Puffer dead. Pissssssss*%#@*%#$@*& off!!!!!!!!!!

[stanlalee]

Of all the ways to lose a fish stuck in a f*@*% powerhead has to be the worst. It was missing a strainer but still only has 3 small slots for water to enter. He was fine and ate like a pig before I turned the lights out for the night. went to work come home and see nothing but tail and face sticking out the powerhead. Unplug it and its guts are all screwed up. thought it was dead but he wiggled a bit when I freed him. No way he was going to recover so I put him out his misery. So I take the powerhead out anyway(pointless. two tangs I have arent going to get stuck in a powerhead). its the smallest one I was using (270gph) and I just put it in for a little extra flow. then I realize this is pointless now but for kicks take the strainer off a cheap 170gph walmart PH I wasn't using and what do you know fits like the glove on OJ. If I knew that I would have used it all along. Now I'm debating if I should get another one or stick to the strong swimmers. even with a strainer my biggest powerhead is 600gph and the rest are 370gph. Normally I would just say ah well and go about my business but this was my favorite fish (only had it 3wks) and the only fish in my tank with personality. I had every entention of rasing it from the 1" it was to full adulthood and beyond. Irony is this is the same powerhead that I found my lawn mower blennys remains in (disappeared after a yr + of having), also the personality fish of the tank at the time. I think I'll do blue hawiian this time since thats what I was originally planning. No more strainer free powerheads! Good powerhead though. had it 10yrs Hagen, still runs like a top.
there he WAS

 

[krisfl]

Sorry for your loss

 

[05xrunner]

yea those powerheads are tough sometimes...My porc puffer wich is about 3.5" long and wouldnt seem like he would get stuck..I watch him get sucked to it and couldnt get off until i unplugged it. So now on my Aquaclear powerhead I got their filter on it...and my Skimmer I got a big foam pad around the inlet so that wont ever happen again.

 

[seasalt101]

sorry about your loss stanalee that was a terrible way to lose a pretty fish + personality that sucks sorry about the pun, i was wondering what kind of camera you are using beautiful picture of your fish well good luck with your new fish tobin

 

[ginarox]

sorry to hear your loss....

 

[stanlalee]

Originally Posted by seasalt101
sorry about your loss stanalee that was a terrible way to lose a pretty fish + personality that sucks sorry about the pun, i was wondering what kind of camera you are using beautiful picture of your fish well good luck with your new fish tobin
thanks everyone.
the camera is a canon powershot A40 in manual mode. Its a dinosour (like an early 00's model) but it does okay as long as you dont get too macro (close) with it.
as for the fish, I went to the LPS where I got him and they had 3 more but all were just a little bigger and not nearly as cute. I ended up getting a Eibli dwarf angel. I'd been eyeing it at the pet store since I got the puffer but since it was still there and looking healthy I got it. crossing fingers its not a nipper.

 

[monalisa]

Awwww!! The poor little guy!! Sorry about your puffer...I hope the angel works out for you.
Lisa :happyfish

 

[promisetbg]

Sorry for your loss. I believe a healthy fish won't get stuck in a powerhead though.

 

[alyssia]

Sorry for your loss. My orange linckia got stuck in a PH a few days ago.

 

[stanlalee]

Originally Posted by promisetbg
Sorry for your loss. I believe a healthy fish won't get stuck in a powerhead though.
I thought that too however after a little researching I've found that is NOT the case at all with small puffers and sometimes larger ones. they simply dont have the swimming capabilities to free themselves once stuck on open ended powerheads. they are suppose to be smart enough to not let it happen though. Keep in mind the fish was 1" and was virtually IN the powerhead. All I saw was tail and snout. there was nothing unhealthy about its behavior. ate great and often, got the proper meaty, shelled and vege clips. sociable ect. Is kept with much harder to keep powder brown and hippo tang which are still doing great.
do you see anything that indicates unhealthy (not sarcasism seriously let me know if you do. I may get another):

 

[v-lioness]

That does suk when something like this happens and sorry for your loss.
Did you have a Guard on your Power-head?
Kaye

 

[stanlalee]

Originally Posted by V-Lioness
That does suk when something like this happens and sorry for your loss.
Did you have a Guard on your Power-head?
Kaye
thanks. I didn't think I needed one. It had a slotted intake at the bottom to keep large objects from entering but I have since but a strainer on it (from another brand of powerhead I didn't think would fit)

 

[promisetbg]

Actually, it's hard to tell but did his tummy appear kind of 'bumpy' to you? It kind of looks so in the pics. Puffers very frequently come in with internal parasites.

 

[stanlalee]

Originally Posted by promisetbg
Actually, it's hard to tell but did his tummy appear kind of 'bumpy' to you? It kind of looks so in the pics. Puffers very frequently come in with internal parasites.
yes they do but the toby's also get great stomach distension from eating. I wouldn't say unusually bumpy just plain fat. even still its not going to go from swimming and acting normally right before lights are out to overcome with parasites to the point of getting stuck in 8hrs. the fish had been there for 3wks with no decline in behavior, apetite or activity. he often slept vertically against the tank wall. I'm assumming he just drifted up.