# Killed by the fluval chi



## meve (Feb 4, 2012)

Hi

I spent a week on vacation and let my fishes alone at home cause I don't have any sitter. I was worried about the evaporation of the water and what troubles it could make. I was worry about the filter...Well, both of my fishes are DEAD. I found them stuck in the «pipe» used to let the power wire reach the filter!!! So, if you have a fluval chi, dont let the water level go low and watch if your fish tries to get into that spot. I dont even know if I was able to clean all fish part off that «tunnel»... I'm really disgusted and frustrated. It was awful to see my fishes in parts...:evil:


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

Aw, I'm so sorry it must be terrible to have seen them like that 
Good to know, a lot of members on here use the chi.


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## vilmarisv (Apr 17, 2010)

That's horrible, sorry it happened. 
Fluval Chi sells a Fry filter intake sponge to cover that pipe, I used to use it for my non-fluval tanks before I completely switched to sponge filters. 
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3650250
I think it will ease your worries in the future.


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## meve (Feb 4, 2012)

thanks for the tip, but my fishes got stuck in the part between the clip and the brown box. They got swallowed in the part wich is the top in that picture, between that «crack» and I found their body stuck in the «cylinder» part in the middle. I had to open all the filter (brown box) and took off the light to reach the power cord and move it forward to get the bodies out... So i don't think the sponge could help.:-(


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## JBosley (Jan 28, 2012)

I was going to sell my Chi as I can't stand the blue light when I'm sleeping (the tank has to be in my room) and the blue light stays on even when the LED is turned off. So what I decided to do is keep the tank and get a different filter 

That's what I would do! I love the Chi as it is tall and glass, but I hated the blue light and found the filter a tad annoying....


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## meve (Feb 4, 2012)

maybe I will do that... let me know what filter you gonna get pls


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## JBosley (Jan 28, 2012)

This one:
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11147282&lmdn=Size

Or this one:
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4239991&lmdn=Size

:-D Probably whatever is cheaper when I go! Sales and whatnot


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## meve (Feb 4, 2012)

@Jbosley, What you gonna put for the light?


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## JBosley (Jan 28, 2012)

meve said:


> @Jbosley, What you gonna put for the light?


I just use natural light


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## Eiksaa (Feb 12, 2012)

You had two fish in there or do you have two Chis?


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## meve (Feb 4, 2012)

I had 2 Chi, don't worry. So, I'm twice disappointed!


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## Eiksaa (Feb 12, 2012)

meve said:


> I had 2 Chi, don't worry. So, I'm twice disappointed!


That's so unfortunate. I am sorry!


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## Ramble (Mar 13, 2012)

Sorry to hear about your fish! I have the smaller filter you're looking at getting and it seems to be working well so far.


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## Eiksaa (Feb 12, 2012)

If anyone is interested, I basically just stuffed some strips of foam in there so it's blocked. My betta has never shown interest in 'exploring' that pipe but I wanted to be safe.


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## meve (Feb 4, 2012)

@ Eiksaa: I was thinking doing that too... If you could post pictures, it would be nice! thanks!


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## tpocicat (Aug 8, 2011)

Meve, I'm so sorry for your loss. I've always thought the fluvial chi was beautiful, but I'm having second thoughts now.


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## Eiksaa (Feb 12, 2012)

Sure. There are basically three foam strips, one in each little section. You can't see the third one peeking out because I cut it a little shorter so it is flushed with the pipe. I find these strips stay in there easily.


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## meve (Feb 4, 2012)

@Eiksaa
THANKS!!!!!!! it works perfectly!! I'm soooo relieve!


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## Eiksaa (Feb 12, 2012)

For sure. Glad it worked.

I would also like to add, anyone considering the Chi, this was a freak accident. It never should have happened, very unfortunate that is happened twice; but this doesn't happen to every betta in that tank.


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## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

Poor little guys.. sorry you lost them..

Also would like to add, that even though it is always ideal to make your tank as safe as possible.. I don't believe your fish were killed by the Chi.
A lot of times when a fish dies they end up caught by the filter intake since the water is gently moving towards it. 
I would look at other factors while you were gone-
Were the heaters working properly? Did you check to see if they were still at the correct temperature? 
How big of a water change did you do before you left?
Did you have an automatic feeder?
Those plants look to be dying which could easily cause toxins in the water- you may want to remove the dying leaves quickly.
Were they in constant dark? Light?
What was the chemistry of the water when you got home? 

I'm sorry you lost both boys, but honestly don't think it was the Chi, as a freak accident happening at the same time like that is not a coincidence. I would have to say there is another reason for both of them to of passed.


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## Eiksaa (Feb 12, 2012)

Myrates, you are right. I was thinking about that too. Only thing is Meve found the bodies in the pipe that connects the filter to the box, that is not the filter intake. But who knows, maybe it does suck in water because of vacuum and that's now they ended up there. 

Also, the dying plants are mine.  it's a crypt just about coming out of it's melting state.


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## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

Hmm... still interesting, and definitely something to take precautions about.

D'oh! lol I thought maybe a plant had rotted while Meve was away, sorry I got you two confused


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## meve (Feb 4, 2012)

Thanks for bringing that up. Unfortunatly, I dont answer at most of your questions. My plants were fine, even , they looked more healthy when I got back than when I left! They were bigger and got nicer colors. The temperature were a little colder in one tank. But I dOn't think tha tit happened suddenly. I left for a week and after reading few posts here, I decided to make them feast during that time. So the last time they ate was the morning I left and I gave them the same numbers of pellet as usual. The night before, I did a 50% water change since I did a 100% change 5 days before. Finally, I let the light of the aauqrium on all the time. 

In my opinion, I think that the water evaporation killed them. The water level got too low and I guess the filter succion began to be too strong and got them stuck. It's my opinion...I had the lid on for one of the tank (the one made by Hagen for the Chi) but the evaporation was almost the same in both tank. Maybe 2 cm difference.

My third fish in is Fluval Spec was perfectly fine and is quite happy to be feed daily now! lol

Anyway thanks for your input, I will be vigilent in the future about the factors your brought up. But let me say, that I,m nervous to let the filter runs when I'm away now...:-(


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## Eiksaa (Feb 12, 2012)

I hear you meve, but I am confused. You found them in the pipe, right? Not in the filter. The filter sucks up water into the box, that's actually far from where the pipe is. 

I don't know; I am confused. I have a feeling the only way a fish would end up there is if they swam into it. I just checked it again and even vacuum can be ruled out because it is open at the top. At the same time I find it hard to believe that both your fish decided to do it while you were away. So confusing.

There is a review on the Hagen blog where someone's fish swam into it twice while they were watching the fish so they could get the fish unstuck (it did take them stepping in to help, the fish couldn't get unstuck on its own) and the fish finally died when he swam in there when the owner wasn't watching. But that's the only reference of this I have found online.


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## Eiksaa (Feb 12, 2012)

Also, forgot to ask. Was the filter still working when you got back? As in, was it pumping out water from top. My filter stops working if the water level gets too low.


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## meve (Feb 4, 2012)

Well it was the final end I thought about...I found the tail of one of them sticked to the black stripe where you should put the filter clip. It was stick on the «wall» , the end of the tail facing the exterior. So I thought it went trought the crack, not from the bottom. When I cleaned the pipe, I saw that the water could go under the light from that pipe by the clip. When I arrived I could hear the motor runs, but no water was going throught the top.

Anyway, I dont want to say that the Chi is a bad tank. I kept mine and I put back new fishes in it. I just wanted to warned people and it works because you helped me to fix it! ;-)


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## rubenhak (Mar 26, 2012)

What kind of foam did you guys use? Would a depron or EPP kind of foam work well in the water? Wouldn't it dissolve in the water?


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## Eiksaa (Feb 12, 2012)

http://www.amazon.com/Fluval-204-Foam-Filter-Block/dp/B001D02O64
I had some of that lying around from earlier. I am super paranoid about what I can use in a fish tank so I only use things that are meant to be in there.


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## rubenhak (Mar 26, 2012)

Thank you for the link!


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## meve (Feb 4, 2012)

I have to leave for a complete week again . I'm really nervous to let my fishes alone once again. What would you think if I let my 2 fluval chi tank without the filter on for 7 days? I have a really plants in it and a heater. Could it be really bad?

I fixed the clip like it said in this post, but I become a little paranoid now...


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## Eiksaa (Feb 12, 2012)

If your tank is not cycled it is probably OK to leave with the filter switched off. How about take the whole filter box out while you're gone and cover the tank with some sort of temporary lid? The only worry is the filter goes crazy if the water level is too low and it will definitely go too low because of evaporation in 7 days. So, no filter seems like a better idea.


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## meve (Feb 4, 2012)

Hi,
just want to let you know that no problem happened while I was away  A friend came to fill up the tanks.

BUT, tonight, I almost lost a fish again because of that pipe! I swear, the sponge are filling the holes like Eiksaa showed. My fish is really small and curious. *So be cautious!*! I took off the filter from fluvial this time and put the i25 marina instead.


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## Skaht (May 13, 2012)

Bumping this to say thanks! to meve for starting this thread and Eiksaa to posting their solution.

I went into panic when my way over-priced betta disappeared while I was sitting at my desk next to him. Google brought me here and I was able to pull him out of the pipe just in time.

I happened to have some sponge laying around which is working perfectly.

On a side note...wth Hagen? There's 3 posts about this on their blog and they seem to shrug it off.

Anyway....thanks again. You all saved my sanity and my betta.


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## ZackyBear (Dec 1, 2011)

Would it be possible to cut something up and blockthat area? Like some sponge?


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## LunarBetta (Oct 21, 2015)

Bump! Eiksaa the pictures are no longer working with your solution to fix the problem. I am so confused about how the betta got into the pipe. I don't see an opening at all where it could get in. I am not sure if it makes a difference but I have the Fluval Chi model 2. Thanks!


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## LunarBetta (Oct 21, 2015)

Yes, updated fluval Chi model does not have the hole to suck in the betta based on what I found online. Just in case anyone was wondering. https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/comments/21or84/fluval_chi_killed_my_wifes_betta/


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