Goby in the overflow box!

[Luananeko]

I added a Tiger Watchman Goby on Saturday and was worried when I couldn't find him today... After 15 minutes of looking from all angles to try to find him in my rockwork I realized he was sitting in the overflow box staring at me.

How do I get him out? I know most people would recommend flushing him down to the sump but I have a Trigger Systems sump... For those not familiar with it, it looks like this:

Basically, the overflow pipes drop into a small, enclosed compartment which then overflows onto a sponge pad and down into filter socks, before emptying into the open skimmer section. It's just as hard to get a net into where the overflow drains as it is to get one into the overflow box.

How the heck do I get this goby out?

 

[mattzang]

idk how big your overflow is, but my female clown has jumped into mine twice. both times i just stuck a net in and fished around for a bit, it was surprisingly easy. clowns seem quite easy to catch tho

 

[Crested]

I'm assuming that if you can't get a net in there, you can't get your hand in there?

 

[Crested]

Maybe borrow a neighbor or friends child that has small hands? Haha

 

[wesman42]

You will probably find it back in your overflow less than a week later. What I'd do is turn off the return pump, let the overflow drain, and either scoop him out with your hand or use a small enough net and be careful about smashing it in there.

You'll want to cover the top of the overflow with something heavy, maybe even a piece of acrylic. Assuming the holes are too small for him, that's going to be one of the only ways you'll be able to keep the goby from jumping ship.

 

[Luananeko]

idk how big your overflow is, but my female clown has jumped into mine twice. both times i just stuck a net in and fished around for a bit, it was surprisingly easy. clowns seem quite easy to catch tho

It's a reasonably sized overflow, but the problem is that the dual standpipes each have a U top, so there's not a lot of wiggle room for a net. To be honest, I haven't tried sticking a net in there yet since I didn't want to scare him. I guess that's the first step.

I'm assuming that if you can't get a net in there, you can't get your hand in there?

Yeah, there's definitely not enough space for my hand... I couldn't even stick my hand beneath the surface to try and drop food past the U siphons.

You will probably find it back in your overflow less than a week later. What I'd do is turn off the return pump, let the overflow drain, and either scoop him out with your hand or use a small enough net and be careful about smashing it in there.

You'll want to cover the top of the overflow with something heavy, maybe even a piece of acrylic. Assuming the holes are too small for him, that's going to be one of the only ways you'll be able to keep the goby from jumping ship.

So he won't just land on the acrylic and beach himself? I guess he'd be able to wriggle back down to the water safely after? I was planning on attaching a plastic grid vertically to make the overflow walls reach the lid, but haven't had time to do so yet (I have a 9 month old, so schedules have been a little crazy lately). Finding a piece of acrylic to plunk down there would certainly be faster/simpler.

 

[Luananeko]

Update:
Another snag... My nets aren't long enough to reach the bottom of the overflow box. I can only reach so far with the net before my hand gets stuck on the overflow pipes, which stops the net about 3 inches above the bottom. This also makes catching him with my hand impossible since even if I could reach past the pipes, my arm isn't physically long enough to reach the bottom of the 24" tall overflow...

This goby is just sitting there laughing at me, I swear...

 

[wesman42]

I think your grid idea is a better one. I just wish I had thought of that lol.

As far as the net goes, what about taking a spare piece of PVC or something maybe even an old utensil, and duct taping it to give you a longer handle?

 

[Jesterrace]

So the overflow pipes would block a small net with a long handle? I recommend investing in one of these. Can't tell you how many times I have used it (including fishing a Diamond Watchman Goby out of my 2 foot deep overflow with bulkheads that make it very cramped.)

https://www.amazon.com/Pawfly-Small...ndle+fish+net&qid=1554264591&s=gateway&sr=8-7

 

[Luananeko]

SUCCESS! My standpipes aren't glued into the bulkheads, so they had a bit more wiggle room than I gave them credit. Some carefully wiggling and wedging my wrist at odd angles to squeeze past, and I was able to reach the bottom with my net finally. I got lucky and spooked him with wiggling the standpipes just right so he darted face first into the black net in the dark against the black overflow plastic I nearly lost him on the long, convoluted path back to the surface, but he's now safely back into the tank!

It's not pretty, but I've temporarily made access to the overflow FAR more difficult by taking chunks of those plastic trimmable flanges that come with glass tops and wedging them in between the top of the overflow and the lid. There may still be some tiny gaps, but he's a reasonably sized fish so I don't THINK he can fit. Time will tell... Thanks, everyone, for the help!

So the overflow pipes would block a small net with a long handle? I recommend investing in one of these. Can't tell you how many times I have used it (including fishing a Diamond Watchman Goby out of my 2 foot deep overflow with bulkheads that make it very cramped.)

https://www.amazon.com/Pawfly-Small...ndle+fish+net&qid=1554264591&s=gateway&sr=8-7

Oooo, that would be handy for if there's a next time. The big bulky handle was half my problem trying to maneuver the net around. I'll pick one up just in case! I feel your pain with the 2 foot overflow with bulkheads, that perfectly describes mine as well! Only difference is the goby species!

 

[Jesterrace]

Yup, I listed it in my 4 indispensable cheap tools of the hobby vid that I did recently:

 

[Luananeko]

Well... I didn't find him in the overflow this morning. Instead, he found a new escape route this time. Despite the fact that my glass top was as close to the HOB refugium outflow ramp as it could get without the water spilling onto the top of it, the goby managed managed to squeeze through the gap, surf his way up, and then flip sideways onto the carpet sometime during the middle of last night. Sadly, the cats found him first since we were asleep. I found the pieces when I woke up

Time to figure out some way to enclose the ramp... Maybe make a tunnel to enclose the ramp with the plastic grid mesh? At least I know the gap is a problem now rather than before I added any fish I had to special order online (like the wrasses I have next on my stocking plan)...

 

[mattzang]

sorry to hear

 

[wesman42]

Well... I didn't find him in the overflow this morning. Instead, he found a new escape route this time. Despite the fact that my glass top was as close to the HOB refugium outflow ramp as it could get without the water spilling onto the top of it, the goby managed managed to squeeze through the gap, surf his way up, and then flip sideways onto the carpet sometime during the middle of last night. Sadly, the cats found him first since we were asleep. I found the pieces when I woke up

Time to figure out some way to enclose the ramp... Maybe make a tunnel to enclose the ramp with the plastic grid mesh? At least I know the gap is a problem now rather than before I added any fish I had to special order online (like the wrasses I have next on my stocking plan)...

Bummer! It was sooner than expected!

Some have a deathwish to be completely honest.

 

[Luananeko]

Bummer! It was sooner than expected!

Some have a deathwish to be completely honest.

I really think something was wrong with him. I only got him Saturday, and not once did he show any interest in digging a cave or anything. He just sat on the sand and once in a while took a mouthful of sand. I have 3 pistol shrimp in the tank that hitchhiked in on my Tampa Bay Saltwater rock. He never went near them, never showed any interest in anything. I didn't QT since he and a Firefish were the first fish I added to the tank and I figured having the security & natural food supply of the live rock and sand would be a better way to introduce him... Now it's just the firefish alone with all the inverts At least the firefish is happy as can be and eating like a pig.

 

[wesman42]

I really think something was wrong with him. I only got him Saturday, and not once did he show any interest in digging a cave or anything. He just sat on the sand and once in a while took a mouthful of sand. I have 3 pistol shrimp in the tank that hitchhiked in on my Tampa Bay Saltwater rock. He never went near them, never showed any interest in anything. I didn't QT since he and a Firefish were the first fish I added to the tank and I figured having the security & natural food supply of the live rock and sand would be a better way to introduce him... Now it's just the firefish alone with all the inverts At least the firefish is happy as can be and eating like a pig.

Every goby I've had has found some miniscule opening somewhere and jumped....either into my overflow or out of the tank. Usually repeatedly....I've stopped trying to care for them because of how difficult they can be.

Maybe have a shrimp/goby pair in their own tank with a solid lid on it. I'm still formulating....but for some reason they just really don't like confinement.