Wha'? How? Huh?

[kevin95695]

So I hadn't seen the Arabian Dottyback in a few days and figured we'd lost it.

Midway through the weekly water change tonight the cheeky bugger flashes me from the sump!

Through the overflow, down the durso, escaping the filter sock... Ride it lil' squirmy dude!

Had to deploy the empty bucket and remove all the chaeto, and about 30lb LR before I was able to wrangle it.

I guess we have to figure out how to secure the overflow. Any ideas?

 

[Unarce]

Zip-tie vinyl gutter guard over the teeth like so:

You can also extend it up above and over the overflow too, if your fish are more of a flight risk.

 

[kevin95695]

Thanks Karl. I was thinking some form of 'plastic' based window screen... But envisioning a weekly scrub at the same time.

See why I come here?

 

[juaninsac]

Re: Wha'? How? Huh?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10780799#post10780799 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kevin95695
So I hadn't seen the Arabian Dottyback in a few days and figured we'd lost it.

Midway through the weekly water change tonight the cheeky bugger flashes me from the sump!

Through the overflow, down the durso, escaping the filter sock... Ride it lil' squirmy dude!

Had to deploy the empty bucket and remove all the chaeto, and about 30lb LR before I was able to wrangle it.

I guess we have to figure out how to secure the overflow. Any ideas?

I had this happen in my very first reef tank with that exact fish. I found him when I tore down the tank about 2 months after I thought I lost him. Sitting in the sump right at the surface, fat and sassy, giving me a "get lost unless you're going to feed me" look. :lol:

Great picture Karl.

 

[kevin95695]

Dude, I tried the Unarce gutter-guard trick. Dottyback thinks it's cute. 3rd day in a row since installing it he's been laughing at me from the overflow. He likes this game.

Anybody have any ideas where I can find some vinyl mesh with smaller gaps? Window screen is too small to allow particulates to flow out to filtration, and obviously gutter-guard holes are too big... I tried doubling it up, but can't get it to stay lined up right -- Alternately, does anyone know how to melt/fuse vinyl safely?

 

[Fragmented]

You could wrap the gutter guard in bridal veil. (The larger mesh type is called tule.)

 

[kevin95695]

Between the local hardware store and craft/fabric store the craft place had the better stuff. I wound up getting this plastic mesh that I think crafters use to hook bits of yarn to in making a kind of rug picture thingy.

I cut it to size and used zip ties to fasten it. Had to place it on the back of the overflow for cosmetic reasons. Still let's plenty of water through and floaty bits can pass by on the way to filtration, but if dottyback gets through it will be a real houdini job.

The only camera I had around was on my cell phone, sorry if the pic is weak.