# Amano shrimp sucked into the prefilter, how to prevent?



## Greeny (14 Mar 2022)

Hi guys,

Yesterday, I bought a couple of Amano shrimp to make sure they will be ok before buying some more at a later date and all seemed well. That night I was getting a little worried because they were swimming restlessly up and down around and around etc but I just read they get like that when they get excited about breeding etc. So apprehensively I went to bed. I looked for them in the morning, couldn't find them but had to go to work. I came back this evening and still couldn't find them so lifted rocks, checked behind plants, etc, and nothing.  Time to check the filter, so I pulled it apart, nothing on the filter, I poured the water that was in the canister housing from the pre-filter into a bucket, and low and behold, there they were there alive and kicking. They're back in now and seem fine and active, I had to apologize to them (even though they don't understand me) for pouring the water out quite brashly as I wasn't expecting them to be there. Thankfully, they seem unharmed coming out of their ordeal.

Anyway, I have an evolution aqua surface skimmer and was wondering how other people prevent shrimp from accidentally getting sucked into the filter. I do have another bottom that I could put in the top, I'm assuming that's where they must have got sucked up into.


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## palcente (15 Mar 2022)

If they are stressed or don't like the water they will climb on anything and so will probably get sucked into the filter through the skimmer. You could lift the skimmer for couple of days. I tend to wrap the edges of the tank with cling film for first couple of nights.


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## GHNelson (15 Mar 2022)

You could try cutting a very coarse sponge to fit inside the skimmer's head!


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## Greeny (15 Mar 2022)

Thanks to you both for your suggestions. Interesting to see what ideas came out of this. Luckily, I had a spare bottom part of the skimmer due to breaking an old one and have put that in the top. This has worked a treat. Also, they seem to have settled down now and look like they are getting back to a normal routine. I look forward to getting some more now I know there are no big issues with water parameters. I'll be sure to use the cling film method too just in case as I'll probably get the same acclimatisation issue with the new ones too.


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## Ajm200 (18 Mar 2022)

Cable tie a sponge or media net over intakes so tiny tank inhabitants are safe.


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