Fish stuck in sump

[Cthulukelele]

Hi so I had a fish jump in my overflow. I was able to suction him through to the sump by removing the siphon, but now he is in the first compartment of the sump. I can't get a net in there to scoop her out.

Any thoughts

 

[Old Fritz]

Well looks like you've had yourself a nemo moment, I've had too many of those in my store sumps. Are you able to remove anything to actually reach into the first compartment, or you could try bending the net to fit into the sump

 

[Cthulukelele]

I can get a net in I just have no ability to maneuver it in there and it doesnt quite reach the bottom

 

[Old Fritz]

what sump is this I can look up and see if there is a way to reach in. Otherwise this seems like a pretty big oversight

 

[Matthew Frost]

Try a vacuum cleaner/shop vac. If you fill the bucket with salt water then just use a smaller hose to vacuum out the water and fish it might not be that rough a ride.

 

[Old Fritz]

Don't use a vacuum cleaner please, you'll probably kill yourself and everything in the tank. Shop vac might work but I'm always a little sketchy with using suction on fish.

 

[Old Fritz]

Actually that gives me an idea. When Cleaning out some tanks on occasion a fish would get sucked up into the siphon i had going and spitting it out into the bucket full of water. If your hose is wide enough it could take a ride through that or you could get it trapped in the head of the siphon

 

[Cthulukelele]

He should eventually flow over to the socks as that is the direction of the flow right? I can't get him with a siphon I've tried. I also have work in the morning. Will he be okay overnight down there?

 

[Old Fritz]

He should eventually flow over to the socks as that is the direction of the flow right? I can't get him with a siphon I've tried. I also have work in the morning. Will he be okay overnight down there?

as long as there isn't anything for him to get sucked onto or stuck against he should be fine.

 

[Cthulukelele]

Yeah the next compartment is completely blocked by socks. The flow has like a quarter inch clearance to that section. My hope is I see him swimming in a sock when i wake up which is easily accessible

 

[Cthulukelele]

What sort of preventative can I use to prevent this in the future? I have a lid, but it doesnt rest atop the overflow

 

[Cthulukelele]

Also status update she flowed into the sock and is now back home in the tank

 

[KrisReef]

Also status update she flowed into the sock and is now back home in the tank

Whew! Glad she is home safe.

 

[Cthulukelele]

She is being shy and hiding right now, but I think she's just stressed

 

[Rcpilot]

Hi so I had a fish jump in my overflow. I was able to suction him through to the sump by removing the siphon, but now he is in the first compartment of the sump. I can't get a net in there to scoop her out.

Any thoughts

Transgendered fish?
(couldn't help myself) ROFL!!!!

The fish is probably tired. I'm sure there was no place to rest in there, so it spent a lot of energy swimming for it's life ... literally.

 

[Porpoise Hork]

What sort of preventative can I use to prevent this in the future? I have a lid, but it doesnt rest atop the overflow

Screen or netting over the overflow to keep critters from getting in there is your best bet.

 

[LJLKRL05]

What sort of preventative can I use to prevent this in the future? I have a lid, but it doesnt rest atop the overflow

They make strainers that fit on the ends of the pipes in the overflow to prevent things from getting stuck in the pipes and causing a spill. They also keep fish out of the pipes.
Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Lifegard-Aqu..._rd_t=40701&psc=1&refRID=2SS0Y9KH01XXSXA69WEG

or this:
https://www.amazon.com/Lifegard-Aqu...=1541098479&sr=1-1&keywords=pvc+pipe+strainer
If one gets stuck in the overflow you can just put enough sand in the overflow to raise the fish up so you can reach it, and then suck the sand out with a shop vac.