Word of advice: Don't trust fish with the top off for even the shortest periods of time!!

Pistondog

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 28, 2020
Messages
5,264
Reaction score
9,405
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
i have an egg crate top and it needs hosed off badly...I planned on doing that tonight but now you all have me nervous. I have two new wrasses in the tank so if anyone jumps, it will be them. I guess I can put a towel over the top while I hose the egg crate?
Or make a 2nd egg crate cover, if not too complicated, for now and future.
 

Todd1white

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 9, 2019
Messages
92
Reaction score
222
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I went a year and a half without a lid, then got a blue spot Jawfish, which I knew were jumpers, so diy screen top. Took some time to make because it’s a corner tank. A month later I find the Jawfish baking on top of the screen. How he got through it is beyond me.
 

Pistondog

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 28, 2020
Messages
5,264
Reaction score
9,405
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I went a year and a half without a lid, then got a blue spot Jawfish, which I knew were jumpers, so diy screen top. Took some time to make because it’s a corner tank. A month later I find the Jawfish baking on top of the screen. How he got through it is beyond me.
Looked him up, poor little guy. That diy cover must've been a challenge. For you to make and the fish to get above.
 

codycolina707

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 9, 2019
Messages
473
Reaction score
389
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
:eek:I don't have a lid on my tank just now, and I am new to the marine hobby. Is it mainly wrasses that jump or is this common behaviour with other species?
I've had 2 clownfish jump out also flasher wrasse jump into my overflow box 2 times pretty much any fish can jump its a must to have a lid or screen top
 

Reva_loution54

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 5, 2017
Messages
61
Reaction score
113
Location
Monroe
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Feel your pain, I just recently set up a ReEfEr250 and never really had and issues with fish jumping before so I said maybe it’s the moonlight that I keep on at night the helps the fish not get disoriented, so I went and got a carpenter flasher wrasse super active fish by the way sure enough two weeks later came home to this b#LL$#*+
B4D888F1-3A0A-49C6-8243-8FF05D6ECFB7.jpeg
 

Oz_Puffy

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 11, 2020
Messages
34
Reaction score
19
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hmmm, making me think I need to invest in a cover to avoid this situation happening in the future. Anyone got any recommendations for a good quality and good looking cover for a Waterbox 130.4?
 

Pistondog

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 28, 2020
Messages
5,264
Reaction score
9,405
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hmmm, making me think I need to invest in a cover to avoid this situation happening in the future. Anyone got any recommendations for a good quality and good looking cover for a Waterbox 130.4?
Rimless is a challenge. I used diy frame with 1/4 inch brs white screen, then added sticky pads to front and sides underneath frame to locate/keep in place. The stick pads sit just inside the glass when the cover is in place.
 

Viking_Reefing

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 4, 2018
Messages
1,317
Reaction score
2,122
Location
Sweden
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Yeah, it happens....especially with rimless tanks. That’s the reason I’m going with euro bracing on my new tank.

The worst jumper I’ve had was an Asian arowana pushing 50cm+. I was doing tank maintenance and suddenly saw something fly through the air in my periphery, dang thing landed behind a huge couch:D
 

Eraygunz

New Member
View Badges
Joined
May 24, 2020
Messages
8
Reaction score
42
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Last night I decided to target feed coral so I temporarily removed the top from my shallow frag tank. About 40 minutes later I came down, fed the tank and put the top back on. Came home this afternoon to discover that my awesome orchid dotty back jumped out some time within the 40 minutes the top was off last night and was dried up on the floor. I did not forget to put it back on but didn't know it had already jumped. Now I've had this happen on another tank without a top but this one I invested in the top to prevent this. I really get pi$$ed off at myself over stupid stuff like this. It was avoidable. It's not easy to get a healthy fish. So stupid on my part. Just thought i'd share my misfortune.
I have lost a few the same way .
Usually through the aggressive behavior of another fish.
I now have a think piece of clear cast acrylic over my top. It’s a pain sometimes.
But, worth the cost and inconvenience !!!!
 

Fishnut

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
May 18, 2018
Messages
613
Reaction score
973
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Also waiting for the rimless tank fad to end. They are the cause of far to many fish “carpet surfing” deaths. While raising some of my clownfish fry the one with the moist unique markings managed to leap through the smallest of openings around a heater cord.
 

Grallster

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
May 6, 2019
Messages
83
Reaction score
77
Location
South Bend
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I woke up one morning and found my clown tang lying on the floor in front of my tank—luckily found it before the dog. Picked it up, threw it back in and it sank to the bottom. Took about 10 minutes but it started swimming around again...fish lived another dozen years after that.
I now keep a lid on all my tanks. IMO ANY fish can decide to be a jumper!
 

garybigley

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 2, 2020
Messages
15
Reaction score
30
Location
Plymouth
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I cringe everytime I see a tank with clownfish and no lid for this reason. Don’t think they’ll jump? Oh how wrong you are. I’ve actually watched a clownfish jump out of a tank. I’ve lost two clownfish this way and through small gaps in lids.
I learned the jumper lesson first hand with my male DaVinci clown. I had a great pair and found the male dried on the floor one morning after leaving the top off. I think we all make this mistake at least once.
 

AquaLifeStudio

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 7, 2018
Messages
583
Reaction score
580
Location
Fairfield, CA.
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Ive had the same clownfish jump out twice during a 30 minute window of servicing a tank. Both times I had to find em in the partial dark to put her back in, she lives on to this day.

A pintail fairy wrasse jumped out during feeding time and flew 6 feet to the tiled floor, a little shaken from the ordeal but it also survived.

I was lucky I was nearby for both of these events but there have been unlucky times as well. It only takes a moment.
 

RUKelly

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 27, 2020
Messages
51
Reaction score
36
Location
Merritt Island
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
:eek:I don't have a lid on my tank just now, and I am new to the marine hobby. Is it mainly wrasses that jump or is this common behaviour with other species?
Oh gosh, so many species jump, whether out of being startled or chased by other fish...... Over many years I’ve lost anthias‘, chromis‘, harlequin basslet, cuban & peppermint stripe hogs, rabbitfish, tangs, damsels, and even a spinecheek clown. Luckily, in some cases I heard the commotion and saved a life a few times. Othertimes I suspect my dogs enjoyed sushi, and there have been instances of dried fish behind the tank. At the time Red Sea did not have a cover for their open top tanks. Finally, last year, a cover was available And I purchased it at a hefty $$$. When I received it, I had to build it. It was plastic netting, plastic strip sides and reminded me of window screening that folks do. My talents do not lie towards that direction but it was close to my birthday and I implored my son-in-law to build it as a gift. He is an awesome handyman. I sleep better at night now, and no more jumpers. So yes, please get a top for your tank, it is heartbreaking to lose a fish.
 

cancun

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 8, 2013
Messages
1,821
Reaction score
3,032
Location
Southern Illinois
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I too feel your pain. A few months ago I had my lid off to clean it, and my Red Coris Wrasse, that I raised for several years from a one inch Juvi to a 8-9 inch adult took the leap. I didn't know it for several days, I thought he was chilling under the sand. Found him dried up behind the tank. I was totally bummed!!!
 

WayneSg

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 24, 2020
Messages
28
Reaction score
41
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Last night I decided to target feed coral so I temporarily removed the top from my shallow frag tank. About 40 minutes later I came down, fed the tank and put the top back on. Came home this afternoon to discover that my awesome orchid dotty back jumped out some time within the 40 minutes the top was off last night and was dried up on the floor. I did not forget to put it back on but didn't know it had already jumped. Now I've had this happen on another tank without a top but this one I invested in the top to prevent this. I really get pi$$ed off at myself over stupid stuff like this. It was avoidable. It's not easy to get a healthy fish. So stupid on my part. Just thought i'd share my misfortune.
Same thing happened to me the other day. Took the top off my tank to feed the fish and my little clown fish must have jumped out when I had my back turned. I didn’t know until I got home from work and saw he was missing.
 

Skullring

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 29, 2020
Messages
75
Reaction score
87
Location
Oneonta, Alabama
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I had to rebuild my mesh top because I have a goby that’s jumped through the 3/8” gap twice. Thankfully he landed in the overflow both times.
 

Dburr1014

7500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
May 8, 2016
Messages
8,180
Reaction score
8,127
Location
CT
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
That happened to me one time, luckily I found him behind the tank in a dustball but still moist. I put him back in the tank after I dusted him off and he survived. Sorry for your loss.
 
Back
Top