Outsmarted by fish, help?

[fishoutawater]

I came home today and found my fairy wrasse had some how gotten to my external overflow, I honestly don't know how it happened, it is screened off very well. Any way, I can't think of a good way to catch him, axcess is really limited. Sooner or later he will end up in the sump, I would hate to have him get sucked into the return pump. For now I have put a piece of 3/4" pvc with a cap on it, I am hoping at lights out he finds it and uses it to sleep in. This wrasse does not bury in the sand to sleep, it hides in the rocks. Anybody else have a better idea?

 

[Troy the Nomad]

get a big hose and siphon him out. This has worked for me

 

[reppo13]

What troy said has also worked for me and your idea is good as well. Pictures would be helpful. Also in the sump, if he manages to be sucked down there block off the return pump with an egg crate if possible or a net of some sort. If all else fails use a line and very small hook.

 

[snorvich]

get a big hose and siphon him out. This has worked for me

I agree. Keep in mind that egg crate will not keep them where you want them; you need 1/4 inch holes.

 

[fishoutawater]

I didn't use egg crate, it was gutter guard, much smaller than egg crate. The overflow is only about 4" front to back and is plumbed with Bean's "silent and failsafe" system. There is no way to get into it with a net. I'm also very nervous about scaring him into one of the return pipes, with my luck it would be the one with little or no flow and he would be stuck. He eats like a pig, maybe I will squirt a little food into the pvc to further entice him. If he doesn't go for it tonight it sounds like my only other shot is shut down the return pump and drain the overflow chamber. Thanks for the quick responses.