Mandarin Suicide

[Freddo]

Has anyone had any problems with their Mandarin(s) jumping?

I came home today and discovered my mandarin on top of my glass top baked and hard as a rock. He was fine last night when I went to bed.

I am running a 110G Tall AGA. There is a 1.5-2.0 inch gap between the edge of the glass tops and the back of the tank. I found the plastic spacers that came with the tops to be more of a hassle then anything else. Up until now I have never had an issue.

I'm really depressed. The Mandarin was over 8 months old. Being a first-time reefkeeper I was worried when I first got him but PODS never seemed to be an issue. He was fat and healthy up until his untimely demise...

thanks!

Fred

 

[Jawbone]

Bummer, I am sorry for your loss

On the lighter side
Just out of curiosity was his name "Willy"

 

[Anonymous]

On the other hand the quick death probably saved him from a slow and painful one from starvation.

 

[reefland]

That is exactly how mine died after close to 3 years of care, looked pretty crispy.

 

[Anonymous]

Goodbye cruel world...

 

[Anonymous]

what would make them jump though, guys? could something have spooked him? i know others have mentioned that stray voltage can cause a fish to stress - though i'm not real familiar with that aspect. would some change in water chemistry cause a fish to jump? it's not my thread but i am curious to hear what others may have to offer on this subject.

 

[Anonymous]

Everybody back.... we got a jumper.


I think that males sometimes catch their reflections in the glass and get all worked up and sometimes in their fury they hop around at the top of the water fighting the glass up and down and up and down then one time they hop and out they go.

Or, it was near the top of the water when a sound or other fish or someone bumped the tank or a rock settled and spooked them so they jumped and fell out.

In some tropical areas, a fish like the ballyhoo and needle fish often gets spooked at night by bright lights. So, we were traveling around once and had the spotlight on the ocean from our boat. We spotlighted some unsuspecting needle fish and it jumped, went clear thru the boat, and stabbed someone in the calf. It had to be removed at a hospital. I've heard of worse though, like one guy in Japan who was speared in the eye!

 

[esmithiii]

I recently lost a hippo tang that way out the open back of the canopy. I am going to put screen back there soon.

Ernie

 

[slojmn1]

Dr. Reef, Nice visuals on that story, OUCH 8O

Sorry to hear about your mandarin loss. I have a completely open top except for a center brace I guess if mine jumps he will hopefully miss the brace and end up back in the tank. I have never had one jump but I would guess getting spooked ranks high ont he list of reasons why.