Baby Fry in the Filter

[HeatherW]

Thought I would share with everyone my story. so I know I have read on here and been told lots of times that the fry can get sucked up in the filter. well I guess I just didn't believe it.

today when I went to clean out my filters I pull out the basket with the filter media (aquaclear 110) and there in the filter water is one of my molly fry!! I really couldn't believe it - he is just swimming around in there. He was kinda big when this happened, so I am not sure what happened to the guy. I found 3 molly fry about 10 days ago (there is a post on here somewhere) and then I only saw 2 and lately I have only been seeing one. I figured the other guy was around there somewhere... well, he was! he was in the filter. I guess he was able to eat since there is so much gunk in there. but I was really surprised. I didn't know he could live in there. I wonder how long he was stuck in there!

so... just thought I would share. yes - your fry really can get sucked up into your filter (and live)

[Ponch]

That's a great story with a happy ending! I would have just assumed they would get smushed against filter media and die if they got sucked into the filter

[Niki]

Ive had this happen with shrimp and guppy fry...all those sucked up survived....one of my shrimp did lose his eye but he's still alive....I think they have pretty good odds of surviving if they are found in time!

[HeatherW]

Stupid fish is back in the filter again today! Hmmm what to do now

[Niki]

You can use panty hose over the intake and that will keep them out until they are big enough....

[ocminpin]

Originally Posted by Ponch

That's a great story with a happy ending! I would have just assumed they would get smushed against filter media and die if they got sucked into the filter

Any fry I've found that were sucked up were stuck to the filter pad dead.. :-(

I'm glad yours was a lucky guy

[HeatherW]

Originally Posted by ocminpin

Any fry I've found that were sucked up were stuck to the filter pad dead.. :-(

I'm glad yours was a lucky guy

Well not so sure... I found him in There 2 times but now he is missing again. I thinking this is not the brightest fish...

[Niki]

Maybe be time to let natural selection kick in....

[HeatherW]

Yep kinda what I was thinking but would be nice if he could hang in there. I mean he was smart enough not to be eaten

[CraigMac]

IMO its not really natural selection if he gets sucked up and dies in a filter. The just aren't strong enough as fry to fight the current, if they get too close then they get sucked up. You need to put some pantyhose over the intake of your filter. That will block him and he won't get sucked up.