My false perc clown had found his way into the overflow

[SaltieFresh]

Here it is: My false perc clown had found his way into the overflow of my 90 gallon. How in the heck do I get him out? Since the plumbing is in the way, it's really hard to get to him. I was thinking about disconnecting the pipes from the bottom so that I could remove them on top. But then it dawned on that the water would drain immediately with a clown possibly falling through or getting stuck in the overflow without a way for me to really reach him.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[mfdrookie516]

can you not get your hands down in there? seems like the overflow I used to have had enough room for my hand (and i have big hands) to get in there and get stuff out

 

[SaltieFresh]

The overflow would be large enough for me to stick my hands (or a fish net) down if the inflow and outflow pipes weren't so big.

 

[thincat]

Following along...

 

[milhous3er]

Can't you siphon the guy back out through with some kind of gravel vac ?? The tubing is plenty big (if your clown is smaller) for it to work.

 

[SaltieFresh]

I think he's too big for the siphon I have. Since I can't really fit anything between the pipes back there, I might have to just take one of the pipes out and let the water and the clown drain into a bucket below the tank...or would he risk injury by doing this?

 

[thincat]

Look at it this way...He will die if you don't get him out!

 

[SaltieFresh]

Just a quick update: I got him out! I ended up having to take out the pipes from the overflow since I couldn't fit anything down there from the top. I just put a net where the hole was and pulled the pipe out quickly to let the water drain. The fish fell into the net and I quickly transferred him into the tank.

 

[cmor1701d]

I've had this problem a couple of times, though never with anything as large as clownfish. I generally used a turkey baster or piece of tubing to remove the water down to where the fish can't really get anywhere. I then use two small nets; 1 to herd and 1 to catch it. It once took mee 3 days to get a flasher wrasse out. It carpet surfed a couple of months later.

 

[SaltieFresh]

I have the top of the overflow covered now. Oh yeah, I also found a hermit crab down there as well, lol.