catfish stuck inside ornament...

yukalaeli87 · 05-09-2006, 09:59 PM

I got one of these poly-resin caves for my 120gal, and I was unaware of the hole that there was on the bottom! The whole thing is hollow, and it seems that one of my catfish (bumblee cat) has managed to crawl deep inside this cave and he won't come out. Is it best for me to leave him alone, or is there a way for me to "coax" him out. I know he won't get stuck in there, but I'm not a fan of the idea of him living inside an ornament...
This is the "cave" that I'm talking about from Petsmart: http://www.petsmart.com/media/ps/ima...8437_136b7.jpg

mousey · 05-09-2006, 10:22 PM

If you are sure he can get out why not let him live in it?He probably feels more secure. I did a google search and it says they like caves and hiding places and are nocturnal, prefering to sleep in the day time and play at night.

joe kool · 05-09-2006, 11:37 PM

they grow pretty quick if eating good and i've had some syno's get stuck and die in similar things .. try turning on side and puttin gsome shripm pellets just far enough out of the thing to where he has to come all the way out of it then quickly lift it up and place it deeper in the gravel to where he can't get up in the little holes n e more. then make him a "safer" hidie hole to feel safe in

garfieldnfish · 05-10-2006, 03:24 PM

I would also try to get him out. Some fish can't swim backward that well and some of those decors have narrow places where a fish could get stuck. I would not feel comfortable knowing a fish was inside one of those. My BN does it sometimes while I clean his tank. In the evening I hang a slice of zucchini in the tank and while he is munching on it I fix the decor so he can't get back inside. Had to do this about three times so far and it worked every time.

yukalaeli87 · 05-10-2006, 06:18 PM

The only problem is, he is VERY shy, and I have not seen him in the tank EVER, apart from when I pull everything out of the tank for cleaning.

madman3000 · 05-10-2006, 07:53 PM

Lure him out while tilted then when he's out, apoxy a cover for the whole and get some rock at quarry which he could hide between

yukalaeli87 · 05-10-2006, 09:43 PM

yeah, but that's the thing... i can't lure him out, unless i decide to stake out in front of the tank with all of the lights off, all night...

crzyduchunt · 05-10-2006, 10:18 PM

my bro has had for bout 3 weeks now and i have only seen it once. it sits in a pagoda ornament i dont believe this one is stuck tho they can usually get out if they feel it gettin a lil tight

Scuba Kid · 05-11-2006, 05:19 PM

this happened to my clownloach. turn the lights off and i can guarentee he will probably come out when he thinks it's night time looking for food. turn your lights off and go to the tank a couple of hours later and check if he is inside. if he isnt, take out the ornament.

madman3000 · 05-11-2006, 09:01 PM

Hey don't worry my 6in albino catfish hide in a small ornament 2 at once and until they both could not fit at the same time, I would not see them for weeks this is why my catfish tank is so low maintainance, plus no need for a heater

Jolly Mon · 05-16-2006, 03:06 PM

If you lift it out of the water - he should get out of dodge in a big hurry.

05-09-2006, 09:59 PM	#1
yukalaeli87 Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Age: 21 Posts: 58	catfish stuck inside ornament... I got one of these poly-resin caves for my 120gal, and I was unaware of the hole that there was on the bottom! The whole thing is hollow, and it seems that one of my catfish (bumblee cat) has managed to crawl deep inside this cave and he won't come out. Is it best for me to leave him alone, or is there a way for me to "coax" him out. I know he won't get stuck in there, but I'm not a fan of the idea of him living inside an ornament... This is the "cave" that I'm talking about from Petsmart: http://www.petsmart.com/media/ps/ima...8437_136b7.jpg

05-09-2006, 11:37 PM	#3
joe kool Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Age: 36 Posts: 572	they grow pretty quick if eating good and i've had some syno's get stuck and die in similar things .. try turning on side and puttin gsome shripm pellets just far enough out of the thing to where he has to come all the way out of it then quickly lift it up and place it deeper in the gravel to where he can't get up in the little holes n e more. then make him a "safer" hidie hole to feel safe in __________________ A conglomeration of cichlids from all over living happily in my "melting pot" of tanks. Breeding: currently nothing ... I'm sequestered in South Korea, "Osan" to be exact 2 days till I'm back in the states!!!! Florida to be exact, those Floridians have no idea what they're in for!! current Fry: see above tanks: 100, 55, 46 BF, 26 BF, 20L, 5 fry tank 20L planted with CRS is the only thing up (easy for the wife to care for in my stead)

05-10-2006, 07:53 PM	#6
madman3000 Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 51	Lure him out while tilted then when he's out, apoxy a cover for the whole and get some rock at quarry which he could hide between __________________ I'm back: my old profile was madmatrixz3000 Tanks 30 gal fresh My Pride and Joy YoYo Loach 1 Female Blue Guarmi 6 Cichlids (4male 2female 1dead) 10 gal fresh 2 6in Albino Catfish 10 gal salt 1 maybe 2 Red mushroom 1 maybe 2 Verigated Green Coral 1 one-eyed clownfish (ouch) Dyme plant 1 Almost Dead Candy-Cane Coral

05-11-2006, 05:19 PM	#9
Scuba Kid Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: RI Age: 18 Posts: 4,225	this happened to my clownloach. turn the lights off and i can guarentee he will probably come out when he thinks it's night time looking for food. turn your lights off and go to the tank a couple of hours later and check if he is inside. if he isnt, take out the ornament. __________________ Current setups: 1800 gallon koi pond, 10 gallon planted, 150 gallon reef, other FOWLR tanks

05-11-2006, 09:01 PM	#10
madman3000 Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 51	Hey don't worry my 6in albino catfish hide in a small ornament 2 at once and until they both could not fit at the same time, I would not see them for weeks this is why my catfish tank is so low maintainance, plus no need for a heater __________________ I'm back: my old profile was madmatrixz3000 Tanks 30 gal fresh My Pride and Joy YoYo Loach 1 Female Blue Guarmi 6 Cichlids (4male 2female 1dead) 10 gal fresh 2 6in Albino Catfish 10 gal salt 1 maybe 2 Red mushroom 1 maybe 2 Verigated Green Coral 1 one-eyed clownfish (ouch) Dyme plant 1 Almost Dead Candy-Cane Coral

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05-09-2006, 10:22 PM	#2
mousey Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 835	If you are sure he can get out why not let him live in it?He probably feels more secure. I did a google search and it says they like caves and hiding places and are nocturnal, prefering to sleep in the day time and play at night.

05-10-2006, 03:24 PM	#4
garfieldnfish Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 660	I would also try to get him out. Some fish can't swim backward that well and some of those decors have narrow places where a fish could get stuck. I would not feel comfortable knowing a fish was inside one of those. My BN does it sometimes while I clean his tank. In the evening I hang a slice of zucchini in the tank and while he is munching on it I fix the decor so he can't get back inside. Had to do this about three times so far and it worked every time.

05-10-2006, 06:18 PM	#5
yukalaeli87 Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Age: 21 Posts: 58	The only problem is, he is VERY shy, and I have not seen him in the tank EVER, apart from when I pull everything out of the tank for cleaning.

05-10-2006, 09:43 PM	#7
yukalaeli87 Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Age: 21 Posts: 58	yeah, but that's the thing... i can't lure him out, unless i decide to stake out in front of the tank with all of the lights off, all night...

05-10-2006, 10:18 PM	#8
crzyduchunt Fishy Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Age: 20 Posts: 11	my bro has had for bout 3 weeks now and i have only seen it once. it sits in a pagoda ornament i dont believe this one is stuck tho they can usually get out if they feel it gettin a lil tight

05-16-2006, 03:06 PM	#11
Jolly Mon Fish Watcher Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Westminster, MD Age: 40 Posts: 27	If you lift it out of the water - he should get out of dodge in a big hurry. __________________ 55 Gallon Freshwater Black Red Tailed Shark Bala Shark (small will trade him when he grows) 2 African Dwarf Frogs 2 Clown Loaches 1 Peacock eel I never see

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