Best way to catch a fish out of an overflow box

GregM779 · 03/04/2006, 11:42 PM

Well I was looking all over the tank for mt mystery wrasse and finally looked in the overflow box, there he was swimming around, happy as can be. Today I turned off my return pump, unhooked my drain pipe and put it lowered into a bucket and pulled the durso pipe out. It flushed him out and he's back into the tank now but I was wondering what everyone else did. I have corner overflows so not much room to work with. I've thought of lowering the water in the box to about an inch and then try to catch him but I still have no room to get around with the net and a shop vac would also be a tight fit.

jay24k · 03/05/2006, 12:08 AM

I use a net and if after 5 minutes I can't get him, I place the net in the drain in the sump and yank the durso. He goes pipe surfing. My clown has done that a couple times.

DMK · 03/05/2006, 12:13 AM

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wrott · 03/05/2006, 01:03 AM

Use a 1" tube and siphon him into a bucket.

So Cal shaggy · 03/05/2006, 01:24 AM

I had a red headed jawfish do that but he was dead when I found him. I came up with a plan to keep this from happening again. Reach inside the top of your overflow is there a very small lip where the glass is siliconed to the acrylic overflow box? If there is cut a piece of plexiglass just small enough to fit into the top of the overflow but big enough to sit on the lip inside of it drill a bunch of small holes in it to let the water flow through it and attach a piece of string to it to be able to pull it out for maintenance. The day after I made this modification I came home from work and my starry blenny was on top of the plexiglass plate but was fine since there is enough water to keep a fish alive but not the falling water like at the bottom of the overflow.

davidryder · 03/05/2006, 01:49 AM

put a screen over it. like at lowes, for windows and doors... you can secure it with zip ties and a few holes with a small drill... just a thought!

03/04/2006, 11:42 PM	#1
GregM779 Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: West Palm Beach, Florida Posts: 1,961	Best way to catch a fish out of an overflow box Well I was looking all over the tank for mt mystery wrasse and finally looked in the overflow box, there he was swimming around, happy as can be. Today I turned off my return pump, unhooked my drain pipe and put it lowered into a bucket and pulled the durso pipe out. It flushed him out and he's back into the tank now but I was wondering what everyone else did. I have corner overflows so not much room to work with. I've thought of lowering the water in the box to about an inch and then try to catch him but I still have no room to get around with the net and a shop vac would also be a tight fit. __________________ Greg Current Tank Info: 125G Reef; SPS, LPS, and Softies; 3x150w 10k HQI MHs, 4x96w PC Actinics, 14 Moonlights; 25w UV Sterilizer; Euroreef Skimmer; Schuran JetStream 1 Calcium Reactor; Sealife Systems Sump; 10g Refugium

03/05/2006, 01:03 AM	#4
wrott Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,912	Use a 1" tube and siphon him into a bucket. __________________ OK, but where does the meat go! ------------------------------------------------ 120g SPS, 125g mix, 56g FOWLR, 20g qt

03/05/2006, 01:24 AM	#5
So Cal shaggy Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Anaheim, Ca Posts: 395	I had a red headed jawfish do that but he was dead when I found him. I came up with a plan to keep this from happening again. Reach inside the top of your overflow is there a very small lip where the glass is siliconed to the acrylic overflow box? If there is cut a piece of plexiglass just small enough to fit into the top of the overflow but big enough to sit on the lip inside of it drill a bunch of small holes in it to let the water flow through it and attach a piece of string to it to be able to pull it out for maintenance. The day after I made this modification I came home from work and my starry blenny was on top of the plexiglass plate but was fine since there is enough water to keep a fish alive but not the falling water like at the bottom of the overflow. __________________ Thanks, Jeff "You go inside the cage, cage goes in the water, you go in the water, shark's in the water ... our shark. Farewell and adieu to you fair Spanish ladies . . ." Current Tank Info: 135 gal reef tank, 50 gal DIY sump

03/05/2006, 01:49 AM	#6
davidryder Claris or Elliot? Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Nightopia Posts: 2,750	put a screen over it. like at lowes, for windows and doors... you can secure it with zip ties and a few holes with a small drill... just a thought! __________________ A rolling stone gathers no moss... Current Tank Info: 90g mixed reef, corner overflow (Mag 9.5), 25g refugium (Mag 5), 15g refugium, Orbit 260w pc, Pan World 50PX-X (Closed loop), AquaC EV-120 (now skimmerless)

03/05/2006, 12:08 AM	#2
jay24k Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Leesburg, Florida Posts: 6,546	I use a net and if after 5 minutes I can't get him, I place the net in the drain in the sump and yank the durso. He goes pipe surfing. My clown has done that a couple times.

03/05/2006, 12:13 AM	#3
DMK Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: central NJ Posts: 2,494	net