Clown Fish in overflow!

[Susan Edwards]

OMG, how do I get this fish out! I thought it had died, or one of the other clown fish killed it. Had a disaster with my lights and am trying to fix the brackets and I see it swimming in there. I even had a piece of gutter mesh over that flow. I left it off, left the screen off that side of tank or covering just the front, to see if it will pop back out. I can't get a net in there--too deep for me to reach and it can evade me easy. Dropped some flakes in and there he is.

So what do I do?

 

[Peace River]

Im glad to know you found the live fish - that’s great news! Let’s see what we can do to get him out of that small space. What type of overflow do you have? Can you share pics of the overflow?

 

[Fishy212]

Try a diy net with a hanger and panty hose. If you have a large enough tube or hose you can literally suck the fish out with your lungs. Good luck

 

[RocketEngineer]

I used to pull my overflow pipe out of the bulkhead to flush it down the drain. Easier to catch in the sump.

 

[Red_Beard]

You could use a wooden kitchen spoon or bigger slotted spatula and scoop him out, just a quick flick of the wrist at the top and "floop", right back into the display.

 

[Salty Lemon]

I used a small net when I tried to get my clown out of my overflow. Quite a bit of time and many expletives later, I managed to snag him. Good luck. I'm glad he is okay. Let us know how you get him out.

 

[CyFan]

OMG, how do I get this fish out! I thought it had died, or one of the other clown fish killed it. Had a disaster with my lights and am trying to fix the brackets and I see it swimming in there. I even had a piece of gutter mesh over that flow. I left it off, left the screen off that side of tank or covering just the front, to see if it will pop back out. I can't get a net in there--too deep for me to reach and it can evade me easy. Dropped some flakes in and there he is.

So what do I do?

I had the very same thing happen to me. I got my daughter (or young son) who has very small hands and wrists and with the use of a small brine shrimp net and I using an algae scrapper was able to guide the clown into the brine shrimp net. No harm done and the clown is fine.

 

[Susan Edwards]

Im glad to know you found the live fish - that’s great news! Let’s see what we can do to get him out of that small space. What type of overflow do you have? Can you share pics of the overflow?

I will share a pic when I get home from work tonight. Late.

 

[Susan Edwards]

I just fed the tank, and the trapped fish. The overflow has 2 pipes and if I use a net, I can't see, and it can go between the stands to the other side and I can't get down to the bottom. I also have 2 orbit lights so I can't put weight there to get down lower. Mostly, It's dark in there and I can't get on top to see down to bottom. Will post picture after work, late, tonight

 

[Susan Edwards]

Okay, here are pics of the overflow. And you can see a bit of orange which is my poor fish! Although after being bitten at least 5 times today by the other clowns while trying to fix the brackets of my lights, I'm tempted to put all of them in the overflow!!!! Only thing I can think of is doing a water change and trying to see if I can get the suction hose down there and get him that way. Trouble is, it may not fit or the fish may go to the front.

Only me....

 

[Peace River]

Susan - I understand your frustration and stress (been there). Forgive me if I am asking the obvious, are either one of the overflow stand pipes removable?

 

[Susan Edwards]

Susan - I understand your frustration and stress (been there). Forgive me if I am asking the obvious, are either one of the overflow stand pipes removable?

I do not remember. I'll have to ask my husband. Seems when I was once trying to adjust height, I pulled the one on the left out and had to put it back. I do not believe we glued these in

 

[AquaticJamaica]

I used to have this problem with my durso style. All I did was just drain the tank a little into a bucket then remove the drain pipes and let it drain into a bucket and let the clown fall into the bucket.

 

[Schnizzle]

Did the clown make its way back to the tank?

 

[K7BMG]

I have the same concern.
The easy way is to pull the drain pipes.
BUT make sure any valves are wide open first.
You dont want the fish stuck in a valve.

 

[K7BMG]

I would also have a bucket or two with water ready to dump into the overflow, just in case he decides not to go down the drain and winds up on the floor of the overflow box.