Senseless fish death, habrosus cory in siphon

[PAcanis]

I can't even explain how this happened, but it did and it stinks.

Yesterday I did a couple WC's. I use a 4-5' piece of 1/2" hose off a siphon vacuum. I was only using the hose to siphon water, not vacuuming or sucking anything up.
The way I work things is I siphon the water into bucket, then raise the tank end out of the water (or let the water come down to its level). Then I cap it with a finger, lift it out of the tank and raise that end over my head, releasing my finger. There is always a last splash into the bucket.

Today I am siphoning water out of a different tank when I see a black thing go into my bucket. Too small for the fish in this tank and I don't have any debris or black leaves floating around. No idea what it could have been.
I carried the water downstairs and pour most of it into my sump. Then I look...
And it's one of my Habrosus Corys

I have no idea how he managed to get sucked up the hose, as no one was hanging around the hose while siphoning. Or so I thought. I usually keep a good lookout for this.
But I really don't have any idea how he managed to stay in the hose yesterday and not flush out with the water. Unless he got caught up just as I was lifting the hose out of the water, then stuck to the side of the hose as the water left him.

Both of the tanks have these Corys in them. The one I saw six shoaling on a rock after my WC, which is one more than I usually see all at one time, and the other had three, but I rarely see all three together. I'll just have to keep a lookout and see if I can pick the tank. Although it's not like it will do me any good. Just curious.

But from now on a hose inspection is in order after I'm done or switch tanks. I'm still kind of dumbfounded. And mad for losing a fish this way.

 

[carsonsgjs]

I can't even explain how this happened, but it did and it stinks.

Yesterday I did a couple WC's. I use a 4-5' piece of 1/2" hose off a siphon vacuum. I was only using the hose to siphon water, not vacuuming or sucking anything up.
The way I work things is I siphon the water into bucket, then raise the tank end out of the water (or let the water come down to its level). Then I cap it with a finger, lift it out of the tank and raise that end over my head, releasing my finger. There is always a last splash into the bucket.

Today I am siphoning water out of a different tank when I see a black thing go into my bucket. Too small for the fish in this tank and I don't have any debris or black leaves floating around. No idea what it could have been.
I carried the water downstairs and pour most of it into my sump. Then I look...
And it's one of my Habrosus Corys

I have no idea how he managed to get sucked up the hose, as no one was hanging around the hose while siphoning. Or so I thought. I usually keep a good lookout for this.
But I really don't have any idea how he managed to stay in the hose yesterday and not flush out with the water. Unless he got caught up just as I was lifting the hose out of the water, then stuck to the side of the hose as the water left him.

Both of the tanks have these Corys in them. The one I saw six shoaling on a rock after my WC, which is one more than I usually see all at one time, and the other had three, but I rarely see all three together. I'll just have to keep a lookout and see if I can pick the tank. Although it's not like it will do me any good. Just curious.

But from now on a hose inspection is in order after I'm done or switch tanks. I'm still kind of dumbfounded. And mad for losing a fish this way.

I think a lot of us will have done this - accidents can and do happen especially with smaller fish. I siphoned a load of shellie fry without realising it not so long ago, I have no idea how many I lost before I noticed the spawn.

 

[PAcanis]

Thanks, carsonsgjs

I've still got six in my 20 that I'm seeing. And I see two in my 10. I'm assuming the two that always swim around together. I'd like to add more to the 10g anyway, but it's been a while since the LFS had any in.

 

[coralbandit]

Done this too many times with fry . They are fearless.
It motivated me to use clean white buckets for water changes .
Easier to pick them back out !
Have had larger fish get killed by the suction when coming just a little too close .
It happens quick .

 

[mattgirl]

It happens no matter how careful we are. Corys are 'specially prone to this. I have to watch mine very carefully. They see something interesting going up the tube and they have to investigate it. They can't help themselves. They just have to do it and just like that they go up the tube.

One of the most unique experiences I've had was a pleco fry. I cleaned the pleco tank. I saw a couple of fry in the waste water bucket. chased them down and put them back in the tank. Put everything away. A couple of days later I got the equipment out to do my shrimp bowl.

Like coralbandit I use a white wastewater bucket so living creatures are easier to see. I started the siphon and almost immediately I saw a tiny pleco fry in the bucket. This little one managed to survive in the little bit of water left in the siphoning tube for at least 2 days. I kept it separated from the rest for a couple of weeks just in case its adventure had caused it problem. Little one came through it just fine. It taught me to check hoses before putting them away. I or a fish may not be as lucky the second time around.

 

[StarGirl]

Female bettas are really quick to get in the siphon also.

 

[PAcanis]

Looks live I've joined a distinguished list of fish suckers

I had been thinking of putting a piece of screen over the end, too. But I'm not sure if it will interfere with the way I cover the end when I siphon so as not to lose any water. Maybe I'll just have to get a different technique.

Just finished another WC and checked the hose before curling it up in a bucket.

I use a 3/8" hose in my Betta tank in the office and yes, she is always interested in the hose.

I was going to move my Platy fry out of the sump and into a nano tank tomorrow and I'm now I'm thinking siphoning them might be the easiest way.

 

[coralbandit]

Use the largest tube when syphoning to get fry so they shoot right through .

I use different size hose to control the flow .
I use smaller hoses in fry tanks . Or I use a large hose for tanks low to ground so they flow better .
It seems even the pickiest fish wants to know what you are sucking up like they missed gold !
Most my hoses have a rigid PVC pipe to help get to bottom of tank .
My pipes for in the water are not clear so fish see nothing .
I tap the pipe on tank also to scare fish when they get too close ..

 

[Fisch]

Female bettas are really quick to get in the siphon also.

Males are not better, always curious what's going on in their territory.
Yes, one of my little Panda Cory took the joy ride through the tube. I noticed him getting sucked tail first into the tube and was able to stop the flow. For a second Cory and I were eye to eye, frozen in time, wondering what happened and what to do next. Then he got flushed back into the tank... Happy ending. and yes, I am much more careful now.

 

[StarGirl]

Males are not better, always curious what's going on in their territory.
Yes, one of my little Panda Cory took the joy ride through the tube. I noticed him getting sucked tail first into the tube and was able to stop the flow. For a second Cory and I were eye to eye, frozen in time, wondering what happened and what to do next. Then he got flushed back into the tank... Happy ending. and yes, I am much more careful now.

Females are faster though.

 

[Fisch]

Females are faster though.

That is true

 

[PAcanis]

Hmm... this is giving me an idea...
I'm going to pick up some clear tubing from the hardware store tomorrow and get back to you. I need to pick up a couple new buckets anyway. Nice white ones. With handles that aren't cracked off

 

[Thunder_o_b]

I learned the hard way years ago to put a net over the intake of the tube when changing water.

 

[TClare]

Doing water changes I have only occasionally accidentally sucked fry up, as Coralbandit said they have no fear, but they don’t seem to be harmed by their adventure. But once I was trying to siphon out some newly free swimming fry and sucked up the head of the female Laetacara who was trying to protect them. She got stuck in the end of the tube. Her head was scraped but luckily there was no lasting damage, since then I have put something over the end when I want to get fry out, but not for general water changes as it slows things down too much.

 

[Fisch]

I learned the hard way years ago to put a net over the intake of the tube when changing water.

That would prevent bigger crud from going through as well Changing 20 gl of water that will be painful. But then we are emphasizing that fishkeeping teaches patience...

 

[BradleyH2O]

Anytime my hands are in the tank, my Zebra Danio and various Cory species are right there in the mix. Our Danio literally swim between my fingers and around my hand while I’m working. Kind of neat, but also a pain when I’m trying to work fast. I can’t even dip a pitcher in the tank without 2-3 of them swimming into it. I make it a habit to check

 

[Thunder_o_b]

That would prevent bigger crud from going through as well Changing 20 gl of water that will be painful. But then we are emphasizing that fishkeeping teaches patience...

For bigger things I net them. I use Seachem - Pristine this does a good job of breaking down waste.

 

[Debbie1986]

I've accidentally siphoned baby guppy and it went down into the septic tank. I felt so bad. RIP baby guppy.

No idea how many shrimp met that same fate until I started netting water from bucket into a 1 gallon pitcher. Found 1 yesterday- blue velvet shrimpling... I thought I had been really careful, but little guy was there and tossed him back into the tank.

it sucks, but it happens.

Now, I push back water changes to Saturday if I'm too tired so I can take my time. it's just too esy to get engrossed intot he task of a water change and make simple mistakes, imo. I'm forcing myself to be slower and more conscious in the moment as I do them. * i was working 6 day weeks for a bit, so more tired than normal

never had an issues with cories or bettas, they tend to avoid it all & swim to other side of tank.

 

[SotaAquatics]

I am sorry for your loss. Just last week I was carelessly trimming plants in my guppy tank... caught a guppy in the middle of a pearl weed clump and snipped the poor thing in half. Still feel unbelievably bad over that one.

 

[PAcanis]

Thanks.
And yes, I'm always worried when trimming plants or netting Salvinia to remove. I try to move it around or disturb it, but I'm always afraid I'm going to get a shrimp. Or my one remaining Oto that likes to hide in the thick stuff.

 

[jmaldo]

Gotta watch our "Underwater Pets". Happened a few times so far, cory, shrimp, snails, pleco and fry. Thankfully no losses. I have tried pantyhose on the end but it was too restrictive. Decided to try a laundry lint catcher. It works.
Here is a pic of an oto on the tube with it on the end.




Good Luck!