Open Tank Jumpers...

[postie]

For those of you with MH lighting and open tanks...how much of a problem do you have with jumping fish? I have a hippo tang (Dory, of course) that I have had for almost 9 years. Problem is...at suppertime, when she sees the food coming, she's crazy....jumps all over the place, even hit her head on the glass cover of the tank she is in now. I will be moving her to a larger tank in a couple of weeks, but it will be an open tank with MH lighting.

Suggestions??? I really don't want to do the plexi thing stuck to the sides of the tank making it "taller"....that looks terrible. Maybe she won't jump, or if she does...and I'm home....I'll just throw her back in! But, just wondered if anyone else had trouble with tangs jumping?

 

[Anonymous]

I have never had a tang jump, but I have had other fish jump that I would not have suspected, such as a dog faced puffer and a niger trigger.

My two tangs, a 5 year old hippo and a 7 year old sailfin are in an open topped tank right now.

You just have to weigh the risks and benefits. I think it is unlikely they will jump, and I really want an open top, so yes, I am risking losing them.

I think that the jumping that actually launches fish out of the tank is usually darting out of fear, not because they are eager for food. My sailfin will jump out of the water when I set the cup of food to thaw on the center brace. He never gets enough "air" to make me think that he could make it out, but if he was darting out of fear I bet he could have enough momentum to go over. Fortunately, both of my tangs dart into the rock if they feel scared of something. Well, nothing scares the sailfin but the hippo darts into the rock.

 

[Anonymous]

All species of fish are capable and will jump out of our little boxes, some are more prone to it than others.

Regards,
David Mohr

 

[Len]

If Dory only jumps during feeding (which is unlikely), you can put egg crate over the tank during feeding time. I'd keep the egg crate on all the time just to be safe though. I know it's not the most attractive looking solution, but I'd prefer it over a dead fish.

 

[Mihai]

You can get away with something less intrusive than eggcrate. Perhaps something like "chicken wire" or other "fence"-type of material that has thin/sparse threads.

M.