Do fish really jump out of the tank???

travis89

Active Member
I have lost a six line and a midas blenny because they jumped out. I now keep the tank covered with screening at all times.
 

1knight164

Member
Originally Posted by Travis89
I have lost a six line and a midas blenny because they jumped out. I now keep the tank covered with screening at all times.
What kind of screening are you using?
 

jonny bolt

Member
gobies, jawfish, hawkfish, definitely top contenders lol
Good story for ya......several days ago I was cleaning my live rock, using a seperate container on the floor in front of my 72g bowfront. Since I had almost all of the 100 pounds of rock out, I usually decide to rearrange my rock as well. I do this every 3 months or so. Well as I was adding a larger piece of rock back into the tank, I didnt see my Valentini Puffer close to my hand.....
...well he did that Puffer thing that Puffers do, and darted extremely fast in a few directions then flew out of the top of my tank, over my head, and into the large rubbermaid container that I was using to rinse off the rock. Luckily there was 5 gallons on water in it, with only a few pieces of live rock left to go. My Puff calmed within a few seconds when he realized I was trying to help him, luckily. He allowed me to scoop him up and place him back into the tank. Scared the piss out of me! He really flew up out of there and he was easily over 6 feet in the air before heading down into the container.
I have had him almost 2 years now, so thankfully he is ok. I have been watching him closely every day since it happened, and he is completely normal. He's one hell of a Puffah!
 

anonome

Active Member
I have lost two fish to jumping , a heniochus butterfly and a diamond goby. I have an open tank and no plans on ever enclosing it. I try to stay away from known jumpers because the tank is open....but who would think that a heni would jump? I suppose that anything can spook them.
 

mattp098

Member
Yes, just about any and all fish are capable. Some fish that are easily spooked and are near the surface will inadvertently jump out. Others, like a Harlequin Tusk Wrasse that I have, are just very active swimmers and who knows what caused him to jump out the back. Luckily I was in the room at the time and heard it, to discover the wrasse flopping on the floor behind the tank and I quickly put him back in and he's alive and healthy to this day. Other times I wasn't so lucky... I have had a six-line wrasse and royal gramma die from jumping, not knowing the cause of their dissapearance at first, but later to find their dried bodies under the stand. I keep the tank completely covered now.
 

sepulatian

Moderator
WOW, the answer to your question, YES they can jump!!!!!!! I had a brazilian gramma try to jump. I saw he was trying and lowered the water level. I took it down a good 3 inches untill he was comfortable. No one "carpet surfs" on my whatch!
 

gmidd

Member
Originally Posted by Cannonman
I was missing a fish once.. didn't find it anywhere and then about two months later I found the cat playing with the dead, perfectly preserved, dried up corpse in the basement... :thinking:
lol... funny but not funny
 

maeistero

Active Member
fish jump everyday. so far i'm good on swfish at home, but tons have jumped at places i've worked. i don't spook my fish at home though.
my home jumpers have been crazy. i've had a 3' arrowanna jump and hit the ceiling while cleaning the tank with the tops off. it slithered like a snake around the corner, down the hall and into a corner of the kitchen. that was something to try to catch.
just recently in my fish room i had an oscar jump ship, right into my 180reef. he didn't make it obviously, but i'm still in wonder on his aim as there's not much room for error. he'll come back as an nfl quarterback i'm sure.
 

bellebelle

Member
My diamond goby jumped out of a very very small opening in the back of the tank...found him on the carpet in bedroom floor new years day. the cat brought him in.
Now I have learned...cover ALL openings. no matter how small
 

a sea k

Member
Three times in the past four days! Twice with top off while feeding, and once thru the eggcrate while mag floating the algea on the glass. Carpenter flasher wrasse, I have four and don't know if it is the same fish or they are taking turns carpet surfing ( if it his I still have one more to go )
 

1knight164

Member
Originally Posted by sepulatian
WOW, the answer to your question, YES they can jump!!!!!!! I had a brazilian gramma try to jump. I saw he was trying and lowered the water level. I took it down a good 3 inches untill he was comfortable. No one "carpet surfs" on my whatch!
Now there's an idea I haven't heard. I've been debating on how to cover my tank without using glass. Screw the cover, i'm lowering the water! Thanks, Sepulation.
 

billyg

Member
I was sitting in front of the tank reading a book& heard SPLASH-PLOP & low & behold it was my big niger trigger scooped him up put him back in the tank & he was fine.Scared the life out of me. :scared:
 

bill109

Active Member
Originally Posted by BILLYG
I was sitting in front of the tank reading a book& heard SPLASH-PLOP & low & behold it was my big niger trigger scooped him up put him back in the tank & he was fine.Scared the life out of me. :scared:
ok i think hey get the point fish jump :hilarious
well lets at least try not to scare him so hes got a video camera infront for jumpers
 

compjtc

Member
a flame angel of mine jumped up and out of a bucket I was acclimating him in, probably jumped up a good 6 inches. I was right there to save him, but it still scared me pretty good.
 
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