Aquarium help??!!

[suziquzie]

My husband has a 150 gallon reef aquarium, he's not here and phone has no signal. We have this stupid fish that once in awhile flips out and jumps, knocking himself against the top or a rock. He got out once but DH saved him.
Just now he jumped REALLY hard, knocked the plastic grate off the top, and landed too far behind the tank for me to even reach him with a broom handle, at this point he's a gonner. I did finally tap him with the broom but if I scoot him to where I can pick him up I'll just mash him into the carpet. Should I leave him there to dry out before I try anymore? We had a clownfish jump out once and he seems to dry out pretty fast.... he was only there about an hour we figure.
This is so stupid!

 

[BreezyCooking]

I'm not sure what it is that you want - advice as to how you might still save this fish (doubtful), or your carpet?

And how the heck did he get out of a properly-fitted covered aquarium? Reef inhabitants are uber expensive. If I were you (or your husband), I think I'd invest in a better tank cover.

 

[suziquzie]

the glass cover kept too much heat in, he found that several people he's talked to just use a plastic grate over the top for more air exchange.
No the fish is toast. I'm more concerned with my carpet and not stinking up my house.
It was only a $20 fish.

 

[VaporTrail]

Got a shop vac?

Only idea I had other than that was to tape something that you could try to slide under Mr. Fishy, a garden trowel maybe...

As for the grate, I'd suggest more weight. A few small metal weights tied to the grate with monofiliment and dropped inside the tank (hanging just shy of the bottom) should prevent Mr. Fishy Jr. from knocking the grate off, while still allowing you to use said grate as a topper (and wouldn't be as visually offensive as using duct tape to hold it down).

 

[suziquzie]

shop vac may work but I dont think we have a long skinny enough attachment to get in there. there's like 2 inches between the sump he's behind and the wall, about 3 feet back. idiot fish. he'll be home in an hour or 2 I'll let dh retrieve the thing.

as for the top he hasn't done anything cuz he keeps deciding then undeciding to sell the tank. whatever, not my department.

 

[Maverick2272]

See.. this is where cats come in handy... LOL.

 

[suziquzie]

I have one of those too but the thing is too fat to fit back there and is really quite too busy sleeping on my bed to try! I need to have smarter animals.

 

[Maverick2272]

LOL. Have you tried a wire hanger unwound with a hook on the end?

 

[suziquzie]

Ick no, that's why I gave up with the broom cuz I have no interest in making him mush or poking holes in it!

 

[Maverick2272]

well.... one hole if you are good at it.. LOL. although hooking the gills would be best and wouldn't create any new holes.

 

[pacanis]

When I had a reef tank I had a couple commit suicide. They were small, about 1-1/2", and they just dried up. No noticeable smell. I'd forget about him myself.

 

[suziquzie]

Well DH must think like you, he came home from his overnight run to Iowa (gee fun!), looked back there, walked over to the couch and went to sleep.
I'm guessing its not terribly urgent. What do I know.

 

[Bilby]

Isn't this why you have kids?? LOL (My mum pushed me through an open louvre window when I was a kid and we went out without the backdoor key!! Cheaper than a locksmith and quicker than waiting for dad to come home from work!) Skinny arms, super flexible, likes a challenge and doing something that will gross out younger siblings?!

As to the tank cover, what about putting some flyscreen wire over the grate or some curtain netting? Both still let the air circulate but stop kamikaze fish.