HELP! Cleaner Wrasse in sump!!!

[melvis]

Hey all

Noticed earlier that my Cleaner Wrasse had disappeared and didn't come out for feeding. Opened the lid and found him swimming about in the sump....no idea how he got in there, but suspect he may have jumped in whilst I was doing my WC yesterday.

Tried all sorts to get him out and now have the media rack in the sink, the skimmer out on the side and all the ATO bits dismantled and on the floor. Noticed then that he was motionless and we thought he'd died from the stress of me and the missus trying to get him back 'home'. Missus stuck her arm in to get him, after I'd removed the pump and the little ****** swam off.

Have tried feeding, a net, plastic cup, small sieve, hands etc etc so any ideas welcome please?

I haven't put anything back in yet and will leave a short while as I'm worried the stress will get to him.

 

[melvis]

GOT HIM!

Over 3 hours spent dismantling the hood, removing the media rack, sump, ATO, and return pump in order to catch him - by wedging a bit of foam down the bottom of the sump part (right hand side when looking at tank) and asking the missus to grab him. - He dive-bombed the floor but is back in now but hiding away, will keep an eye out. Everything is back in now despite 45 minutes trying to get the skimmer back where it was, although that's noisy now so I'm hoping it just needs to settle down.

Not how I envisaged spending my Sunday afternoon.

 

[DianaKay]

Glad you got him back in the display tank...
Sounds like a frustrating event doing it tho
Hope he doesn't try that again!!

 

[melvis]

Wasn't the best afternoon Diana, my Coral Beauty seemed spooked once everything was back in and the lights on and was swimming oddly. The missus thought his eyes looked funny, but couldn't put a finger on why. Sadly, woke just now to find him dead. RIP little fella.

 

[DianaKay]

Oh No!! Sorry for your loss
You should test your water parameters as something might have caused an ammonia spike.