How to Stop Fish Jumping Out?

Maeda · #1 07/28/2007, 10:43 AM

I found a crispy $60.00 fish at the foot of my bed today.
I've already have 100$ worth of carpet surfers in the past month and i'm getting pretty sick of this.

It's not like i'm keeping really jumpy fish either.

I know a lot of people are keeping open top tanks. What's the mortality rates of these things?
I see huge open top tanks with thousands of dollars of angels... How do they prevent surfers?

If you have an open top please chime in and state...
How long you've had your tank in months
How many carpet surfers you've had

A fts would be nice too

I swear there's a reason why my open top tank can't hold any fish in, and this problem really needs to be solved. I know there are just going to be risks with the open top, but I honestly think nobody is losing as many fish as I am.

Andrew · #2 07/28/2007, 10:57 AM

Get some egg-crate or get some screen and frame it so it fits over the tank.

mta · #3 07/28/2007, 12:33 PM

Do you use a grounding probe in your tank?

Lugnut · #4 07/28/2007, 12:40 PM

I've had an open top 180 for 7 years without a single fish jumping out. What kind of fish have you had bad luck with?

Maeda · #5 07/28/2007, 11:41 PM

Candy Hog fish, and a sweet fridmani, a 2 spot goby, and a sixline which i've rescued successfully.

I feel like its my smaller tank thats the root of this.... well that and the whole open top thing.

A sea K · #6 07/29/2007, 08:32 AM

1 yr and 6 fish lost to jumping. 4 Carpenters and 2 Mc Cosker Wrasses. Just found the last one this morning after being gone all day yesterday.
I tried eggcrate which is pretty much useless IMO. Recently built screen tops and I guess this isnt so great either.
180 gal tank and yes I have a ground probe.

RichConley · #7 07/29/2007, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Maeda
Candy Hog fish, and a sweet fridmani, a 2 spot goby, and a sixline which i've rescued successfully.

I feel like its my smaller tank thats the root of this.... well that and the whole open top thing.

pretty much ALL of those ARE considered jumpers.

snorvich · #8 07/29/2007, 02:03 PM

Carpenters and McCoskers WILL jump. It is not an IF, it is a WHEN. Eggcrate is useless. Canopies work if they are totally enclosed. Otherwise, be prepared for carpet surfers.

aninjaatemyshoe · #9 07/29/2007, 02:10 PM

There was a thread on a clear plastic netting that someone had found awhile back. Seemed to be a good idea to prevent jumpers while blocking a minimal amount of light.

If you are going to go rimless/braceless, it seems to me the only choice is to stock non-jumpers. Putting something unsightly on the top like eggcrate or using a canopy defeats the purpose of such a tank.

aninjaatemyshoe · #10 07/29/2007, 02:13 PM

"Do you use a grounding probe in your tank?"

Why would this matter?

Maeda · #11 07/29/2007, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by aninjaatemyshoe
"Do you use a grounding probe in your tank?"

Why would this matter?

Obviously my problem lies with the fish being shocked out of the tank.

Well I think im going to stock a group of longspine cardinals... im pretty sure they wont jump, IF my problem is just my poor livestock choices.

aninjaatemyshoe · #12 07/29/2007, 05:32 PM

Shocked out of the tank? If there was a current in there you'd find out when you put your hands in there.

rockethippo12 · #13 07/29/2007, 05:36 PM

You shout at them really loudly.

Catawaba · #14 07/29/2007, 05:58 PM

Any possibility of an aggressive hitchhiker like a mantis? Anyone harrassing another member of the tank?
May want to go with a clear/white mesh over the top.

Noobie99 · #15 07/31/2007, 12:53 PM

Does anyone know where to get the clear white mesh and the instructions on how to put it on? I hear this is the best way to prevent my kamikaze fish from jumping. I know I ran across a thread on how to do it once, but I can't seem to find it now.

trmiv · #16 07/31/2007, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Noobie99
Does anyone know where to get the clear white mesh and the instructions on how to put it on? I hear this is the best way to prevent my kamikaze fish from jumping. I know I ran across a thread on how to do it once, but I can't seem to find it now.

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...sh+jump+screen

Noobie99 · #17 07/31/2007, 06:11 PM

Thanks Trmiv!

rbursek · #18 07/31/2007, 06:39 PM

Lost a 6 Line in a closed top to a thunder storm when the lights were still on, and it is a tight closed!!!!!! I was not hme at the time, but if I am and a Thinder storm rolles in of go the lights!
Bob

extinguishfire · #19 07/31/2007, 08:49 PM

They say that rimless tanks have more fish jumping than other for some reason. Nice tank btw.

seldin · #20 08/02/2007, 11:43 AM

What about plastic chicken wire from Home Depot. A 40 foot roll is about $10 dollars or so. It is not clear, mine is green. Make sure you it's a plastic but not metal. Mine has a 1 inch by 1 inch opening so there is a lot of ventilation.

It is also a snap to cut to fit with even a scissor.

I use mine, because in the summer, my house gets hot. So I took my canopy off and use a clip on fan so it cools the top of the water. So anyway, how I do it is to bend a small section over the rim of the tank. It's not clear, but the chicken wire is very light, does not rust and is very cheap. The gas exchange is excellent because the 1 inch wide opening is excellent.

How's that...

larryTAKEOUT@seldin.net

rbursek · #21 08/02/2007, 08:29 PM

Seldin,
sounds like a Geto set up!

seldin · #22 08/03/2007, 05:38 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by rbursek
Seldin,
sounds like a Geto set up!

Rbursek,

I do not know what the the word "Geto" means. I looked it up and did not find it. Maybe you meant "ghetto" which then means you do not like it. If that was the case, it does not sound like a very nice comment. If I am wrong, then I am sorry and please forgive me.

I can tell you that my setup is nice. Rather than have the fish jump out, I easily cut the green plastic chicken wire to fit. It acts like a canopy, except that it is open and promotes gas exchange which is good for the fish.

It fits around my skimmer and other equipment. In addition, there is a lot of open space (1 inch wide holes) that the wire fence makes, so there is excellent gas exchange. The fan works much better blowing across it. I also have a cutout for the fan to clip on the tank.

When the weather cools down, I may take it off. In the mean time, for the summer months, I reduced my electric bill and my fish do not jump out and I don't have to worry about them.

larryTAKEOUT@seldin.net

honda2sk · #23 08/03/2007, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by seldin
Rbursek,

I do not know what the the word "Geto" means. I looked it up and did not find it. Maybe you meant "ghetto" which then means you do not like it. If that was the case, it does not sound like a very nice comment. If I am wrong, then I am sorry and please forgive me.....

by using the term geto/ghetto I think he was referring to your fish living in their own little walled in community since your putting a secured top on their community, effectively securing them into their tank instead of letting them roam free throughout your house (i.e. living rm carpet) that they enjoyed with their open topped tank, similar to how small minority groups gathered, lived and were restricted to in their own little areas in italy where the term originated.

of course he could also have meant your tank is "ghetto" fabulous, a term used largely by the african american community to describe the poor, crime ridden conditions they live in, although usually glorified in their communities and "hip-hop" lifestyle, in which case I would be honored cause my fish are down with that shiznit yo