Found Out Wear My Missing Fish Went

[saltynay]

Turned out it got a little curious and somehow managed to gain access to the top half of my filter and get stuck need some help trying to figure out which hole to patch. It couldn't of got sucked in via the filter sponges as there is a grate either side plus I added 2 extra sponges so its really quite cramped in there. The impellor compartment is fairly well sealed and so it doesn't seemed to of gained access there even swimming against the current and through the small slot. I can't think of any other access which worries me that it might happen again . Only have 2 endlers now one died from seemingly old age and stress/shock and the other was trpped in a filter atleast now I only have to buy 3 females instead of 5 to start breeding but the two males that are left look lonely and I don't have the cash to buy them friends atm.

NB there is now a slight noise coming from the filter started when the fish in question went missing

 

[RedeyesUK]

That does sound odd!

When you say the top part, do you mean the bit just above the sponges, where it comes apart? I just checked my 1+, and the only way I can imagine it getting in is by squeezing through the grate and up past the sponge. It's possible I guess, although it's a squeeze! Every other part is completely sealed, at least on mine...

 

[saltynay]

I mean the secion where the power cable goes into the sealant at the very top you can clip off the cover but it takes a little bit of pressure. It never managed to get to the impellor section just in the free space around it but Its a 2mm gap on mine where the power cable is and I know endlers are small but I wouldn't believe I could force one in there if I tried.

 

[rdd1952]

Probably just a freak thing that will never happen again. I don't know how they ever get past the impeller alive. It's amazing what they can get into though. My son's pleco (about 3"s) disappeared and they could not figure out what happened. Thought it some how got out of the tank and the cat got it. They took the tank down about 2 weeks later and found him, still alive and well (been in my 75 gallon for 2 years now), in a compartment of the AquaClear filter.

 

[RedeyesUK]

The only thing I can think of is that he somehow managed to swim up the outlet pipe and get in that way. That's a pretty incredible feat, but the only other option I can guess at is he got through the grate, past the sponge, past the impeller and up that way! Like you say, everything else is pretty much sealed.

 

[rdd1952]

Hey, it's not so incredible to get past all that stuff alive. Nemo did it.

Not really familiar with the filter but would think the outlet entry would be the most likely.

 

[saltynay]

With two extra sponges from my fluval 2+ in there and the original sponge its very tightly packed mass obviously it was super endler with superstrength

 

[RedeyesUK]

Shame really, it sounds like he would have made good breeding material!

Or maybe just a fishy contender for a Darwin Award.