Blue Spot Jawfish in overflow

kwpgrooming · 08/23/2009, 04:42 PM

My BSJF is stuck in my overflow And I can't get him out. This is the second time he has gotten in there, but last time he took a ride to the sump. Had to pull everything out to get him. How can I get him out, and what do you cover your overflow with? It is a good thing I LOVE this fish cuz he sure is a pain in the rear!

smokieroom · 08/23/2009, 05:27 PM

I make covers out of eggcrate for all my overflows I have never had a fish get in the overflow so I don't really know a good way to get him out. If you have one of the aga overflows you can look on ebay a guy sells covers for those. Good luck on getting him out and I hope he comes out ok.

Shane Hoffman · 08/23/2009, 05:33 PM

You can shut down pumps....and try a barbless hook with a piece of shrimp.....or get a 5 or 6 foot piece of 1 1/2 inch tubing or just 1 inch if fish is small enough...stick one end in overflow....stick other near bucket...start siphon and out he comes.....

sikpupy · 08/23/2009, 05:45 PM

get some clear tubing bigger diameter than him. Start a suction and suck him out.

kwpgrooming · 08/23/2009, 05:52 PM

Thanks. I think I have some tubing that is big enough to work. I'll have to find something to cover the overflow. I know he can get through egg crate. I had some in the sump & he had no problems swimming through it.

noahm · 08/23/2009, 05:56 PM

I bought that plastic mesh from the craft store that has like 3/16 holes to cover my overflow for the same reasons. I had to siphon my watchman goby out three times before I put it up. It is the rigid mesh used for yarn projects.

kwpgrooming · 08/23/2009, 05:58 PM

Thanks noahm. That's a great idea. I'll get some tomorrow and try it.

smokieroom · 08/23/2009, 06:16 PM

On my eggcrate covers I put some plastic gutter guard mesh that I get from lowes on them.

snorvich · 08/23/2009, 07:46 PM

Egg crate won't keep Jawfish in the tank. You need 1/4 inch holes.

romsoccer12 · 08/23/2009, 08:30 PM

go to the hardware store and just buy that window screening, get some scissors and a ruler and some eletric tape, that solves the problem of him jumping in the back again. my watchman goby lived in my overflow for 2 months with no problems and i didnt even no he was there so u dont need to rush to drastic things to get him out. very expensive fish, treat it with care

prickles · 08/23/2009, 09:03 PM

I have the drain tubes on my overflow not glued in so I can unscrew them or just pull them out. a few trys with enough water in there and the bluespots get flushed out.

tufacody · 08/23/2009, 09:04 PM

I highly recommend that you do NOT use a barbless hook. Do you see how these guys eat? They ENGULF food. I think they'd swallow a hook pretty deep.

JStorey · 08/24/2009, 04:10 PM

Cover your over flow with gutter guard. It has 1/4" holes and you can get it at HD or Lowes for cheap.

kwpgrooming · 08/24/2009, 06:07 PM

Thanks for your help everyone. I've been trying to get him out, but he still in there. He is to smart for his own good. I'm going to try and bribe him with some food.He keeps getting behind my pipes where it is difficult to reach. I'll get him though.

reef2 · 08/24/2009, 06:10 PM

i get fish out of my overflow by turning off the return pump then pulling out the drain pipe. after only a 1/2" of water is left in the overflow so i just reach in a garb the fish.

08/23/2009, 04:42 PM	#1
kwpgrooming Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: texas Posts: 106	Blue Spot Jawfish in overflow My BSJF is stuck in my overflow And I can't get him out. This is the second time he has gotten in there, but last time he took a ride to the sump. Had to pull everything out to get him. How can I get him out, and what do you cover your overflow with? It is a good thing I LOVE this fish cuz he sure is a pain in the rear!

08/23/2009, 05:27 PM	#2
smokieroom Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: TN Posts: 110	I make covers out of eggcrate for all my overflows I have never had a fish get in the overflow so I don't really know a good way to get him out. If you have one of the aga overflows you can look on ebay a guy sells covers for those. Good luck on getting him out and I hope he comes out ok. __________________ current tanks: 90 gal w/30 gal sump - 6 bulb t5 retro w/1 icecap 660 ballast and 1 icecap 430 ballast - reefkeeper elite w/2 pc4's, mlc, net, sl1, and sl2 - marine solutions msx200 skimmer - vortech mp40w es 29 gal biocube - 20" current sunpod 150W HQI - reefkeeper lite w/2 pc4's, sl2, and net - sapphire aquatics skimmer 12 gal nano cube - nanotuners 3.24 lighting upgrade - sapphire aquatics skimmer Current Tank Info: 90 gal, 29 gal biocube, and 12 gal nano cube

08/23/2009, 05:33 PM	#3
Shane Hoffman Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: 45 mins from Chicago Posts: 2,009	You can shut down pumps....and try a barbless hook with a piece of shrimp.....or get a 5 or 6 foot piece of 1 1/2 inch tubing or just 1 inch if fish is small enough...stick one end in overflow....stick other near bucket...start siphon and out he comes..... __________________ A wise man once said "Never play leap frog with a unicorn" Current Tank Info: 150 gallon glass with 20 gallon sump, 175lbs of coraline covered live rock, EuroReef skimmer rated for 250gal, 25watt Aqua UV sterilizer, Fluval FX5, Hamilton 3x250watt MH, 160 watt Blue actinic....Mixed reef

08/23/2009, 06:16 PM	#8
smokieroom Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: TN Posts: 110	On my eggcrate covers I put some plastic gutter guard mesh that I get from lowes on them. __________________ current tanks: 90 gal w/30 gal sump - 6 bulb t5 retro w/1 icecap 660 ballast and 1 icecap 430 ballast - reefkeeper elite w/2 pc4's, mlc, net, sl1, and sl2 - marine solutions msx200 skimmer - vortech mp40w es 29 gal biocube - 20" current sunpod 150W HQI - reefkeeper lite w/2 pc4's, sl2, and net - sapphire aquatics skimmer 12 gal nano cube - nanotuners 3.24 lighting upgrade - sapphire aquatics skimmer Current Tank Info: 90 gal, 29 gal biocube, and 12 gal nano cube

08/23/2009, 07:46 PM	#9
snorvich Team RC member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Outlander Posts: 40,953 Blog Entries: 46	Egg crate won't keep Jawfish in the tank. You need 1/4 inch holes. __________________ Warmest regards, ~Steve~

08/23/2009, 05:45 PM	#4
sikpupy Moved On Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 1,431	get some clear tubing bigger diameter than him. Start a suction and suck him out.

08/23/2009, 05:52 PM	#5
kwpgrooming Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: texas Posts: 106	Thanks. I think I have some tubing that is big enough to work. I'll have to find something to cover the overflow. I know he can get through egg crate. I had some in the sump & he had no problems swimming through it.

08/23/2009, 05:56 PM	#6
noahm Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Huntsville, AL Posts: 2,736	I bought that plastic mesh from the craft store that has like 3/16 holes to cover my overflow for the same reasons. I had to siphon my watchman goby out three times before I put it up. It is the rigid mesh used for yarn projects.

08/23/2009, 05:58 PM	#7
kwpgrooming Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: texas Posts: 106	Thanks noahm. That's a great idea. I'll get some tomorrow and try it.

08/23/2009, 08:30 PM	#10
romsoccer12 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: ohio Posts: 2,625	go to the hardware store and just buy that window screening, get some scissors and a ruler and some eletric tape, that solves the problem of him jumping in the back again. my watchman goby lived in my overflow for 2 months with no problems and i didnt even no he was there so u dont need to rush to drastic things to get him out. very expensive fish, treat it with care __________________ Colin R Current Tank Info: 3rd tank working fine!(29gal oceanic biocube) 5-6months old

08/23/2009, 09:03 PM	#11
prickles Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: AZ Posts: 1,138	I have the drain tubes on my overflow not glued in so I can unscrew them or just pull them out. a few trys with enough water in there and the bluespots get flushed out. __________________ My tank is finally big enough. I could swim in it. Current Tank Info: large

08/23/2009, 09:04 PM	#12
tufacody Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,890	I highly recommend that you do NOT use a barbless hook. Do you see how these guys eat? They ENGULF food. I think they'd swallow a hook pretty deep.

08/24/2009, 04:10 PM	#13
JStorey Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Lubbock, Texas Posts: 457	Cover your over flow with gutter guard. It has 1/4" holes and you can get it at HD or Lowes for cheap.

08/24/2009, 06:07 PM	#14
kwpgrooming Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: texas Posts: 106	Thanks for your help everyone. I've been trying to get him out, but he still in there. He is to smart for his own good. I'm going to try and bribe him with some food.He keeps getting behind my pipes where it is difficult to reach. I'll get him though.

08/24/2009, 06:10 PM	#15
reef2 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: michigan Posts: 639	i get fish out of my overflow by turning off the return pump then pulling out the drain pipe. after only a 1/2" of water is left in the overflow so i just reach in a garb the fish.