filter attracks fis

[willameena]

I'm new at this, I got a small tank (10G)for the kids (used, filter and all)). To start we added a couple of neons, platies and balloon molly. My problem is the fish seem to be attracted by the filter. I lost a few fish. What can I do to prevent anymore accidents. One of my molly's got stuck, tail is red now and she is having a hard time. I tried to block the tube , but they persist is going near it. Molly got stuck again. I turned the filter off for now, can't afford to do that for too long.

Any suggestions
Thank you

[Michael_Lambert]

Willameena,

Welcome!

I moved your thread here to the freshwater forums just so you will get people experienced with freshwater.

First of all, What kind of filter are you running? and second of all does the filter itself have a prescreen on the intake? just wondering if possible the filter is too large or powerful for a tank that small, With fish that small!

Thanks
Mike

[willameena]

Thank you for answering
first , this is my first tank...so I wanted to experiment with little fish...see how I do. I got a used tank...no idea how powerful the filter is ( where should it be written) filter says120 vac 60hz 7w if that means anything. Filter does not have a prescreen on it, I figured it wouldn't do any good cause it's the suction that is the problem, the fish get stuck on the end, a screen won't prevent this. I then made a contramption : emptied a water plant basket, filled it with pebbles and then I put it under the intake tubing. I'm sure there are other solutions...for now my fish will be safe. I feel terrible however, for the fish that perished ( 3 to date). I figured having an aquarium would be less worrisom that another kind of pet....I'm sure that many more adventures lie ahead...
I want to get through this one first..
If you believe the fish I chose are too small , what do you suggest for the next time?

Thank you

[Michael_Lambert]

Well that idea will work :)

Other ideas would be to Blue a BioBall to the intake or cust out some prefilter such as sponge! the ideal is you dont want to leave room for the fish to get sucked in, so by running a prescreen of some sort you are not leaving the fish to be totally sucked in,

[willameena]

Wow
Am i embarrased now or what.......i took a look at some photo galleries...including yours... I'm.......amazed ..and here I am worried about my little tank...then again I assume most people didn't start with 100 g tanks ........
have I got something to learn or what
Thanks for the ideas...

[Michael_Lambert]

Not at all :)

My first tank was when i was 6 years old, a 2 gallon Goldfish bowl! :)

sence i started in this saltwater hobby! ... now about 3 years.. i started with a 30g i had as a fresh water.. and converted it into saltwater.

in the last 3 years i went from 30g to 125g to 90g to 72G to 65 to 30g again and now upto 150g.


really it all up to what people can afford! .. i started small and should have stayed small.. but bought bigger with mis information then relized i could not afford it.. then went smaller!

So now im running a 30G drilled with a 33G refugium and just starting off a 150G custom drilled with both a 50G sump and 25G refugium.. and looking to add on a 75G Grow out tank on to this system! :)