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RE: Anti-overflow hole in syphon is Oto killer



Is it possible that the fish died, started floating, and then was sucked
onto the hole?  Does it really have enough suction to grab and hold a fish?

Regardless...  One potential way to solve this would be to wrap it with a
piece of thick foam or a screen mesh.  Just a thought.

>(I know this isn't a plant posting, but I think it may be of general
>interest.)
>There's an old trick in which you drill a hole in the syphon pipe of the
>filter return line a couple of inches below the water line.  That way if
>a leak develops in your lines, only a few gallons of water get pumped
>onto the floor before the syphon breaks.  It works great -- all you have
>to do is remember to block the hole when you drain the tank.  Since a
>lot of water gets sucked into the hole, I haven't been surprised to find
>a piece of leaf stuck there every now and then.  No big deal.  But this
>morning I found one of my Otos stuck to the hole, trapped and killed by
>the suction :(  The hole is about 3/16" (5mm) in diameter.  If it were
>smaller, I think the problem might be even worse (higher suction?), if
>it was larger, it could suck in the whole Oto.  I have blocked the hole
>for now.  I think having a syphon-break hole is a generally good idea,
>but it probably needs to be a screened hole, like the intake, to prevent
>trapping or ingesting fish.  Anyway, just a cautionary tale...  Sherman