole using end of pen to widen a hole big enough to shove it over the end of the suction of the HOB filter. You'll have to remove and rinse as it gets dirty and decreases flow. Nem will work itself out. Leave it alone.
http://www.petco.com/product/107996/Hagen-AquaClear-Foam-Filter-Inserts.aspx?cm_mmc=CSEMGooglebase-_-Fish-_-AquaClear-_-165549&mr:trackingCode=65FBEB15-8381-DE11-B7F3-0019B9C043EB&mr:referralID=NA

ramtmac
05/15/2010, 09:45 PM
so don't try to cut him out?
what about covering the filter with filterfloss and letting it run over night?

Tuscaquatics
05/15/2010, 10:30 PM
You heard the man. Leave him alone, he'll work himself out. You're gonna have to do what you feel is necessary for the sake of the animal. Do what you have to in order to get the filter going.

ramtmac
05/16/2010, 12:49 AM
he detached!!!!!!

Usul0
05/20/2010, 09:06 PM
Any updates?!?

ramtmac
05/20/2010, 09:07 PM
alive! took him about 15 hours to get out but hes fine now. attached to a rock and inflates normally
thanks for everyones help.

rayn
05/20/2010, 09:10 PM
Glad to hear!

ramtmac
05/21/2010, 12:24 PM
NEW UPDATE. sucked into powerhead today :(

mthomp
05/21/2010, 12:27 PM
bleh

dcombs44
05/21/2010, 12:33 PM
Did you not cover the powerheads?

The anemone looks pretty badly bleached to me anyway.
How old is your tank?

DustinB
05/21/2010, 12:35 PM
Ouch man. Is it still alive? Did you get any pieces out fast enough not to nuke the tank?

ramtmac
05/21/2010, 12:49 PM
found him at like 930 this morning. he has been working himself out. i don't think the damage is too bad. he still has tentacles and is inflated. we will see though when he gets himself out.

LFS said i didn't need to cover my k3s only my intakes.
Now i know

and he looks bleached in my photos because of my camera.

DustinB
05/21/2010, 12:53 PM
Go to the drug store/grocery store and buy the cheapest pantyhose you can find. (You can have fun messing with the ladies at the counter) :lolspin:

Cut it into about 3-4" sections and slide a piece over the powerhead, at least the back intake section.

ramtmac
05/21/2010, 01:08 PM
okay i'll go today. thanks. i wasn't sure what to use to cover him but pantyhose would be perfect.
how often should i clean them?

DustinB
05/21/2010, 01:12 PM
Probably once a week or so.

Also, if you have enough live rock and a skimmer in your tank, you don't really need a filter. I never ran one in my 44 gallon. Actually, I have a 12 gallon tank with some live rock and a ball of cheato. I don't run a skimmer or a filter, just weekly water changes. I only have one fish and a couple shrimp in there though.