[pretty-nifty]

What's the best way to get uneaten food from a small 10G tank if you can't use a vacuum because it's too low?

I isolated my holding yellow lab. I drop a pellet every night but it's not being eaten. I can't use my gravel cleaner to get it out because it's too low to siphon. I suppose I could just net it out. What have you guys done in this situation?

 

[prov356]

You can get battery operated cleaners like this one.

 

[GTZ]

If your lab is holding, she's unlikely to eat anything until about a day after she spits out the fry.
In any case, I have the same situation with a low 10g fry tank and use a turkey baster to suck out excess food/detritus/algae. I've also heard that a car battery filler which is similar to a turkey baster will work as well.

 

[KaiserSousay]

In a choice between the baster or battery vac, the battery vac is my choice.
Not pricey.
Works like a charm.
Will clean circles around the baster.
Basters do a great job of blowing debris out of décor.
Not so great at holding gunk in the bulb for removal.

 

[PfunMo]

Battery vac has definite advantages and has other uses as well. There are times when all tanks may get gunk that should be cleaned out but not worth the effort of doing a full scale water change. The battery vac is quick and handy.

 

[pretty-nifty]

In a choice between the baster or battery vac, the battery vac is my choice.
Not pricey.
Works like a charm.
Will clean circles around the baster.
Basters do a great job of blowing debris out of décor.
Not so great at holding gunk in the bulb for removal.

You mean the battery filler? Not the battery powered gravel washer.

 

[PfunMo]

For some things like shooting small food directly to fry, flushing gunk out of rocks, the patery filler is nice with the long thin neck. For picking up debris, I would think the thin neck might be too small to pick all but the smallest debris. I think John meant to recommend the battery operated vac. He might be along shortly to clear that up.