Oops, sucked an Otto up with my gravel vac!!!

[kev_kb]

To cut a long story short I was doing a partial water change today and somehow managed to suck up one of my Ottos! Its a battery operated gravel vac and was cleaning up some poop from the sand and then I noticed something go up the tube. I thought it was a leaf or something so I continued.

Once I'd finished taking the water from the tank I opened the vac in the bucket to clear the leaf only to find an Otto swim out! Now theres a little propeller inside the vac and he was sucked right up near this so he has lost a small piece of his tail, but apart from that he seems visually fine. I netted him straight away and placed in back into the tank where he immediately sucked onto the glass of the front of tank.

Later I went back to check on him and he was sitting on the sand, so I went back later and he was sucking to the leaf of a small plant. I guess its a good sign he has moved, but he hasn't gone far. This was about 3 hours ago and hes still sucking to the leaf and hes still alive.

Has anyone ever had any similar experiences? I really didn't expect the little guy to still be alive to be honest. I'm treating some sick Platies in the tank at the moment so at least he has medicine to stop bacterial infections getting into this tail.

 

[wuvmybetta]

He should be ok. But I'm sure that was a heck of a ride for the little guy.

I sucked up a young female betta once,she plugged the hole of a regular vacuum/syphon with heavy suction. She was fine

 

[CathyG]

I did the same with a Rasbora a few weeks ago, I had to search the patio at night before I found it lol! It is still happily swimming around - no worse for her experience. I hope he is ok A dose of Melafix should help repair his tail.

 

[kev_kb]

Thanks for the comments guys, hes still alive though he hasn't moved much. Hopefully hes just a bit shell shocked after his journey....

 

[Inchworm]

Hi kev_kb

Wow, what kind of suction that batter powered siphon must have!

I use a regular siphon but have had my share of mishaps too. Twice I've sucked up young corys that must have been just the right size to get stuck where the business end fits into the hose. Both times they jammed in so tightly that I had to push them back out using the back end of a pen. The good news is that they both survived and were none the worse for the experience.

Most fish are tougher than they seem. Remember that in their natural habitat they survive storms and other disturbances that they never encounter in an aquarium.

 

[Never2Bknown]

I have a tank full of livebearers, and you would not believe the number of babies I have managed to suck up! Thankfully I have a regular siphon, not battery operated, so it doesn't put them at risk (I haven't lost any), but I'm sure its quite a fun ride (WHEEEEEEEEE!!! ). I just have to be careful to examine my bucket of fishwater very closely before I dump it out. It's actually a good way to find them sometimes...

 

[kev_kb]

Thanks again for all the comments everyone, but I'm sad to say he died during the night.

Now I've got to find something to put over the end of the syphon so it doesn't happen again! And I'll buy the other two Ottos another friend once I sort out my Platies.

 

[Inchworm]

Hi kev_kb

I'm sorry to hear that your oto didn't make it.

Frankly, I don't know if that siphon you are using is a good idea. If you are in doubt about the safety of your fish, why not get a smaller, gravity run siphon. These are very easy to control and quite inexpensive.

http/www.petmeister.com/item879.htm

 

[Dwarfs]

Maybe pay a bit more attention to what your syphoning too Sad to here he didn't make it

 

[kev_kb]

I had a small manual syphon to start with but I found it hard to use in my 18 gallon tank, it was hard to get the syphon to start by moving the vac up and down. My other tank is 13 gallons and not as tall so I imagine it would be harder still. So I got the battry operated vac, I don't think it makes much difference cos the battery is only used to get the syphon started.

The only problem is the propeller used to the start the sypon is not covered in anyway. So today I've added a piece of old fish net to the pipe before the propeller, so if another fish gets sucked up they will only travel up the pipe and then hit the net and so won't come into contact with the propeller.

Now that problem has been solved I have another, but I'll save that for another post!

 

[balloon molly]

I have a tank full of livebearers, and you would not believe the number of babies I have managed to suck up! Thankfully I have a regular siphon, not battery operated, so it doesn't put them at risk (I haven't lost any), but I'm sure its quite a fun ride (WHEEEEEEEEE!!! ). I just have to be careful to examine my bucket of fishwater very closely before I dump it out. It's actually a good way to find them sometimes...