I am trying to remove a rusted fuel tank from a 98 camry in order to replace it, a rear brake line and a control arm. I have basically everything off but some sort of quick connect that goes to a black box behind the tank (which I have been told is to capture fumes from the tank) . It's a line that seems to be about 5/8 inch total dia. and it looks like wire loom. The connector itself is hard to explain. It's a little black connector that goes onto another line-(short/stubby). The short shaft has a ridge around it. The connector has a ring that one would assumes goes over the ridge and two little clips(attached to the ring., pointing towards the connector) that you would assume would lock inbehind the ridge but it doesn't seem to work this way and so I'm stuck.

 

Can the clips slide out?