Lost fish found

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jcarlilesiu

Aquarium Advice Addict
Joined
Aug 1, 2005
Messages
1,020
Location
Chicago
I recently purchased a blue jaw trigger for my tank. On October 2, my midas blenny jumped to his death behind the tank. We were on the couch and heard him jump, but there was nothing we could do to save him.

A few days later, my new blue jaw went missing. We assumed the same happened. I then built a screen top.

Last night, my wife was trying to look at the side of the tank, as its enclosed by 3 walls with only 6" on each side, when she sees something moving in the overflow. Its the blue jaw! He has been in there for almost exactly a month.

We tried to net him, but he goes to the bottom of the built in overflow when he sees the net. Its in the back corner of the tank, and I have to stand on a step ladder in the front and lean over the tank to get back to it. We have a deep 27" tank, so the net isn't long enough, and all of the pipes make his hiding easy.

Any ideas on how to get him out? He is too big to fit down the return pipe.
 
Can you scare him to a higher point in the overflow with the other hand and a longer - yet soft tool of some kind? Glad you found him. Good thing food floats over the overflow box I guess.
 
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This worked for me. Shut down the pump and drain the overflow down to about 2" of water. Then use 2 small nets, one to herd it into the other.
 
Thanks for the suggestion cmor.

The problem is, the tank is tight into the corner, and I can't even see the bottom of the overflow let alone get to it with a net. THe tank is 36"X36", so I have to get on a step ladder and lean over the tank. Even still I can only see half the way down the overflow.

So I was thinking. Why not slowly add sand back there all the way to the top a few cups a day. Eventually, he will be forced to be right at the top where I can scope him out. After that, I can suck all the sand back out of the overflow.

Anybody see a problem with this?
 
I'm proud to say that tonight, bob the blue jaw was caught and added to the main tank again. Since his retreat to the overflow 6 weeks ago, a few new fish have been added. As such, there was some flashing and other hierarchy establishment which has since calmed down. Using electrical tape to a stick to extend the net did the trick with some patience.
 
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