Oops while siphoning water

[badbreath]

During a water change today in my classroom, I was siphoning the water out like I normally do...only two young false percs thought I was feeding them...
First the females face got stuck in the hose 3/8" id. I was thinking "holy crap!!" so I shook the hose and the fish came off...then the male must have though, woohoo feeding time again!! And he went straight for the hose only he was sucked about 4 inches up the hose before getting stuck.:sad2:

So I freaked out and tried to blow him out the way he came in...no luck. I ran for some scissors to cut him out...no luck, the hose was too thick.
I finally found a box cutter, and with surgeon-like precision, cut the fish (Paco) free, a mere 15 minutes later. I was amazed he survived. We'll see tomorrow if he is still doing ok. The pair were hanging out close together after the ordeal, I hope this incident will bring them closer together...they aren't very close, not yet at least.

So that happened today...I guess I need a better water changing strategy.

 

[Catchoftheday]

Are you able to change the water from the Sump

 

[badbreath]

I think I need some sort of small pump to pump out from the sump.

I couldn't believe the amount of suction in the line... Enough to hold a fish by the face!

sent from Tapatalk using SwiftKey... if the spelling seems weird, it is the phone's fault.

 

[Woznickiaj]

If it were me i'd probably learn after i sucked up the first one . Just sayin.

 

[bradleym]

1. Get a piece of PVC pipe that fits on/in the hose tightly, and a matching PVC cap. The pipe should be at least 4 inches long.

2. Cut the pipe, but only 1/4 through. This will create a slit in the side of the pipe. Repeat in at least 6 different places all around the pipe.

3. Put the pipe and cap on the end that goes in the tank when you do water changes. The water will suck in through the slits in the pipe, and nothing living will ever get suctioned on to them.

Good luck with your clowns, I hope they both are ok.

 

[badbreath]

If it were me i'd probably learn after i sucked up the first one . Just sayin.

I hear you, but these events were like 2 seconds apart.

sent from Tapatalk using SwiftKey... if the spelling seems weird, it is the phone's fault.

 

[badbreath]

1. Get a piece of PVC pipe that fits on/in the hose tightly, and a matching PVC cap. The pipe should be at least 4 inches long.

2. Cut the pipe, but only 1/4 through. This will create a slit in the side of the pipe. Repeat in at least 6 different places all around the pipe.

3. Put the pipe and cap on the end that goes in the tank when you do water changes. The water will suck in through the slits in the pipe, and nothing living will ever get suctioned on to them.

Good luck with your clowns, I hope they both are ok.

Thanks for the tip. I'll be giving this a try.

sent from Tapatalk using SwiftKey... if the spelling seems weird, it is the phone's fault.

 

[charleneatkins]

I put a sponge (tied it down with a elastic), like you put over a filter, on the end of my syphon. This way if they want to come and see, the end is closed off but the flow is not impeded.

 

[SHADYreefer]

maybe get a smaller hose

 

[Mikesville510]

You can try putting some mesh over the hose

 

[Conrad25]

Piece of Mesh with a rubberband is by far the easiest and cheapest solution to this

 

[08TRDOFFROAD]

During a water change today in my classroom, I was siphoning the water out like I normally do...only two young false percs thought I was feeding them...
First the females face got stuck in the hose 3/8" id. I was thinking "holy crap!!" so I shook the hose and the fish came off...then the male must have though, woohoo feeding time again!! And he went straight for the hose only he was sucked about 4 inches up the hose before getting stuck.:sad2:

So I freaked out and tried to blow him out the way he came in...no luck. I ran for some scissors to cut him out...no luck, the hose was too thick.
I finally found a box cutter, and with surgeon-like precision, cut the fish (Paco) free, a mere 15 minutes later. I was amazed he survived. We'll see tomorrow if he is still doing ok. The pair were hanging out close together after the ordeal, I hope this incident will bring them closer together...they aren't very close, not yet at least.

So that happened today...I guess I need a better water changing strategy.

I had a very similar experience while water changing my fresh water tank. Sucked a bala shark 12 inches up the hose on my python. In a panic I tried the shaking method. In desperation I ran to the sink and reversed the flow, and still had to shake the hose with the water pressure behind him to blow him out...that was almost a year ago, and Lucky (the name seemed like a given after this) is now about three inches larger and one of my favorite fresh water fish.