Glo-Fish Gettting Sucked Into Filter! Please Help!

[PrincessKiara]

Hi! I have a 238L aquarium that has a 100L filter/tank in the stand below it. I don't know if you guys know what this is like (I suppose you do, but the guy I bought it from had it custom made, so not quite sure). The tank water falls through two tubes to the filter below, splashes into a thick filter bag, passes through the carbon and bio-balls, then heads back to the tank through a pump. Right now my only fish is a male pink Glo-Fish/zebra danio (lucky lil' guy, 238L all to himself! LOL) He's gotten sucked into the filter through those tubes twice already. Is there anything I can cover the intake with without plugging it and overflowing the tank? Not to mention letting all that solid waste get through! I also want to put my 3-week-old guppy fry in that tank, but they'd end up in there too in no time. And I'd never be able to get them out.
Now, I don't want to get rid of him. I love zebra danios, and I want to get 5 more. But how do I keep them from getting, ahem, filtered? Getting him out of that thick heavy bag is a pain in the neck! And I'm sure it's not good for him either.
By the way, I plugged in my new heater. It worked for a few minutes, then its "ON" light turned off and it doesn't matter where it's plugged in, it won't turn back on, and I can't return it! Any suggestions?
Thanks in advance!
~PK.
 
EDIT: Third time now. Well, now he's staying there until I can find the time to get him out! I have tons of homework! :$

 

[eaglesaquarium]

A couple things:
 
 
1 - Zebra danios are really powerful swimmers, so the intake shouldn't be so great to suck him up.  Turn the filter off and watch him swim for a bit.  Is he struggling to stay upright or anything?
 
(crazy advice to follow
I'd leave the filter off for a while... the zebra will be fine in that size tank without a filter for a bit.  (I rescued a zebra from about a quart of water, that it was in for well over a week... no heater, no filter, the water changes...  )  In your case, one little danio in that size tank won't produce enough ammonia to cause it a problem....  Watch him swim for a day or so and look for signs of stress...
 
2 - The heater light will only come on if it has to heat the water, other than that it just stays off.  Turn the temp up and see if the light comes on.  If it does, turn it back to where it was and leave it be, its woring fine.  If not, then its probably shorted out or something and will need to be replaced.
If you need something to put over the intake, just a bit of filter floss wrapped around it or a sponge will do the trick.

 

[PrincessKiara]

Thanks a bunch!
That's the thing, though: He's swimming perfectly! I know, because I've watched him swim against the current from the filter output, and he does it excellently. I think maybe he gets sucked in because he swims above the tubes where the water is falling down.
My water was (according to my thermometer) at 68F, and I had it set to 78F, so maybe the heater is dead...I will try what you said, though. Thanks!

Here's a model of my tank/filter system:

Is there anything I can put on it to keep him from getting sucked in--er, falling in? I also plan to get Neon Tetras, Marble Hatchetfish and White Clouds in the future, so I would love not to lose any of them to this hungry, seafood-loving filter

Thanks in advance once again!
~PK.
 
EDIT: Never mind! LOL, I guess I missed that last part of your comment.
So a piece of sponge or some filter floss won't make the intake slow enough for the tank to overflow? Thanks!
Umm...can I use yarn? It's really hard to get fish stuff here in Mexico :$

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Use a "coarse" sponge and it shouldn't be an issue, but you'll want to watch it closely for a bit.... Or even some "plastic canvas' over the top.