Fish stuck to powerhead

[ccejka]

I came into work today and saw my Morish Idol stuck to my MP40 powerhead.

I have no idea how long he was up against it he is still alive right now and I am working on getting him a 20L to move into to watch him and give him break. I have him sitting in a net at the surface right now and he is showing very little signs of movement.

Any ideas on best chance for this little guy to make it?

I have had him in the tank for a month or two now and he has been eating and getting around fine. Its days like these that this hobby one of the most trying hobbies I have been in.

 

[shrimped]

Sorry to hear about that Id cover the net with something to make it darker for the fish and a lower flow area would be preferable. I wouldnt do too much to the fish as it might make it even more stressed than before. After a few hours try feeding it something and see if itll take it. Hope he makes it!

 

[ccejka]

I will do that should I not move him to a QT tank yet? Just leave him in the display for now and see how he does?

 

[shrimped]

I'd leave it in the net for now. Net being in the display tank, dark, lower flow area. I'd leave it overnight and see how it does tomorrow and after it has calmed down maybe move it to the QT. Switching to a tank with different params and conditions it have never been in could stress it out more.

 

[lpsouth1978]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but a fish being stuck to a powerhead is not a good sign. A healthy fish should never get stuck to the pump. Any fish that I have ever had get stuck against a powerhead was sick and weak and almost always dies shortly there after. Healthy fish are strong enough to avoid powerheads.

Moorish idols are not an easy fish to keep and most, even in expert keepers care, do not survive long term.

 

[dstevenstn]

Had a similar issue recently with a Foxface. It basically sucked all of the color out of the poor guy. We are on day 4, whenever the light comes on in the morning he looks awful and I'm not sure he'll make it. When I get home from work he looks much better. We was a new add to a tank, so was probably stressed to begin with.

 

[ccejka]

I but him in the back corner of the tank and we will see.

@lpsouth1978 yeah that was what I was worried of he has been eating and swimming around but I have heard that. I don't think I will be trying with the Morish Idols. I though I was in the clear after a month of QT then he has been in the tank for at that long also and eating.

I will do my best to give this guy his best chance at making it thought it.

 

[Cassian]

I’ve had this happen a time or two. My advice, keep him in a acclimation box or something like that in the display and make it dark. If absolutely necessary, you can keep him in the net. But I find nets stress fish really bad. If he makes it though 24 hours or so I would take him to qt and treat for possible injuries to his scales.

A note: if a fish is sucked to the side of the power head, this is usually a red flag telling me the fish is dying. Most healthy fish (as far as I can tell) will not get sucked to a powerhead unless it is a huge powerhead. I have a 1” clown that sleeps literally on top of my gyre 250( I think, it’s in the 200 series though) and he never gets pulled in.

I wish you the best and hope your fish improves!!

 

[lpsouth1978]

I’ve had this happen a time or two. My advice, keep him in a acclimation box or something like that in the display and make it dark. If absolutely necessary, you can keep him in the net. But I find nets stress fish really bad. If he makes it though 24 hours or so I would take him to qt and treat for possible injuries to his scales.

A note: if a fish is sucked to the side of the power head, this is usually a red flag telling me the fish is dying. Most healthy fish (as far as I can tell) will not get sucked to a powerhead unless it is a huge powerhead. I have a 1” clown that sleeps literally on top of my gyre 250( I think, it’s in the 200 series though) and he never gets pulled in.

I wish you the best and hope your fish improves!!

Yeah, some fish actually perch on powerheads. I have a 1.5" hawkfish that sits on top of my Gyres all the time. Comes and goes as he pleases. Healthy fish just don't get stuck to powerheads.

OP, I hope you are able to save him!

 

[jeffchapok]

Yeah, some fish actually perch on powerheads. I have a 1.5" hawkfish that sits on top of my Gyres all the time. Comes and goes as he pleases. Healthy fish just don't get stuck to powerheads.

OP, I hope you are able to save him!

My hawk sleeps on top of a power head. The first time I saw it, I thought he was dead.

 

[Qasimja]

Yea the fish is probably already sick

 

[ccejka]

Going to hold him in the display overnight if he makes it I will set my qt up with half display tank water and new water and put him on some meds

 

[penixaquarium]

I just found my Kole Tang on my powerhead. Not sure how long he was there. I'm trying the net idea to see if he can bounce back, he's still gasping for air.
But he was NOT eating since we got him on 6/20/20. We moved him to a QT about a month after getting him to try and feed him alone and he would only graze the algae in both tanks. So sad we tried everything to get him to eat and nothing.

He looks so skinny.

 

[AnotherReefHobbyist]

I’ve had this happen a time or two. My advice, keep him in a acclimation box or something like that in the display and make it dark. If absolutely necessary, you can keep him in the net. But I find nets stress fish really bad. If he makes it though 24 hours or so I would take him to qt and treat for possible injuries to his scales.

A note: if a fish is sucked to the side of the power head, this is usually a red flag telling me the fish is dying. Most healthy fish (as far as I can tell) will not get sucked to a powerhead unless it is a huge powerhead. I have a 1” clown that sleeps literally on top of my gyre 250( I think, it’s in the 200 series though) and he never gets pulled in.

I wish you the best and hope your fish improves!!

I know this is an old thread, but my pajama cardinal got sucked on today, while moving the tank the 400gph powerhead was in a bucket with like 10 gallons of water, This never happened in the tank, but I am wondering if it shows he is not healthy, or if they are just weak swimmers.

I have not seen them eat ever in the two months I have had them, which has concerned me but they never died so I thought they must have been eating somehow else. How can I get them too eat any ideas on that?

 

[Cassian]

I know this is an old thread, but my pajama cardinal got sucked on today, while moving the tank the 400gph powerhead was in a bucket with like 10 gallons of water, This never happened in the tank, but I am wondering if it shows he is not healthy, or if they are just weak swimmers.

I have not seen them eat ever in the two months I have had them, which has concerned me but they never died so I thought they must have been eating somehow else. How can I get them too eat any ideas on that?

I have no experience with cardinals, but I would move them to a qt if they look skinny and try to get them on food. But if they look healthy I would just assume that was way too much flow for them to handle and they just got sucked to it.

 

[AnotherReefHobbyist]

I have no experience with cardinals, but I would move them to a qt if they look skinny and try to get them on food. But if they look healthy I would just assume that was way too much flow for them to handle and they just got sucked to it.

It died

If you saw the other stuff I had written that was meant for another thread.

I will try to get the other one back to the store. These fish just aren’t working out for me.

 

[Cassian]

It died

If you saw the other stuff I had written that was meant for another thread.

I will try to get the other one back to the store. These fish just aren’t working out for me.

Oh sorry about that. I read all of it and didn’t realize you meant that for another thread. You tagged me and I was trying to help out best of luck to you

 

[AnotherReefHobbyist]

Oh sorry about that. I read all of it and didn’t realize you meant that for another thread. You tagged me and I was trying to help out best of luck to you

Thanks for the help anyhow