Fish Getting Stuck In Filter

[freshy]

Hi guys,
maybe you have some advice you can give me.
My new tank has been set for about a month now. 3 of my neons died within a couple of days of bringing them home, (3 have survived so far bought them 6 days ago) and found two of their bodies stuck in the suction filter. Not a pretty sight! So I thought it was because they were already dead that the filter, obviously, pulled them in. But this morning I found one of my Corys stuck in there as well! Fortunately he survived. As soon as I disconnected the filter from the power he swam away by himself, but I can tell he's clearly stressed and breathing heavily, maybe from the trauma. He looks a little hurt in his belly and the little thingies around his mouth. Probably from the suction.
He has been just fine ever since I bought him. He wasn't ill, never showed any strange symptoms. I have put him now in a plastic maternity box to keep an eye on him. Poor little one looks exhausted and put in a few drops of antistress. Is there anything else I can do to help him?

I did a 20% waterchange two days ago. Parameters are ammonia 0, nitrites0. I don't have a nitrates reading kit yet.

And, I'm using a Aquaclear 50 filter with the premise of "the more filtration, the better", but now I'm wondering if maybe is too strong a filter for my tank. I have reduced the flow all the way to the "minus" sign on the lid. Should I increase the flow? Will that make the suction a little bit gentler?
Is there someway to prevent my fishies falling in the "deadly suction tube trap"?
I appreciate any advice.
Thank you!

 

[Luzi]

You can get filter guards at your LFS or online - just make sure you get the right size

A cheaper way is to put some old tights over the filter so fish can't fit into the holes. This works great for me, but bear in mind that both these techniques mean that the filter won't be able to suck up anything bigger than sand, so poo will be left on the gravel. Good gravel vaccs fix this easily

 

[fishnovice]

You can get filter guards at your LFS or online - just make sure you get the right size

A cheaper way is to put some old tights over the filter so fish can't fit into the holes. This works great for me, but bear in mind that both these techniques mean that the filter won't be able to suck up anything bigger than sand, so poo will be left on the gravel. Good gravel vaccs fix this easily

Yes the old tights trick works well. Use it over my endler fry tank and haen't lost any yet not even new borns