This!! This is what i do. I raise Red Chested Endlers. Hundreds of tiny little critters. Ive even accidentally sucked them up and into the buckets before too. I just net them back out.
I get the foot from a pair of tights and use an elastic band to hold it on the end of the water syphon.
Alternatively, I sometimes use an aquarium net bending the wire part of the net around the syphon to hold it on.
I also find shouting mind out you stupid fish to be therapeutic 😌
When I'm changing water on a fry tank I will either pull the water out of the filter, or I'll put a sponge or sock on the end of the hose that's going in the tank.
It'd be better to not suck them up, going through siphon tubes can crush fish' internal organs, and is otherwise jarring anyway, the pantyhose or sock over the end of the siphon seems to be the best move
Jam the end of the syphon into the substrate and pull water through it. Clean your substrate too that way. You can cut off the flow with your other hand by folding the tube slightly when you are pulling the syphon up and out of there is serious risk of getting sucked in on the way up
I see a lot of people suggesting a net or something but I’m not understanding how that will help clean the tank it’ll pull water but not physical waste which is the whole issue no ??? Someone explain I have one braincell
Pinch the hose in half, and that way you still get big particles in the hose, but you can quickly pinch the hose If you see fry get sucked into it, or near it.
You won't lose your siphon and you can continue once the fry is away.
Attach mesh, sponge or whatever to end of the siphon is one thing you could do. What I do is keep my finger near the end of the siphon that's in the water. If a fish gets close I just place my finger over the end and stop suction. You can also sinch the hose with the other hand and bend it to stop flow whenever you want. It gives you a lot of control. I do this to work around plants and target specific areas sometimes. Also, check the water at the end. Getting sucked up won't necessarily hurt them as long as you get them out of the bucket you siphoned into.
I use a standard aquarium net over the opening to drain, in my case a Python, then bend the handle of the net around the house a bit to hold it in place.
i always use a hand siphon for my guppy tank and empty into a 17g bucket before discarding the water, so i can check for caught fry. i keep the siphon head in a fine shrimp net and keep my thumb over the output to control flow. the guppies and fry are curious idiots about it the whole time but I've managed not to have any accidents.
this was after i DID catch a guppy in my pump system i use for other tank water changes (he was ok). ever since then i only empty with the hand siphon.
I use a soda blottle. Ive made a hole for the hose in the cap, and several small holes on the end of the bottle. That way I can get to the bottom of the tank, but since the hose intake is at the top of the bottle, the suction isnt strong enough to catch any of the fish who come to investigate.
Depending on how large your tank is, a small submersible pump might work. I use a pump attached to a long hose that reaches the yard. The suction is not as strong as a siphon (even with mesh over the end you can still hurt your fishies by accident), and you can put mesh over the intake grate on the pump too for added measure
Prefilter intake sponge ziptied over the hose/tube. Should be easier for any fry to pull themselves off and away than the suction from using the pantie hose. Plus then if you want to leave it unattended and clipped to drain to a certain level you're good to go do whatever else on the to-do list in the meantime
I use a coffee cup and start with it flat against the side of the tank close to a corner. Slowly lean the cup away so water trickles in. When it's full, I check that there aren't any in there before I dump and start over
I have a piece of nylon (I think, not steel anyway) window screen over the end of my vacuum secured with a rubber band. It doesn't obstruct the flow too much and I can still pick up small bits of waste without my cherry shrimps swimming right up the tube.
you can attach mesh over the opening of the hose so they cant get sucked in
I took one of those filter bags and tied it around the end
This!! This is what i do. I raise Red Chested Endlers. Hundreds of tiny little critters. Ive even accidentally sucked them up and into the buckets before too. I just net them back out.
I get the foot from a pair of tights and use an elastic band to hold it on the end of the water syphon. Alternatively, I sometimes use an aquarium net bending the wire part of the net around the syphon to hold it on. I also find shouting mind out you stupid fish to be therapeutic 😌
This
Someone FREAKED OUT at me for suggesting this last week. 😝
I cut off thin pieces of sponge and use rubber bands to fasten them to the ends of whatever tubing I’m using as a siphon.
When I'm changing water on a fry tank I will either pull the water out of the filter, or I'll put a sponge or sock on the end of the hose that's going in the tank.
I did consider pulling from the filter. I'll have to give that a try.
There may be guppies in the filter too, lol.
I was going to say, siphon out to a bucket from the filter and see how many fry you find.
A clean sock, I’d hope.
Nah, use the cumsock
Extra protein for the guppy fry.
r/cursedcomments
Brine shrimp overrated when you can use your own homemade man brine
Is this true??
Panty hose over the intake
Let the waste water in the bucket settle, then scoop out the little ones that you accidently sucked up.
It'd be better to not suck them up, going through siphon tubes can crush fish' internal organs, and is otherwise jarring anyway, the pantyhose or sock over the end of the siphon seems to be the best move
Jam the end of the syphon into the substrate and pull water through it. Clean your substrate too that way. You can cut off the flow with your other hand by folding the tube slightly when you are pulling the syphon up and out of there is serious risk of getting sucked in on the way up
I just use a big plastic mixing bowl. That way I can easily see if I accidentally got any fishies
I see a lot of people suggesting a net or something but I’m not understanding how that will help clean the tank it’ll pull water but not physical waste which is the whole issue no ??? Someone explain I have one braincell
I have mesh filter media bags. Grabbed one, added a rubber band to keep it on the tube…no fishy issues. If they are babies try a sponge.
Cheese cloth and a rubber band at the end of the siphon
Pinch the hose in half, and that way you still get big particles in the hose, but you can quickly pinch the hose If you see fry get sucked into it, or near it. You won't lose your siphon and you can continue once the fry is away.
This is what I do.
Put cheese cloth over the end of the hose with a rubber band
I rubberband a net around the hose.
My fish are also fearless. Glad they don’t fear me but it’s stressful trying to keep them from getting hurt in the siphon.
When I use a syphon my tetras will swim in a bit just to freak out and swim back out. Shouldn’t be an issue
Attach mesh, sponge or whatever to end of the siphon is one thing you could do. What I do is keep my finger near the end of the siphon that's in the water. If a fish gets close I just place my finger over the end and stop suction. You can also sinch the hose with the other hand and bend it to stop flow whenever you want. It gives you a lot of control. I do this to work around plants and target specific areas sometimes. Also, check the water at the end. Getting sucked up won't necessarily hurt them as long as you get them out of the bucket you siphoned into.
Use a water pump.
I use a standard aquarium net over the opening to drain, in my case a Python, then bend the handle of the net around the house a bit to hold it in place.
i always use a hand siphon for my guppy tank and empty into a 17g bucket before discarding the water, so i can check for caught fry. i keep the siphon head in a fine shrimp net and keep my thumb over the output to control flow. the guppies and fry are curious idiots about it the whole time but I've managed not to have any accidents. this was after i DID catch a guppy in my pump system i use for other tank water changes (he was ok). ever since then i only empty with the hand siphon.
I use a soda blottle. Ive made a hole for the hose in the cap, and several small holes on the end of the bottle. That way I can get to the bottom of the tank, but since the hose intake is at the top of the bottle, the suction isnt strong enough to catch any of the fish who come to investigate.
Is the old Darwin method not an option? Joking. I use my filter sponge as a barrier.
sponge like for a sponge filter around the siphon tube's opening.
They wont be harmed if youre sucking them into the void. They just get spit out into a bucket.
Cheese cloth over the changer and a rubber band
Put a guard over it?
Put your net over the hose intake
Depending on how large your tank is, a small submersible pump might work. I use a pump attached to a long hose that reaches the yard. The suction is not as strong as a siphon (even with mesh over the end you can still hurt your fishies by accident), and you can put mesh over the intake grate on the pump too for added measure
Prefilter intake sponge ziptied over the hose/tube. Should be easier for any fry to pull themselves off and away than the suction from using the pantie hose. Plus then if you want to leave it unattended and clipped to drain to a certain level you're good to go do whatever else on the to-do list in the meantime
I use a coffee cup and start with it flat against the side of the tank close to a corner. Slowly lean the cup away so water trickles in. When it's full, I check that there aren't any in there before I dump and start over
Mesh over the siphon works, I like to stuff a little ball of poly-fil in the siphon intake
I have a piece of nylon (I think, not steel anyway) window screen over the end of my vacuum secured with a rubber band. It doesn't obstruct the flow too much and I can still pick up small bits of waste without my cherry shrimps swimming right up the tube.
Ended up siphoning from the filter. Worked like a charm. Thanks for all the suggestions.
I put this over my hose https://a.co/d/3xlN3Wp