I lost one of my fish

[dumbeginner123]

So today After getting home from school I decided to check on my fish.Then I noticed that my filter was acting weird so I unplugged it and it turns out one of my fish had gotten sucked into the filter and had died.Im heartbroken,I d only had her for about 5 days. She was a beautiful lyretail golden panda molly and I named her Danish.I cant even lookat my fish tank because everytime look at the tank i imagine Danish's dead body.I have no one to talk to about this because my family is saying its stupid to cry over a fish,so I wanted to post here to talk to someone about it.

 

[Maingano]

So today After getting home from school I decided to check on my fish.Then I noticed that my filter was acting weird so I unplugged it and it turns out one of my fish had gotten sucked into the filter and had died.Im heartbroken,I d only had her for about 5 days. She was a beautiful lyretail golden panda molly and I named her Danish.I cant even lookat my fish tank because everytime look at the tank i imagine Danish's dead body.I have no one to talk to about this because my family is saying its stupid to cry over a fish,so I wanted to post here to talk to someone about it.

That is very unfortunate. I've never personally had a fish getting stuck in my filtres but I completely understand the frustration and dejection of coming home from school to see a missing favourite fish. I also understand the parents not understanding it haha I can hear my parents saying its stupid (even to this day) lol
But it happens.
I am intrigued though, was the molly a juvenile? Or is the filtre abnormally big/powerful?

 

[Archerfish]

Hi dumbeginner123,
It's normal to be sad when losing a pet. I am sorry for your loss. But look at it this way, you gave that fish a good home that it never would have had in a pet shop's crowded & bare tank. Now is a good time to examine how to prevent this loss from occurring again. It sounds like your tank has a power filter. If so, do you have a strainer over the uptake tube?

 

[dumbeginner123]

That is very unfortunate. I've never personally had a fish getting stuck in my filtres but I completely understand the frustration and dejection of coming home from school to see a missing favourite fish. I also understand the parents not understanding it haha I can hear my parents saying its stupid (even to this day) lol
But it happens.
I am intrigued though, was the molly a juvenile? Or is the filtre abnormally big? If the vains where the water is sucked in are too big, maybe cover some of them with teflon tape?

It turns out there was a piece missing that would've kept the fish out.

 

[Maingano]

It turns out there was a piece missing that would've kept the fish out.

I see, did you find the piece (and attach it)?

 

[dumbeginner123]

I see, did you find the piece (and attach it)?

The piece wasnt in the box and this being my first tank,I thought that it would be ok

 

[Maingano]

The piece wasnt in the box and this being my first tank,I thought that it would be ok

I see. Try and reudce the fiktres power or perhaps find an alternative for this said missing piece

 

[dumbeginner123]

I see. Try and reudce the fiktres power or perhaps find an alternative for this said missing piece,

Thank you,I called the petco and they already said can come come and get the missing piece

 

[Maingano]

Thank you,I called the petco and they already said can come come and get the missing piece

Great news, good luck!

 

[Back in the fold]

It's tough learning the hard way but don't feel like the Lone Ranger. Everybody can tell a story like yours.

 

[DoubleDutch]

Sorry for your fish.Healthy fish hardly ever get sucked into a flilter. It is more plausible it died / got sock beforr.

 

[Kyshiara]

One of my neon tetras was very small, and he got himself stuck in the filter. I found him the next day, and he was alive, but not for that long.

Tbh, Fishkeeping comes with a lot of deaths, even if you do everything right. 30+ of my fish have died, I started the hobby Oct 2020. But it also comes with many joys, and eventually, it becomes a hobby you love and would never stop for anything. (at least in my case)

I'm very sorry to hear about Danish. If you can't get the missing part, you could purchase some filter wool and stuff it in the gap (this is what I did, it worked) you won't need much though. You could also ask your Local fish store for a teeny bit, if you explain what happened they might give you some for free!