Advice

[Frank143]

I have this never ending problem with my watchman goby. He likes to swim at night and gets pulled into my overflow and then down the drain. What options do I have to prevent this. The tank is an acrylic 90 gallon with a corner overflow that has the standard slots in the top to allow water to flow into it.

[ReeferRob]

Try putting some gutter guard over the top of the overflow.

[Tom@HaslettMI]

If he's slipping between the teeth of the overflow... go to a hobby store (like Michael's) and get "plastic canvas mesh". It comes in 1 foot squares and costs less than $2. Bring it home, cut strips slightly longer than the slots in the overflow, and use plastic clips (the ones that come attached to dress shirts work really well) to hold them in place. They should keep your goby safe.

[TIP]

They will, with time, get clogged with algae and detritus so be sure to clean them as needed.

[/TIP]

[Frank143]

He is getting pulled in between the teeth, I will have to go to Michael's tomorrow. Thanks for the tip!

[fawkes]

Go to the grocery store and get one of those nylon scrubbers used for dishes. You can turn it inside out and you will have a tube that is tied on one end. You can cut appropriate sized pieces to fit in the slots. You might want to consider one long piece of appropriate width that you can weave from slot to slot. You might need to use a torch to seal the edges, depending on how you cut it.

[fishtal]

Originally Posted by Tom@HaslettMI

If he's slipping between the teeth of the overflow... go to a hobby store (like Michael's) and get "plastic canvas mesh". It comes in 1 foot squares and costs less than $2. Bring it home, cut strips slightly longer than the slots in the overflow, and use plastic clips (the ones that come attached to dress shirts work really well) to hold them in place. They should keep your goby safe.

[TIP]

They will, with time, get clogged with algae and detritus so be sure to clean them as needed.

[/TIP]

+1 on the mesh that Tom suggested. It comes in various mesh sizes too. (Usually by color) Get the largest size that is smaller than your goby and it won't clog as often. I use the same mesh around my stand pipes in my breeding tanks and it works great. As the juveniles grow I increase the mesh size and the flow.

FWIW, the mesh is used for needlepoint type projects and you can find it in that area of Michael's or most fabric stores.