Anemone stuck in filter. Ideas?

thegrog

thegrog

Active Member
OK, my rose BTA that has been happy and content at one end of the tank has overnight transversed the length of the tank (almost 6' 125 gal tank) and this morning I found it half sucked into my HOT filter intake!!

The filter is a Whisper 6 series and the intake strainer is rather coarse (about 1/8" between slots).
All tank parameters are fine......so far.
I of course shut the filter down right away.
Now, I am unsure if it can get itself unstuck. It's foot is attached to both the strainer segment of the filter, the upper segment AND the back glass. The mouth is not sucked in, just about 1/4 of it's body. So anything I do will have to be where it is located. Tried taking a pic but my camera batteries are dead.
I am thinking of waiting and watching if it can get itself unstuck without any help from me. I wish I had some stainless cutters that I could cut the plastic strainer away so it could easily get itself out, but I don't. The plastic is pretty tough so just breaking it is not an option without risking hurting the anemone any more.
I am mixing water up right now for a change if necessary and trying to find another filter to run carbon.
Does anyone have any other ideas/input?
Thanks
 
debbie

debbie

Active Member
Do you have a good pair of scissors like Fiskers?? They are pretty strong and would do the trick if you take a small bit at a time. Or what about disconnecting the motor part of the filter so all you have is the filter and basket and put the whole thing into the tank and maybe it will remove itself from the filter??
I have the Aqua Clear Filters and the propellor/motor just clicks out and then I could place the whole thing into the tank. It should not harm your tank as it is all plastic and the water flows through that anyways.
Sometimes moving them and stressing them will hopefully encourage the anemone to back out of there.
Worth a try.......
 
thegrog

thegrog

Active Member
Thanks for the input.
I managed to get a small pair of hemostats (helps to be a surgeon sometimes) inbetween the layers of the screen and snap it off. Worked my way around the tube and got it totally off. The anemone is now free from the screen. Does not seem to be badly damaged and the mouth is still intact.
Now I am just crossing my fingers and watching while I mix up more water. Don't have enough salt on hand (being shipped to me this week) to get the QT tank up and running though so I will have to keep my fingers crossed that the rest of the inhabitants are not badly affected. I do have enough for a 10% water change and some carbon and poly filters on hand. Once he is free from the intake, I will move it and restart it with fresh media.
Stay tuned!
 
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