matildanz Posted March 21, 2011 Report Share Posted March 21, 2011 Cleaned out my FX5 this evening then when I turned the filter back on it wouldn't go. Didn't think to clean out the impeller or I might still have a full quota of clowns :tears: took the impeller to bits and there he was, Removed said fish, put filter back together again, covered the filter outlets with tulle and cable ties then turned it back on. Couple of minutes later went to check the filter was still going and there it was.... another blimmin clown, on the wrong side of the tulle no less!! :facepalm: I don't think I'm cut out to have clowns, the nerves aren't what they used to be!! I swear the sods are worse than toddlers!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted March 21, 2011 Report Share Posted March 21, 2011 I don't understand how the clown got in to the filter. I have clowns and an fx5 and there is no way they can get in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matildanz Posted March 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2011 Neither can I. Only found him when the impeller cover was taken off. I can understand the one in the filter outlet, nosey little blighter, but how this one got into the impeller is beyond me. Everything was set up correctly, it's been working fantastically since we've had it. And even through I've seen the odd zebra loach scoot in one outlet and out the other, I've never seen a clown go near it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ally07 Posted March 21, 2011 Report Share Posted March 21, 2011 I've had many experiences like yours as well haha. So far, I have found inside my filters: feeder tadpoles; baby bristlenoses; baby jewel cichlids; baby convicts; tetras. I've heard stories of shrimp getting sucked into canister filters and BREEDING inside! So, maybe the filter is like rainbow's end to them? :bounce: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fruju Posted March 21, 2011 Report Share Posted March 21, 2011 I assume we are talking loaches not funny people Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamH Posted March 21, 2011 Report Share Posted March 21, 2011 I assume we are talking loaches not funny people I dunno, FX5's are pretty big filters. Maybe LivingArt is messing with Matilda :nilly: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jarrodrussell Posted March 21, 2011 Report Share Posted March 21, 2011 i have had a electric blue ram find its way into my fx5 i have no idea how it got in their the outlet pipe is to strong for it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted March 21, 2011 Report Share Posted March 21, 2011 Have you got plenty of cover for them in the tank? How close is the intake to the bottom of the tank? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matildanz Posted March 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2011 Yep, plenty of cover - 3 big logs covered in Java Fern. Two are riddled with nooks and crannys for them to swim into and one raised off the substrate for them to hide under and supervise the world going by! The inlet is about 20cm off the ground but has a good grill on it, it'd have to be a contortionist to get through it. The only thing I can think of is that he/they wriggled up the outlet while the filter was off then when the valves were opened again he was forced into the filter (although that doesn't make much sense since the flow is going in the opposite direction :-? ) I don't think he'd been there long and apart from a slightly deformed head and a scrape down one side he looked fairly fresh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GZ_Loach Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 get an eheim or take some time to setup the hoses etc with the guards that are supplied with them? I can't see how a fish could be able to get into a filter these days, all intakes have strainers on them and pretty much all filters have spray bars Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matildanz Posted March 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 My apologies for not being able to fork out for an Ehiem. I most certainly would have attached guards had the filter come with them. I'm not a complete blithering idiot to leave something vital off and I'm quite versed in the english language to be able to read the instructions fully - perhaps you would have preferred I ask for my husbands help. The inlet does have a strainer and I have now covered the outlets with net to stop this happening again. I researched filters well before deciding the best I could afford and so far is doing the job it's supposed to extremely well. Had it been suggested that a filter bar was necessary I certainly would have bought one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 Yep, plenty of cover - 3 big logs covered in Java Fern. Two are riddled with nooks and crannys for them to swim into and one raised off the substrate for them to hide under and supervise the world going by! The inlet is about 20cm off the ground but has a good grill on it, it'd have to be a contortionist to get through it. The only thing I can think of is that he/they wriggled up the outlet while the filter was off then when the valves were opened again he was forced into the filter (although that doesn't make much sense since the flow is going in the opposite direction :-? ) I don't think he'd been there long and apart from a slightly deformed head and a scrape down one side he looked fairly fresh. Actually I wonder if he/she got in to the filter through the outlet when it was doing its 24hrly thing - you know, when it turns off for a few minutes and then starts again. I honestly don't think it could have gone up through the strainer but it is possible that it dived in the other end when there was no water coming out. Anyway at least it won't be able to do it again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matildanz Posted March 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 That was my thoughts too Adrienne, either that or he snuck up there while I had the filter disconnected to change some of the media. I don't think I have any fish small enough to swim through the shield on the intake but if do end up with any babies, I'll be covering the intake with net as well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 Yep, plenty of cover - 3 big logs covered in Java Fern. Two are riddled with nooks and crannys for them to get stuck in and one raised off the substrate for them to hide under and supervise the world going by! Sounds like you really need to clown-proof your tank before you lose any more...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matildanz Posted March 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 The wood in question came from the established tank I recently purchased, it has housed clowns for the last 5 years without a single loss from being stuck in the spaces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 So that means its not going to happen in the future? I've got no idea what the wood looks like, but clowns are notorious for getting stuck in "nooks and crannies", maybe they haven't yet but as they grow the gaps will become tighter and the chances of a fish getting stuck increase. It happened to me, I had an awesome hollow log about 3' long with various holes in/out of it, was a fantastic hiding place for 10 small clowns, but a couple of years later they were getting badly scratched from wedging in there so tightly. Eventually it got to the point where the first one in couldn't get out unless the ones behind it backed out, so I had to remove the log. Wasn't easy shaking them all out of there, they squeeze in pretty tight! I'd suggest using some flat pieces of schist to make some caves they can't get stuck in, or PVC pipes if you don't mind how they look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matildanz Posted March 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 Thanks for the suggestion, will look out for some schist. I like the look of the wood but don't want to risk losing any more clowns. Yes they're pretty good at squeezing into small spaces, I had a ship (shock horror ) in my last tank and they're nothing if not pig headed stubborn when it came to taking it out!! There was always at least one wedged into the ends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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