How to prevent fishes from being kill by pump

[TinaMP]

Just had a new little fellaw (yellow clown goby) this evening and just found him dead on top of my Koralia Nano pump... clearly damaged by the propellers. Any advice how to prevent it? Never have that problem with my clown couple. Im new to saltwater tank but didn't find anything yet on the matter.

 

 

[HarryPotter]

Just had a new little fellaw (yellow clown goby) this evening and just found him dead on top of my Koralia Nano pump... clearly damaged by the propellers. Any advice how to prevent it? Never have that problem with my clown couple. Im new to saltwater tank but didn't find anything yet on the matter.

 

 

 

Sorry about your loss, but the Goby probably died before being sucked onto the pump if it was new. Perhaps it didn't like the acclimation, or it was sick before you bought it.

 

A healthy fish would never be sucked onto a pump

[TinaMP]

Maybe, but carefully chosen one and was eating too. Was quite active for the few hours he was in the tank. Was small tho... less than a inch. Acclimation went well from what I see and dont know where it went wrong. Will return to the store tomorrow and see...

[FlowerMama]

You can cut a piece out of the plastic mesh lemon or orange bags at the grocery store, wrap it around and secure it with a rubber band.

[TinaMP]

I wonder if my clowns did bite him until he died

[FlowerMama]

Could be. My friend lost 2 canary blennies to her black clowns. Just bullies. She found bite marks on them.

[TinaMP]

Hard to know if it was bite marks since his side seemed shredded... and since he was lying on the top/side of the pump. Just where the small propeller is... right on the cover not inside tho.

When I watched if the fish had aggressive action... both clowns didn't botter him

[FlowerMama]

Was the fish well acclimated that you put in today? Maybe it was shocked, maybe internally sick from the lfs and wouldn't have known. Sometimes you never know.

[TinaMP]

Well I did the same process that I do with every fishes and corals... Even ate some of the pellets on the sand.

[Snow_Phoenix]

I once had my clown goby sucked into the pump. He recovered from it but died shortly later because he stopped eating. If the slits on the pump are wider that the fish, then it's best to get a mesh covering as Flower suggested. Although, I have to say, only sick or weakened fish will be sucked in. Unless you did what I did - turn off the pumps for feeding, forgot to check the pump to see if anyone was perched on/inside it and started it back up again. It's a common accident that can happen with small fish.

[TinaMP]

The fish was a bit bigger than the pump opening... maybe he was sink or weak... he could fight the water mouvement. Will return to the store tomorrow and see with them... sucks to buy a new one and scare to buy another once since it might happen again. Never had problem with them before and they make sure to have well acclimated at their place and that the fish is feeding.

[Snow_Phoenix]

Maybe you should try a different store - because if this one was indeed sick, chances are the rest might be infected as well. The last thing you would want is to introduce some disease in your tank.

[spazizz]

My clownfish purposely lets the powerhead hold onto her. Gives me a heart attack every time. Your fish was probably not at it's healthiest form, which is not unusual for clown gobies.

[ndrobey]

Plastic mesh screening for windows can also be put over inlets to keep fish, anemones, and snails out.

[CJJon]

This is a great example of why quarantine is so important.

[Hammerstone]

Sorry :-(

 

I've only had sick or dead fish get stuck on the impeller intake. Sorry, I think people had some good ideas for you. Good luck.

[TinaMP]

After thinking a bit... I dont think he got kill by being stock on the side of the powerhead. Before throwing him away did a quick check up and the damage was on the same side than the side he was stock to the little side vents of the powerhead. The fish was damage on hid lower side abdomen... didnt look like bites tho. Both my clowns are fairly small ( 1 inch (orange Occ) and the female is about 1 1/2 (black occ). Have them since june so didn't think at first she would have taken all the tank for herself. I know that my female is so vicious... Had problem cleaning my tank at one point but the last 3 week she have been a little angel and stopped bitting me.

 

I believe that I am doomed to have only my 2 clowns and sadly no little clown goby... unless anyone as a miracle lol

 

Last night after removing the fish... she started looking everywhere in the tank and in spots she barely goes (little cave).

 

Its my first tank and only a 12gal... But planing to go better within the next year or 2 max. Will make sure to have a QT.

[Learn It]

you can use screen, however, it is more likely that he had died/been ill and got pulled into the pump that way

[TinaMP]

Any chances he would have been killed by my clown? and the current drag the fish near the pump. Lucky that he didn't get in the powerhead... what kind of mess i would have to deal with Kinda scare to add another fish if its my clown.

[Hig789]

A healthy fish would have been able to fight the pull of the pump I would think. I have two really small clowns in my 15g with a mp10 running at 70% and they can still get away from it easily if they get near it. My guess is the black mamma clown gave him a beating before he got sucked up there. I'm not sure the screen would prevent a fish from dying if they got sucked up in the flow of the pump if they were there very long.

[charnelhouse]

I suspect your clowns, or more specifically your female, noticed it finally and objected to the invasion of their space. Probably would have been ok if the goby was in before the clowns, but if they have decided the tank belongs to them you probably aren't going to have much luck adding any other free swimming fish. You might get away with some kind of bottom dwelling goby.