lost fish to powerhead

[scrmom]

My 3yo daughter yelled for me to come see the fish that something was wrong. I went to qt and the foxface's mouth was stuck in the powerhead. I had a sponge covering the intake area but apparently there was a small hole (pencil eraser size) on the bottom of sponge. And that is where the mouth was stuck. I pulled the fish off and right now he is on the bottom on the tank not moving much. It looks like his eye was injured and maybe a fin. I don't think he is going to make it.

My question is should I move the scissor tail goby out of qt and put in main. They have been in qt since aug 26th. approx 3 weeks. They both were doing and looking good.

Crystal

 

[pat8you]

Usually if a fish is healthy powerheads don't pose a threat. Its when they are already weak from some other illness or something that they get stuck to powerheads. Did you just move these fish out of your qt? I would leave the goby in the qt for now untill you make sure there isn't a problem with the water quality in your main or something strage like that.

 

[scrmom]

I am wondering if the foxface was eating the leftover flake food off the sponge and got sucked in.

 

[ccCapt]

Like Pat said, a healthy fish will not get sucked into a powerhead. The fish had to have been sick and weak.

 

[melosu58]

I agree scrmom. He may have been eating off the sponge but a healthy fish could have got away. Did he look sick or weak lately?

 

[scrmom]

He didn't look sick. He ate when I fed him. I don't know.

 

[Phoenixphire55]

sad, I had something similar happen. The intake cover on the bottom of my powerhead fell off and my little pearlscale goldfish apparently went up to investigate.... When I turned it off and pulled him out one of his eyes was gone and blood had filled the gill/face area. I had to euthanize him. I felt so bad! My other pearscale (his friend) died during my move from Wisconsin to Denver. Rest in Peace Lord & Lady Hui

 

[pat8you]

Had you just moved the fish from the qt tank in the last day or two? Do you have other fish in your main tank?