Alright...how am I going to make this happen?!?!?!

[Flameback Pair]

A hook. Paul B on here just posted a video where he caught a wrasse on a hook and line and lifted it out. You file the barb off so as not to do too much damage to its mouth.

 

[JoeIII]

Sounds like it will not help in your situation, but my standpipes are not glued, for just such situations. When we get a fish in the overflow I pull the standpipe and they go down the drain, then I grab them out of the filter sock and drop them back in the display. Not ideal, but it works.

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

Sounds like it will not help in your situation, but my standpipes are not glued, for just such situations. When we get a fish in the overflow I pull the standpipe and they go down the drain, then I grab them out of the filter sock and drop them back in the display. Not ideal, but it works.

Mine are also not glued in (for exactly a similar reason), but I'm afraid I won't be able to get the standpipe back in the fitting if I remove it. The overflow is 24" long, so it's pretty tough to align the two with the limited access I have.

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

A hook. Paul B on here just posted a video where he caught a wrasse on a hook and line and lifted it out. You file the barb off so as not to do too much damage to its mouth.

I can't seem to find the video you're mentioning. I looked through @Paul B 's posts, but I didn't see it.

 

[ShaunRobinson]

Fill it with sand to force him up then siphon it out again afterwards.

 

[Jk120]

Maybe get a large diameter hose and suck it out?

If you can get a net in there try it at night . Get him to the top with food then when he is in place shin a flashlight on him this will stun him for a sec. You probably need someone to help because you will have to work fast.

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

I wonder if I can use well-rinsed dry aragonite sand? I'd hate to buy live sand only to put it in and immediately pull it back out!

 

[ShaunRobinson]

I wonder if I can use well-rinsed dry aragonite sand? I'd hate to buy live sand only to put it in and immediately pull it back out!

Yup, dry rinsed sand will do, you're only going to have it in there for a couple of hours. I would pour it down a tube onto the bottom to minimise any silt left in the sand clouding the water, as soon as he gets near the top you should be able to get him over into the display. Just be careful he doesn't jump out the back!

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

Yup, dry rinsed sand will do, you're only going to have it in there for a couple of hours. I would pour it down a tube onto the bottom to minimise any silt left in the sand clouding the water, as soon as he gets near the top you should be able to get him over into the display. Just be careful he doesn't jump out the back!

I think the back is okay. He'd have to pole vault out of the water and over a 9" wall before he could reach the back of the tank

 

[happyhourhero]

I would try a sabiki rig. File the barb, bait with a tiny piece of shrimp.

 

[Forsaken77]

You only have to pull out the drain pipe. I don't believe it's connected to the bulkhead, just slips in, in that tank. Shut off the return pump and he'll flush right down. Then you just stick the drain pipe back in. You don't need room for that.

 

[Flameback Pair]

I can't seem to find the video you're mentioning. I looked through @Paul B 's posts, but I didn't see it.

I tried searching for it too and no luck. So I PMed Paul for the thread/video.

If all fails and the fish is irretrievable, it will eventually die you could stop the return pump for awhile and pour some pods down the overflow to eat the dead body. Pods are omnivorous scavengers.

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

You only have to pull out the drain pipe. I don't believe it's connected to the bulkhead, just slips in, in that tank. Shut off the return pump and he'll flush right down. Then you just stick the drain pipe back in. You don't need room for that.

My bulkhead has a threaded by slip PVC adapter screwed into to. The drain riser pipe is just slipped into the PVC fittings, but I'd be afraid the fish would get stuck in this fitting.

 

[Ethan Engdahl]

Barbless fly hook should work.

 

[Flameback Pair]

I tried searching for it too and no luck. So I PMed Paul for the thread/video.

If all fails and the fish is irretrievable, it will eventually die you could stop the return pump for awhile and pour some pods down the overflow to eat the dead body. Pods are omnivorous scavengers.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/removing-a-wrasse-using-a-hook.320279/

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

I tried using a baited hook from a Sabiki rig. The anthia looked at it a little, but didn't take it. I think the size 8 hooks are just too large Plus. the monofilament I had was too stiff for such a little hook.

 

[Hpolascik]

I had a Midas bleeny get into mine. I used a long handle net and caught mine on first try. I also had a small damsel get in one (I have dual). When I tried to catch him he just swam back threw. Lol

After this happened twice I cut some filter padding the width and length of the overflow slots on the inside and inserted the filter, which blocks the holes. I do have to remove these filters several times a week to clean them. You'd be surprised how dirty they get. The other plus is the free floating gunk that usually ends up in your sump is caught by the pad. It's like having a filter sock on top. Lol

Good luck

 

[madcanary]

Can you just pull the standpipe and get him out of the sump? I didn’t read all the posts.

 

[LJLKRL05]

Fill it with sand to force him up then siphon it out again afterwards.

This, slowly fill it with sand and then use a shop vac to get the sand out after. The fish will stay above the sand.

 

[rstrann]

I like the displacement idea. So far the bags of sand sounds like a great idea. But instead of putting the sand directing into the overflow, you could get a few/couple empty plastic bags (I'd use unscented garbage bags), and tuck them at the bottom and around the standpipes, with the bag openings facing up and out of the water. Pour in the sand while using some pvc to push the sand around within the bags to spread it. Displace the water with sand until that fishy doesn't have anywhere else to go but in your net.