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Wrasses in internal overflow box - how to get them out

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Adauqua

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I accidentally and happily spotted two missing wrasses (4” Xmas and 3” exquisite) that are alive in the internal overflow box. I thought they are dead for weeks. How can I fish them out? Stop return pumps, siphon 1/2 water in the overflow box and use fish net? It’s a challenge since tank + stand is 70 inches height and in the corner + closed to wall + 5 pipes in the overflow box. Very little room to wiggle.
All advices are appreciated.
 
are standpipes removable? if not, get nets long enough to reach the bottom and drain all the water out. or make partitions with plastic sheets to corral them into a corner.
 
Good luck! That is awesome that you found them alive and well in the overflow. Go figure. Any chance you can have them go down the pipe into the sump and then fish them out?
 
psidriven said:
are standpipes removable? if not, get nets long enough to reach the bottom and drain all the water out. or make partitions with plastic sheets to corral them into a corner.
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Two are removable but no room to reach and pull them out. Will try the partition and drain most of water idea. The main problem is no room and tank is 190gl :(

gmdcdvm said:
Good luck! That is awesome that you found them alive and well in the overflow. Go figure. Any chance you can have them go down the pipe into the sump and then fish them out?
Click to expand...

They are too big to go down the drain into the sump
 
Pull the drain pipes they will go down the drain. If not. With the drain pipes removed. You can fish them out with a long net. Just have a long ladder so you can get up and over that aquarium. Build a grate to go over the overflow box cuz it’s happened to me a couple of times.
 
Turkeysammich said:
Pull the drain pipes they will go down the drain. If not. With the drain pipes removed. You can fish them out with a long net. Just have a long ladder so you can get up and over that aquarium. Build a grate to go over the overflow box cuz it’s happened to me a couple of times.
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Great advices from the master. Thank you! I'll try @psidriven ideas if possible without removing the drain pipes first.
 
derek_SR said:
Hahah from the very first post I was planning to say this. I am not kidding though - I think shop vac is a real option.
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We had a client with a similar situation where they filled the overflow with coral rubble until the fish rose to the top where they could fish it out. After rescuing the fish they shopvac’ed out the rubble. Best of luck
 
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