Fish Stuck To Filter Intake

[WhosYourRitz]

I finally put some fish into my ten gallon set up. I put in three neon tetras, a platy with another on the way, and a pleco. The pleco will be getting moved when he gets to be too big (I have a friend with a 30 gallon tank that wants him, but right now he's only 1.5-2"), and I figured the tetras would be okay.

But when I came back from work today after getting my platy and some medicine to restock, two of the three neon tetras were stuck to my filter intake. I took readings on my pH, nitrates, nitrites, and ammonia are all normal/zero. pH is a 7.5.

I'm going to move a plant over to cover the filter intake. It's just a little Top Fin Ten filter, so there's no way to adjust the power on it. Does anyone have any other suggestions on how to prevent this from happening again??

Thanks all!

 

[kribensis12]

Can you give me the exact water parameter's?

Honeslty, if the fish got stuck into the intake, its sick, and wont make it. No fish ( unless its a dinky little fry) should get stuck on a filter.

 

[WhosYourRitz]

Nitrates- 0
Ammonia-0
Nitrites- 0
pH- 7.5 as of last night.

The tetras did get a little stressed in the drive home. I had to slam on my brakes because a huge buck ran in front of my truck, and my mom dropped their bag. So I think that was part of it. I had a friend who has had neon tetras get stuck to her filter, too.

I really don't think they were sick. Stressed, very possibly. Sick, no. They looked perfectly healthy this morning before I left for work.

 

[wuvmybetta]

When did you set this tank up? If it's new, I'd ask the friend with the 30 for some of his filter media to put in your filter. Then watch and wait, you might be going for a cycle.

With that said..ya know that craft canvas stuff, looks like a sheet of plastic with a million holes in it,
you can get it at any craft supply/walmart for really cheap. I've found wrapping a small piece around the intake tube with a zip tie works a charm. Then you can twist it to adjust the flow. It's saved many a guppy frys life in my daughters tank.

 

[WhosYourRitz]

I got some filter media from my friend's tank. Maybe the move just stressed them out a bit. They were SUPER tiny, which is one reason I wanted them. I figured they would live longer if they weren't full grown... but maybe not.

Thanks for the help! I'll get that tomorrow when I get the algae flakes I forgot to buy today.

 

[saz326]

You say they got stuck to your filter inlet - not sucked in, so I cant see why making the inlet hole any smaller would help. You need to reduce the amount of water that is sucked in instead. (I dont mean that to sound nasty by the way!)

Can you turn down the flow rate through your filter? Making the holes smaller will not reduce the flow rate.

You could add a sponge to the filter inlet. This would "strain out" any fishies and stop them being sucked up, but at the same time the volume of water being sucked into the filter would be the same, but over a larger area (if you get my meaning) so the vacuum drawing the fish in would be less concentrated. (less vacuum per inch)

 

[Schmill]

I'd advise the sponge as mentioned above. If there is anyway you can cover the intake of the filter with a block of sponge then this will keep the flowrate through the filter the same, but decrease the suction pressure (as it will be spread over a larger area).
If you use something to restrict the flow to the filter you will actually INCREASE the suction pressure at whatever point the water is actually getting sucked in.

 

[Fish are AWE]

My fish got stuck in the filter intake, he died afterwards.

 

[NathanPrince]

Or stretch a section of some tights over it and secure it with an elastic band Stopped my Betta and Otos from being sucked in once I lost of of the Otos on the first day

 

[coldcazzie]

Very old thread.

 

[dfield]

But still useful I was just searching for something to stop my fry getting sucked into my Fluval U4 as I am moving them to a tank with one in, and hey presto... tights!!! what a good idea!

 

[NathanPrince]

Didn't notice the date, just that someone else commented so that was my 2 cents Glad to be of service though

 

[This Old Spouse]

I just recently set up my fry tank and put the sponge from a power head over the filter intake. I can't believe how well it works! I haven't lost a single fry up the pipe, the filter works just as well (seemed to not work so well with tights) and the fry even cruise up and down the sponge munching on who knows what.