# My Caribe Is Trapped What To Do ?



## dmackey (Jan 26, 2010)

well long story short i had a pleco that i keep over in the overflow just to keep things nice and clean in there and i noticed my P's would always try biting the glass thinking they could eat him, anyway came home today to find my caribe has jumped over into the overflow and ate the pleco , now my problem is how the hell im suppose to get him out being that everything is glued over in my wet/dry ????????? mannnnn wtf now im noticing other p's snapping at the glass trying to eat the caribe

http://www.youtube.com/user/mrdmackey?feature=mhsn


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## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

Post a pic or eve na paint drawign of your wetdry as ive nver heard of a wetdry that you cant get into. Im also not sure how it can jump into the wetdry without getting caught in the media.


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## dmackey (Jan 26, 2010)

im pretty sure i used the wrong term wet/dry im tryin to load the pics but no luck as of right now give me a few mins


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## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

dmackey said:


> im pretty sure i used the wrong term wet/dry im tryin to load the pics but no luck as of right now give me a few mins


make sure they arnt too large or it wont work. something liek 600x800 is large enough. You can rezise them on MS paint if you have to


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## Johnny_Zanni (Nov 8, 2009)

Definately the wrong section. What what your cariba doing in the wet/dry in the first place?


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## dmackey (Jan 26, 2010)

yea file is too big been tryin to put it on youtube and no luck


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## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

for pics open it on paint then go to eidit i think then resize/skew then scale it down untill its less then 1000x1000 and you should be good.


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## marco (Jan 2, 2003)

hes not stuck in the wet/dry. hes stuck in the overflow. tank is drilled at the bottom.

did u get him out? it happend to me. i taped a 6" fishnet to a broom stick to get him out

u gotta do this fast


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## dmackey (Jan 26, 2010)

yea been trying past few hours , would be easier is i could lift the canopy off but nobody around for that tonight , maybe i should just turn off the filter for tonight?


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## marco (Jan 2, 2003)

dmackey said:


> yea been trying past few hours , would be easier is i could lift the canopy off but nobody around for that tonight , maybe i should just turn off the filter for tonight?


 if u turn off the filter he will die from loss of air circulation in the water. u gotta get him out of the overflow asap man.


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## dmackey (Jan 26, 2010)

http://www.youtube.com/user/mrdmackey?feature=mhsn

http://www.youtube.com/user/mrdmackey?feature=mhsn


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## marco (Jan 2, 2003)

net taped to broomstick , u cant stop the system overnight tho , not with all those fish


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## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

Like said id try dropping a net or even some containor then scooping it quick. Can you get your hand in there or is piping blocking sticking something down there.

I would keep the filter running as it looks like it has enough space so your best bet is to keep the water circulating. Is there any way you can undo some of the piping or is it all cemented together?

Id try dropping some net down and trying to catch it or a bucket on a string or something. From the vid its hard to say exactly what to do as I cant really tell exactly how much room you have to work with but i thin it was a corner overflow so unless that overflow agaist 2 walls in a corner you can hopefully see what you are doing. Id try to just net it if you have a net.

How much room exactly do you have and can you fit your arm in or undo the piping? Im assuming there is some strainer or something on the filter intake?

The fish look good btw.

You may want tto turn the filter off when your trying to actually get him out (as there looks to be some good current in there) but before that i wouldn't


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## marco (Jan 2, 2003)

that pretty much sums it up. other option would be "worm on a hook"

piece of shrimp on a hook. use ur fishing rod


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## FEEFA (Nov 19, 2007)

Holy sh*t! Good luck with this one Mackey, hopefully u can get him out ok


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## dmackey (Jan 26, 2010)

no thats the problem i have no room to work with the pipes are blocking me and i cemented them long time ago, yea im actually considering the shrimp to hook damm i dont wana do that but my be my only option here.......and the way my canopy is built it only flips open in the front top half way so i cant even get in there without taking the whole canopy off and still even then i have no room cuz of the pipes thats why i put the pleco in there because i couldnt get in there to even clean it, oh yea no strainer on the intake , and i seen him get sucked right up and fight his way back down several times already


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## SERRAPYGO (Feb 4, 2003)

dmackey said:


> no thats the problem i have no room to work with the pipes are blocking me and i cemented them long time ago, yea im actually considering the shrimp to hook damm i dont wana do that but my be my only option here.......and the way my canopy is built it only flips open in the front top half way so i cant even get in there without taking the whole canopy off and still even then i have no room cuz of the pipes thats why i put the pleco in there because i couldnt get in there to even clean it, oh yea no strainer on the intake , and i seen him get sucked right up and fight his way back down several times already












If you're gonna go with the shrimp on a hook method...make sure you pinch down the barb on the hook for easy removal. GOD! so many years on this site and I always think I've seen it all!


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## HGI (Oct 27, 2009)

^^

No kidding, that's a first for me as well.

I'm sure a small hook with the barb pinched down will be fine if it's the only possible way if you can't get a net in there.


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## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

Any update? IF worst comes to worst and you cant get it out i might try to cut the pipe. Getting the canopy off will make it easier.


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## dmackey (Jan 26, 2010)

nothing yet he still in there gotta go buy a small hook and string today


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## soitsbig (Jul 30, 2005)

Thats like very sad! I feel really bad for the lil guy. Not for nothing but it kind of reminds me of a scene from Finding Nemo when he attentional tries to get sucked up in filter in order to escape. Sorry bro.


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## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

Id also get some eggcrate or something so he doesnt jump in there agail.


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

As a sidenote, your fish are gorgeous!
Incredible coloration!









p.s. Sounds like somebody's gettin' the bejesus fucked outta them in the background... you playin' a porn video or sumptin?


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## Inflade (Mar 24, 2006)

whats your set up? what size tank? how many you got in there?


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## Dolphinswin (Jun 26, 2010)

Inflade said:


> whats your set up? what size tank? how many you got in there?


this really isnt the time to be worrying about his setup....


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## Johnny_Zanni (Nov 8, 2009)

Dolphinswin said:


> whats your set up? what size tank? how many you got in there?


this really isnt the time to be worrying about his setup....
[/quote]

This really isn't the time for you to be a douchebag.

If I remember correctly. 180g 9 P's and a 75g wet/dry


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

^^Exactly.

The much more important question here is... what's that background noise?


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## Inflade (Mar 24, 2006)

Dolphinswin said:


> whats your set up? what size tank? how many you got in there?


this really isnt the time to be worrying about his setup....
[/quote]

i understand the situation, forgive me for being so amazed at how beautiful his tank is!


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

^^ Not only that, but it sounds like somebody's _"gettin it"_ in the background.


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## dmackey (Jan 26, 2010)

wow been here tryin to fish this fish out 3 hours no luck wtf ........


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## Johnny_Zanni (Nov 8, 2009)

dmackey said:


> wow been here tryin to fish this fish out 3 hours no luck wtf ........


Hook and string you have been trying?


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## FEEFA (Nov 19, 2007)

He's scared and just ate a pleco so its gonna be a few days atleast if he decides to bite.

I'd try taking the top of the overflow apart to get a net in there


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## dmackey (Jan 26, 2010)

Piranha_man said:


> He's scared and just ate a pleco so its gonna be a few days atleast if he decides to bite.
> 
> I'd try taking the top of the overflow apart to get a net in there


 yea im thinking that because he ate already thats why he not biting shuts i wana just get him out , i had a friend over earlier we took the canopy off and tried netting him out but no luck that went on for close to a hour.....so i just have the shrimp on a hook in there now and i turning the filter off hoping he will bite soon


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

I was just givin' ya sh*t man...









I'm actually following this thread closely to see how you finally get him out.


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## FEEFA (Nov 19, 2007)

dmackey said:


> He's scared and just ate a pleco so its gonna be a few days atleast if he decides to bite.
> 
> I'd try taking the top of the overflow apart to get a net in there


yea im thinking that because he ate already thats why he not biting shuts i wana just get him out , i had a friend over earlier we took the canopy off and tried netting him out but no luck that went on for close to a hour.....so i just have the shrimp on a hook in there now and i turning the filter off hoping he will bite soon
[/quote]

So you are able to get a net in there now?

Try tieing it to a broom handle as was suggested if its too deep, much better than "fishing" him out


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## dmackey (Jan 26, 2010)

yea net goes down on side only but i cant twist or turn it any


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## Johnny_Zanni (Nov 8, 2009)

Try and direct him in it. Hand on the inside of the tank outside of the overflow.


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## T-wag (May 21, 2009)

lmao, sorry i know its not funny but really how does that happen haha


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## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

if you can get the net in and cant move it you should try chasing it into the net. Id try aq coat hanger wire or somethign to try to chase him in the net but if you use a wire id fold it in half so there is no sharp end near him and its just a fold there

Im sure your pretty frustrated by now but if youve been in the hobby 5 days or 50 years you probably still wouldnt be prepared for this. Another thing i can think of would be try dropping a bag on a string or something so you can try to either chase it into it or just pull it up


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## Johnny_Zanni (Nov 8, 2009)

CLUSTER ONE said:


> if you can get the net in and cant move it you should try chasing it into the net. Id try aq coat hanger wire or somethign to try to chase him in the net but if you use a wire id fold it in half so there is no sharp end near him and its just a fold there
> 
> Im sure your pretty frustrated by now but if youve been in the hobby 5 days or 50 years you probably still wouldnt be prepared for this. Another thing i can think of would be try dropping a bag on a string or something so you can try to either chase it into it or just pull it up


Bag idea is good but wouldn't work.. The water pressure will squeeze the bag closed.


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## dmackey (Jan 26, 2010)

Johnny_Zanni said:


> if you can get the net in and cant move it you should try chasing it into the net. Id try aq coat hanger wire or somethign to try to chase him in the net but if you use a wire id fold it in half so there is no sharp end near him and its just a fold there
> 
> Im sure your pretty frustrated by now but if youve been in the hobby 5 days or 50 years you probably still wouldnt be prepared for this. Another thing i can think of would be try dropping a bag on a string or something so you can try to either chase it into it or just pull it up


Bag idea is good but wouldn't work.. The water pressure will squeeze the bag closed.
[/quote]

Yea I was frustrated yesterday today I'm pissed a friend and I had 2 mets in trying to lure him in for over a hour none stop he just stayed in the middle smart little bastard


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## Plowboy (Apr 9, 2008)

Shut the filter off, pump the water out of the overflow so the little guy can't swim away, net the fish, and then turn the pump back on. I can't imagine it would stress him anymore than chasing him around for an hour.


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## dmackey (Jan 26, 2010)

Plowboy said:


> Shut the filter off, pump the water out of the overflow so the little guy can't swim away, net the fish, and then turn the pump back on. I can't imagine it would stress him anymore than chasing him around for an hour.


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## dmackey (Jan 26, 2010)

Yea I actually thought of doing that when I get back in later.. I left the pump off just that shrimp on a hook in hopefully when I get back in soon he is hooked ....manna dis is some bs


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## Sanjo Eel (Aug 21, 2008)

This really sucks man I wish I could offer you some practical advice but I have never seen this happen before. Good Luck, I am sure you will get him out of there.


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## marco (Jan 2, 2003)




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## Johnny_Zanni (Nov 8, 2009)

marco said:


>


That award was given to me fair and circle!


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## FEEFA (Nov 19, 2007)

Update?

Hope the lil guy is ok

If I remember correctly I think we live in the same area, if you want a hand trying to get him out I'd be more than happy to come by. Just send me a pm


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## philbert (Mar 8, 2007)

if it was me i would get a treble hook file off the 3 barbs and snag him under the jaw. or shut the filter off as suggested and net him. or cut the handle off a net and tie fishing line to the corners put the net down in it so it lays as close to flat as possible. let the fish swim over and pull up on the net.


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## Criley (Jun 2, 2010)

philbert said:


> if it was me i would get a treble hook file off the 3 barbs and snag him under the jaw. or shut the filter off as suggested and net him. or cut the handle off a net and tie fishing line to the corners put the net down in it so it lays as close to flat as possible. let the fish swim over and pull up on the net.


i like post. net idea sounds clever. cut the net and take it off the handle. put some kind of a light weight in it so it since... have line tied to the side. pull the net up quick to get him? maybe easier said than done but i like that method


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## marco (Jan 2, 2003)

is he out of there yet man?


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## bricklr (Aug 14, 2010)

I would have cut the pvc by now. Just my thoughts.


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## marco (Jan 2, 2003)

bricklr said:


> I would have cut the pvc by now. Just leave enough room to put sleeves back on. You can buy rubber sleeves with hose clamps if your worried about fumes from the glue. Just my thoughts.


this post is just gunna confuse him, u gotta create a colord diagram.


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## Inflade (Mar 24, 2006)

bricklr said:


> I would have cut the pvc by now. Just leave enough room to put sleeves back on. You can buy rubber sleeves with hose clamps if your worried about fumes from the glue. Just my thoughts.


I agree, measure from the base of the overflow pipe to the top and record the measurement. Turn off the pump, 2/3 of the water in the box, leaving enough for the little guy to breath still.

Cut the pipe(s) with a dremel or something. Net the bastard, toss him in the tank. Place a connector at the base of the pipe u cut, and the other piece u cut. If its just an overflow pipe, sealing isn't required anyways as the water will just flow down into ur inlet to your wetdry. You may need to trim the piece you cut off to ensure its the same length as original. Put the side u cut in the connection piece so you have a clean finish at the top.

Finally vac the majority of the plastic pieces from cutting before filling the overflow up and starting the pump. Your mech filters will grab anything you missed. Connectors u will find at the hardware store for a few bucks. A dremel u can track down from a friend, or rent at united rentals or something.

Hope that gives u an idea. Goodluck


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## Ægir (Jan 21, 2006)

bricklr said:


> I would have cut the pvc by now. Just leave enough room to put sleeves back on. You can buy rubber sleeves with hose clamps if your worried about fumes from the glue. Just my thoughts.


The only way to cut the PVC is under the stand, and then loosten the bulkhead and lift the entire durso out... his filtration would be offline for 24 hours minimum to patch that. you cant really get a saw (dremel maybe?) in the overflow to cut it off.

When i helped him set this up, it was noted to NOT glue the internal parts... but in the mix of things he spaced that out. For his first sump wet/dry setup it turned out great and you should be able to get him out with no cutting... it might be hard but its worth a few hours to avoid cutting ANYTHING at this point.

Rubber clamps are the worst idea EVER... so are repair couplers

True union, or glued joint ONLY... both take 24hrs, and risk all his other fish


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## Inflade (Mar 24, 2006)

How is it a bad idea? What purpose are these pipes providing other then a laneway for water to enter his sump? Cutting them, and putting a joint on when your finished isn't going to cause a leak....


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## Inflade (Mar 24, 2006)

you get him out?


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## bricklr (Aug 14, 2010)

Ægir said:


> I would have cut the pvc by now. Just leave enough room to put sleeves back on. You can buy rubber sleeves with hose clamps if your worried about fumes from the glue. Just my thoughts.


The only way to cut the PVC is under the stand, and then loosten the bulkhead and lift the entire durso out... his filtration would be offline for 24 hours minimum to patch that. you cant really get a saw (dremel maybe?) in the overflow to cut it off.

When i helped him set this up, it was noted to NOT glue the internal parts... but in the mix of things he spaced that out. For his first sump wet/dry setup it turned out great and you should be able to get him out with no cutting... it might be hard but its worth a few hours to avoid cutting ANYTHING at this point.

Rubber clamps are the worst idea EVER... so are repair couplers

True union, or glued joint ONLY... both take 24hrs, and risk all his other fish
[/quote]

It wasn't meant as a permanent solution. Just an idea to get him out befor he dies! You can repair it correctly down the road. Another idea is he can completely drain the tank and dump him out. Have fun with that one people!


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

Not out yet?

C'mon.
Can't seriously be that difficult to get a piranha out of a filter.


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## dmackey (Jan 26, 2010)

ahhhh he finally took the bait tonight wow what a process this was , thanks for the help fellas, i used a small hook and string all week with a piece of shrimp on it and he wouldn't bite so i bought a half dozen of small feeders hooked it on his gill and dropped him in , i also turned the filter off within seconds mission complete he couldn't resist the live bait ......what a freakin head ache this was !!! now i can relax and smoke one at ease......


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## marco (Jan 2, 2003)

dmackey said:


> ahhhh he finally took the bait tonight wow what a process this was , thanks for the help fellas, i used a small hook and string all week with a piece of shrimp on it and he wouldn't bite so i bought a half dozen of small feeds hooked it on his gill and dropped him in , i also turned the filter off within seconds mission complete he couldn't resist the live bait ......what a freakin head ache this was !!! now i can relax and smoke one at ease......


lol


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## dmackey (Jan 26, 2010)

free at last.... free at last...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Z0PI5SXMHc


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## SERRAPYGO (Feb 4, 2003)

Piranha_man said:


> free at last.... free at last...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Z0PI5SXMHc


I thought this video was gonna show us how the cranes and jaws of life showed up with a huge crowd gathering!







I'm disappointed.


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## dmackey (Jan 26, 2010)

SERRAPYGO said:


> free at last.... free at last...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Z0PI5SXMHc


I thought this video was gonna show us how the cranes and jaws of life showed up with a huge crowd gathering!







I'm disappointed.
[/quote]

funny mann lol....not this time bru maybe next time just for you tho


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## db04ph (Jan 27, 2009)

sweet tank man, cant tell wich one is the big piraya i sold you
got any feeding videos?


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

I'm tellin' ya man, you really have got just about the most gorgeous, colorful Pygos I've ever seen.
I might just do a white sand tank just because of how cool yours is!

Congrats on finally getting him out.









(Here's your video embedded...)


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## impalass (Nov 20, 2009)

Good news finally







Love your pygo shoal









Notice any new gray hairs this week ?


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## dmackey (Jan 26, 2010)

* db04ph man good question lol i'm pretty sure its the smaller one in there im about 90% sure.......piranha man thanks for the embedded video , and the compliments , impalass yea i think i grew my 1st gray hair funking stressing over a fish wtf lol i was thinking it may have got sucked up in the intake and i come home and the place would be flooded , that was my biggest worry being i have neighbors under me.
*


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## Hogdog (Feb 1, 2010)

No wonder it was stressing you out, it was stressing me out


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## marco (Jan 2, 2003)

dmackey said:


> * db04ph man good question lol i'm pretty sure its the smaller one in there im about 90% sure.......piranha man thanks for the embedded video , and the compliments , impalass yea i think i grew my 1st gray hair funking stressing over a fish wtf lol i was thinking it may have got sucked up in the intake and i come home and the place would be flooded , that was my biggest worry being i have neighbors under me.
> *


i think its the fish in the middle at 0:07 you can tell its the one cause the miss-shaped head


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## Dairy Whip (Mar 26, 2006)

Glad you got him out.... Was gonna say take the 12 gage make it fast and painless


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