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View Full Version : Triggers can jump!


2ras
02/27/2006, 07:18 PM
My 5" Blue Throat Trigger jumped from the main tank into the overflow. I've had her for 3-4 months without a problem. I think my sixline wrasse talked her into it. :rolleyes:

The problem is that my overflow has the durso & return pipes contained within the housing. True to form, the Trigger thwarted any rescue attempts, by wedging herself between the two pipes.

Only a small net could get in there, with not much maneuver room (<2"). This first attempt didn’t work because the Trigger had to cooperate & swim into the net for me to retrieve her.

The second failed rescue attempt involved filling small zip-lock sandwich bags (a lot of them) with water & placing them into the overflow in order to reduce maneuver room for the Trigger, and have her swim to the surface where I could get her. She swam to the bottom of the overflow & wedged herself between the pipes. This attempt took 1.5 hrs. :mad:

At this point my concern for the triggerfish, boiled down to; “Great, I going to have one big Ammonia/Nitrite/Nitrate spike!” Ruby asked: “What about the Triggerfish?” All I could come up with was a quote from Mr. Spock; “The needs of the many ($$$$) outweigh the needs of the few ($$) or the one ($).”

:hmm2:
I remembered that Paul did not glue the durso pipe into the bulkhead. After prep work involving the canopy, sump & lots of towels, I enlisted the help of “Da Family”. I pulled the durso pipe up to allow the water to drain down enough for me to net the Trigger. The sump was filling up fast, so I hadn’t much time to get the fish <insert theme from the movie jaws here>. I got the fish on the third attempt. I twisted the durso back into place, & got everything back to normal.

Not a drop of water on the wood floor by the way! The fish is doing fine, & she hasn’t lost her appetite. The Naso Tang forgot who the Trigger was and attacked her for a few minutes. I guess the Tang finally recognized who the Trigger was & let her be. Maybe I should name the Tang “Dory”, & we can just call the Trigger “Stupid”.

captbunzo
02/27/2006, 07:40 PM
Good work! Sounds like a reefkeeping miracle - not a drop of water on the floor!!! :)

jaugat
02/27/2006, 08:37 PM
Funny thing happened to me... My red tail trigger ended up on the class support in the middle of my 135 gallon. I wasn't as lucky.
He tasted good though!

pwhitby
02/27/2006, 11:21 PM
Ray...fwiw....thats why you dont glue in the overflow pipes. As a last resort you can drain fish into the sump.....but at 5 inch, I knew there was no way she was going down that pipe.

Im pleased you managed to get her out.

P.