Yo-yo-go-round

[Kryptos]

I'm not sure if this is tragic or comic...

Last Wednesday, my little yo-yo loach was going berserk after a feeding. I poked a couple flakes under the sand to see if he could find them, which he did. Apparently it was quite exciting for him, and he felt the need to do several victory laps and various acrobatic maneuvers around the tank. The next day, however, I couldn't find him. I moved around all the decor in the tank, and looked on the floor around the tank... no sign of him. Having heard of loaches finding their way into HOB filters, I looked the filter--didn't see him there, either. Well, not until later when in desperation I took off the piece that covers the bio-wheel. There he was, or at least the empty shell that remains when a fish moves on to that big aquarium in the sky. Around and around and around he went... apparently he felt the need to explore the bio-wheel, and wedged his snout into one of the pleats. His little spines held him there pretty securely; it was not easy remove the body. Not sure whether it was stress or whapping that killed him. I just hope it was a fun ride while it lasted, a fitting final adventure for such an inquisitive creature.

Any thoughts as to how I might block future loaches from entering the filter, or should I call this a freak of nature and not worry about it?

 

[WaterPond]

sorry for your loss, thats too bad. Loaches do get around, they are real explorers. Hope fully your's had a good final adventure.

 

[evercl92]

I've heard of kuhli loaches getting into filters, though yours is the first I've heard of yoyo's. None of my yoyos have ever gotten into my HOB filter. They are nosey, that's for sure. Those spikes by the pectoral fins are sharp... I had to help one from a net once, and he got my finger... sharp as a sewing needle.

 

[Guest]

I never had a bio-wheel filter. How do they get in, from an intake line, or where the actual bio-wheel is?

I would think you could plug any area with small pieces of sponge being careful not to plug it up so it overflows.

 

[Kryptos]

He couldn't get in through the intake, the slots are too tiny. The filter returns water to the tank like any other HOB I've had, just sort of a wide pour spout. The Penguin 200 bio-wheel I have has the spout dipping beneath the water level of the tank, which does make it quieter. It also makes it easier to swim into, I guess. I'm trying to think of something cheap that could block that without (like you say) causing the filter to overflow. I'd thought about some kind of netting, but I would think that would be something else to get caught in. Maybe I'll try to find a cheap plastic pasta strainer I can dissect.