# OMG!! Look what my BN Pleco got himself into



## jeaninel (Aug 24, 2007)

Today I noticed the intake tube on my Penguin 350 had come loose and was laying on the bottom of the tank. I put it back on but the wheels wouldn't turn and the flow was very low. After playing around with the biowheels and the sponges and a few choice words I suddenly heard a weird scratching noise coming from the filter. It was then that I realized I hadn't seen my male BN Plec and he usually hangs around the filter tube. I took the intake tube off and looked inside. It was clear. I heard the scratching noise again. To my horror I realized he was stuck in the part of the intake tube where it curves up and into the filter. I took that part off and sure enough he was wedged in there real tight. My BF and I tried putting the end of a piece of hose from an old section of a Python into the tube and blowing real hard while I held it under the water to try to blow him out. We kept this up for at least a half hour. He only budged maybe 1/2". We ended up sawing some of the tube off to get to him better but were unsuccessful in freeing him. How in the heck can I get him out?? Poor guy was stressing. I tried grabbing the little bit of tail that I could but couldn't pull him out. Anyone have any ideas? Right now I've just left him in the tube in the tank hoping he will wiggle himself out eventually. :-(


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

There looks to be a seam in the plastic running the length of the piece - I would split it at the part farthest away and try to pull it apart.


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## Austin (Feb 1, 2010)

Wow that's crazy! I have no idea what you should do... I'm sure the plastic is difficult to break or saw etc without hurting him  good luck :/ hopefully he comes out on his own!


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

which end did you blow? since he doesnt seem to be able to progress any further... maybe you can try to blow him back out where he came in? did you try flushing water through the python as well?

keep us updated!


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

could you flush him out with pre heated treated water ?
pipe cleaner to push him through…or just leave him submerged
and hope he'll come out.
gosh i wish you luck.


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## jeaninel (Aug 24, 2007)

Since his head is past the bend in the tube we tried blowing thru the backend. Only budged him a little bit. I tried grabbing his tail to try to pull him the other way but couldn't get a good enough hold. I just left him submerged to see if he'll get out on his own. The plastic is pretty thick do couldn't split it lengthwise without the risk of squashing him. I'll check on him when I get home from work. I'm so bummed about this. I was just telling my BF that I wanted to put him in with my female BN to try for babies and then this happens.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

pre wedding nerves then ;-)


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## Flint (Oct 22, 2013)

Try pushing him backwards with your finger?


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## jeaninel (Aug 24, 2007)

Yeah, I tried pushing him with the hose but didn't want to hurt him. He's wedged pretty good and his head which is the fattest part of his body is past the bend in the tube.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

The things fish get themselves into! I hope you can find a way to get him out.


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## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

Oh poor silly fishy 

Can you get in between him and the tube at all? Maybe you could try lubricating the inside of the tube around him with some canola or olive oil on the end of a Q-tip? Stress Coat is pretty slippery if you have any of that on hand too.

Then maybe you could try to push him through gently from his head? 

Ugh!


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## Ogre44 (Nov 5, 2011)

The problem with trying to push him backwards is that all of his spines and fin rays are made to prevent just that.
Can you gently grasp him from the top of the head and just behind his mouth?
If you could get behind his head and to either side of his neck you should be able to get a good grip behind his skull...


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## Flint (Oct 22, 2013)

Get an itty-bitty fish weighter and hook his mouth with it and pull him out gently. :lol:


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## jentralala (Oct 5, 2012)

Any update? Poor fishie! Hope he makes it out okay. Only thing I can think of is to suspend it so his head is facing down, so maybe gravity will help pull him out? That's all I've got, and I dunno how safe it is. Good luck, please keep us updated!

Fish just do the silliest things, don't they?! I've had Kuhlie loaches force their way up the intake and into my canister filter before :/


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## Ogre44 (Nov 5, 2011)

I was thinking about this and are you sure he's actually stuck and not just locking himself in place?
He'd feel quite safe in a nice tight tube like that, and his natural reaction to you're trying to pull him out would be to flex himself and brace himself in place so you couldn't pull him out.
Looking at the pics again it looks like he's got room in there, his head is the widest part of his body and it's clearly got some room on either side.
I'd keep an eye on him and if you seem him out and about snag out that tube so he doesn't decide it's his new apartment.


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## jeaninel (Aug 24, 2007)

Ogre, I thought of that too. I know BN's natural reaction to being messed with is to flair the little spikes near their head. That's why I decided to just leave the,tube in the tank and hopefully he'll relax and come out. I'll find out soon when i get home. I'll keep you all posted. Thanks for all the suggestions everyone!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Tazman (Jan 15, 2012)

There is a very harsh way of getting him out, this is exactly what happened to mine.

Mine was totally wedged in as well, i tried everything and believe me, splitting that plastic is not very easy at all.

What I did with mine and I would hasten to add this is a LAST resort really, I put mine to sleep with clove oil in a bowl of tank water. You need to use a fair amount of clove oil, so they actually go fully under but not enough to kill them. You will notice its reaction to it immediately.
Once I knew it was fully asleep, then I used the end of pencil with eraser on the end and basically pushed it out. Being totally asleep is the only way it will even move otherwise it will flair its fine.


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

If I were in your situation and I could see the mouth, I would grab the mouth with a pair of pliers and just pull it out head first. Dosing with clove oil would be a good idea to get the fish to not resist in any way.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Wouldn't a pair of pliers hurt him?


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

A plecos head is like bone.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

OK, I see.


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

It's the safest place to grab it.


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

i thought of something…destructive but if the tube is useless now
it won't matter….heat something metal (bbq skewer) and melt the seam
verrrrrryyyyy carefully ….knife through butter kinda thing.


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

It's a good thing that they are armored.... That's a good idea. May not have to melt it all the way through, but enough to break the seam apart after.


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

i wonder if he likes it in there :-D little monkey,what if you put
something else dark in front he would sneak out into the next home ?


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## Tazman (Jan 15, 2012)

If you have to melt the plastic, a small tipped soldering iron would work, whatever you use, you need to use something that will get very very hot, the plastic used is tough to withstand years of use, it is also sonic welded together which makes the seam extremely tough.

Hope you manage to get the little guy out.


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## jeaninel (Aug 24, 2007)

Got home real late last night and the tank light was already off. He's still in there. I'm gonna try the pliers thing since his mouth is right there. Funny you mentioned heating the tube because that's what my BF suggested but I was afraid of burning the little guy.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

gosh…sitting here in anticipation…


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## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

willow said:


> gosh…sitting here in anticipation…


Me too :shock:


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## Ogre44 (Nov 5, 2011)

try wrapping the ends of the pliers in something like duct tape to cushion them a bit, the knurling on the ends can cause damage to softer materials(such as fish)


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

Honestly, damage heals. I think your are trading grip for comfort, but without grip you would have to squeeze that much harder.


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## Flint (Oct 22, 2013)

I definitely agree with Jaysee on that one. I'd rather know the fish is safe and have to heal a spot than him starve or stress to death in a tube.


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

I don't necessarily think that wrapping the tips would be unsuccessful. My point was that you would have to grip with much more force that way which can do damage in it's own right. I just think you have better feel and control with unwrapped tips and that the damage would be more superficial.


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## sandybottom (Nov 29, 2012)

how about getting help from someone to try a "push and pull".hopefully this would take some of the stress of just pulling with the pliers away from his body.try lubing the tube as mentioned before with stresscoat or maybe an aloevera gel.and using a mild clove oil solution that was also mentioned.


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## all gods creatures (Jan 13, 2014)

This may sound harsh .. have you tried a shopp vac? Use the blow section , have your tub at home ready with water to catch him as he shoots out of the tube.
You might nees to graduate the hose size down to a small enough hose to get it to fit
the siphon tube. If this works he will shoot out fast!! Make sure you are at the shallow end of the tub sohe shoots into the deeper end cushioning his exit.


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## Ogre44 (Nov 5, 2011)

If you have access a pair of hemostats might work better than pliers as they are finer and made to grip flesh without undue trauma.
And I think Sandybottoms got it right with the lube suggestion.


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## RSVBiffer (Feb 3, 2014)

Would certainly try with lube, push and pull and the forceps that have been recommended and I would personally cushion the tips as well. You could also hacksaw groves around the pipe in the bend area to try and get a little flexibility to allow you to straighten it slightly which could be enough.


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## SeaHorse (Dec 27, 2010)

Since you've cut it off anyway I would try taking wire cutters/pliers and try to snip up the corner edge or break off pieces. He's narrower at the bottom so you should be able to slide him left to right at the tail end of him. (thus keeping him out of danger) Even stuff a wee bit of tissue up to protect him if need be. If you can get enough of him uncovered you could maybe get a better grasp of him. 
The only other thing I would try is a dark bigger tube to encourage him to move into and maybe a piece of zucchini in that new tube or whatever favorite veggie he likes. He must be getting hungry and thinner!! 

Waiting and hoping to hear good news. Good Luck!!


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## jeaninel (Aug 24, 2007)

He's finally out guys!! He had wiggled himself backward so his tail was sticking out the back end of the tube. His head was way back by the bend. So I was able to get a good grip on his tail with my fingers and I pulled while he wiggled and out he came. He's resting on the bottom of the tank now but I don't see any damage. 3 days he was stuck in that tube. Whew!!


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## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

*HOORAY!!!!!* :redyay: :blueyay:

I was worried about the little bugger.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Yay!! Good news!!! I hope he's ok.


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## SeaHorse (Dec 27, 2010)

Thank Goodness. I hope he is no worse for wear.


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## jentralala (Oct 5, 2012)

YAAAAY! I am SO happy you were able to help him out! Poor little guy must be hungry, and glad to be out of there!


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## Ogre44 (Nov 5, 2011)

Victory!!!
That's great.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

YAY!!!!*Throws confetti***


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

shoot !!!!!!! finally… i'm actually really pleased about that. :-D


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## Chesh (Feb 17, 2012)

Me too! *dances in confetti rain*

Poor little dude had me seriously worried! 
What an adventure! Hoping he's none the worse for wear. . .
You, (and he!) must be so relieved to have him home-free! ^_^
(I know I am!) Three days!!! Yikes!

SUPER BIG THANKS to everyone for offering so much help! 
You guys are all awesome!!! 
*luffsTFKpeeps!* <3


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## jeaninel (Aug 24, 2007)

Yes, I'm very relieved. He seems to be fine except for a bit of fin,damage. I'll post a pic later when I get home. And again, thanks everyone for all the posts,and suggestions. You guys are awesome!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## SeaHorse (Dec 27, 2010)

I think the key right now is to make sure you see him eating! Fins will grow back with good clean water and time. If he goes off his food, there may be hidden issues.


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## Crazyfish (Feb 3, 2014)

Glad the fish is out.... I'm surprised you found him in there!


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## Agent13 (Apr 23, 2013)

Oh yay!! I've been lurking in his thread worried about him. You must be soooo relieved 


Sent from Petguide.com App


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## jeaninel (Aug 24, 2007)

Here's a pic of him. You can see his fins are a bit torn up but otherwise he's doing good.


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

aww bless…fingers crossed he'll be ok.
x


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