Circulation pump danger!

[ScubaSkeets]

Hi folks!
I posted a question a few threads ago about circulation pumps possibly killing my fish. Now, I definitely think it is the culprit.

I'm sitting here checking out my newest tank. I turned the lights on and the Coral Beauty was starting to check things out. I looked away for less than a minute and looked back, and the Coral Beauty was being sucked to the intake of the circulation pump!! Luckily I was there and was able to save him, but I have no doubt if i was not here, he would have died!
I am going to leave the pump off until I can mod it somehow to keep the fish away from the intake grating.

 

[ReeferBud]

What circulation pump are you using?

 

[ScubaSkeets]

What circulation pump are you using?

A cheapo Amazon one. Aqqa Wave Maker Pump 2100GPH. I could be wrong, but Im not sure how a more expensive one would be any different in regards to the intake suction.

 

[ReeferBud]

Unless the power head is so powerful that it’s creating suction so strong that the fish can’t overcome, I’d wonder if the fish were healthy to begin with.

the only time I’ve ever seen fish stuck to a power head is when they were weak and dying , and ended up getting sucked again ha a power head that they didn’t have the strength to overcome.

mom not familiar with that particular model but seems like a regular power head design.

 

[Gtinnel]

I agree that generally a healthy fish should be able to swim away from the suction of a powerhead. I've only had one fish that I thought was healthy get stuck to a powerhead and he ended up dying a week or so later, so it turns out he wasn't healthy either.

 

[ScubaSkeets]

Yeah. Your probably right. Turns out the fish does have a bad case of ich. However, I do think the circulation pump intake is still a little dangerous. Even if the fish is already sick and weak, if its not able to release itself from the suction, its almost for sure a death sentence.

 

[Gtinnel]

Even if the fish is already sick and weak, if its not able to release itself from the suction, its almost for sure a death sentence.

I'd agree that being sucked up to the intake of a pump is probably really hard on a fish, especially since it is probably a fish that is already weak anyway.