# Public service message: check your overflows weekly



## Crayon (Apr 13, 2014)

Yah,
So this weekend I went looking for my blue velvet nudibranch that has disappeared. Haven't found him, but I'm sure he's in the rock somewhere. However, as these things are spineless, I decided to check the overflows.
Wasn't in there either.
But I did find 3 wrasse.
One had been missing for a couple months.
All alive.

Will now put overflow review on the list of things to do every week.


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

3? Dear god - you probably have 10 live critters in the sump!


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## Crayon (Apr 13, 2014)

Nah, the sump is easy to check. Only thing down there is the peppermint shrimp that's on strike and refusing to eat anymore aptasia.

We have the clear mesh from BRS over the tank. I think the wrasse are jumping at the house flies (there have been a ton of flies in the house this fall) and flipping into the overflow.

This morning I noticed that the one that's been missing the longest is eyeballing the top of the tank watching flies. Maybe that's what he lived on for 2 months.


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## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

I have a clown goby living in my overflow/return area. He's been there for four months


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## Crayon (Apr 13, 2014)

and you like him there? He must have been a very baaaad fish.


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## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

There is no way to get him out so that is his new home


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## Crayon (Apr 13, 2014)

Oh. That's too bad.
Little tiny fish trap? Pill bottle with flip down lid?
Take the drain pipe out and send him down into the fuge?

Oh oh! I know! Vacuum! Use a small python and suck him out into a bucket!


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## fury165 (Aug 21, 2010)

How about using Churros as a lure?


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## FrankS (Dec 11, 2013)

I have a blue/green Chromis living in my overflow. Been there for about a month. He hides behind the pipes (durso) I have no idea how he got in there and I have no way to get him out...like a private condo with fresh water flowing by and food particles keeping him fed...he hasn't complained so far


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## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

I actually have no problem with the little guy living in the overflow. It's fairly tall and it seems like he doesn't mind either. It's also pretty cool to show people when they come over.


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## Crayon (Apr 13, 2014)

I think your overflow is clear plexi, right Alt?
Clown gobies, and Chromis too, don't get that big, so I can see how they might think it would be ok -- no competition for food.

Of the 3 that I found in the overflow, (which is 30" tall black plexi and quite tight), one of them was a 4" blue fairy wrasse and the other 2 were smaller pink wrasses, but both are over 2" long.

So I don't get the sense that they were too happy being in there,
in a small, dark, cramped, claustrophobic space with room mates


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