SeaClear System II- fish alive in filter assembly- please help

[ambrosiamonkey]

So I am doing my weekly water change and I realize that one of my little tetras has gone over the overflow filter into the back of the tank where the filter assembly is. The SeaClear System II has a wet-dry filter built into the back of the tank, with three compartments separated by acrylic barriers (I can't remove them) the tetra was in the first compartment, for the heater, but when I tried to net it to bring it back into the tank, it swam away, into a compartment I can't get my net in, but which is distressingly close to the pump.

How do I coax the tetra into my net? I have very limited space within which to work. I don't want it to die in the filter assembly.

Any suggestions? I was mid-water change, so the filter is turned off for the time being.

Would it be a bad idea to drop some food in the first compartment, where I could then net it? I'm not crazy about putting food in back there, but it's probably better than a starved fish.

 

[Harlock]

Do you have a narrow tube for your gravel vac? I you could suck him into any kind of pre-rinsed dish, it may work. Or, if you have a python, simply get him in the tube or line, stop the flow, turn on the fill and push him back into the main tank. He'll hate the ride, but better than getting "pumped" to death.

 

[ambrosiamonkey]

Okay, I've taken a closer look at the filter assembly, and there is a drip tray over the bio-ball compartment that *I think* should keep him from getting in to the bio balls and then the pump. (Maybe SeaClear foresaw this scenario after all.) Right now he's in a little compartment about 1/2 inch by four inches wide, that overflows onto the drip tray. Can't fit the python in there, and he'd just swim down to the bottom, where the divider gives him about an inch of clearance to get back in the first compartment.

Now I am thinking about refilling the tank (as I said, I was mid change, I'd pulled about about 40% of the water out) that would raise the water level in the compartment he's in now, and drop him into the drip tray area (hopefully) or back into the first compartment where I can net him.

Yikes!

 

[ambrosiamonkey]

Whew!

I remembered that I had a tiny net reserved for brine shrimp. I was able to use that to net him, and now he's back in the main tank. Looking *very* hungry.

I'm relieved. Thanks Harlock for your help!