Tank Jumpers???

[t316]

I'm about to step it up a notch & add a few more tank mates. I have a 270 gal. & have to keep the tops off to keep temp maintained. I have read numerous post mentioning "came home & found him on the floor", but I didn't write down what fish these were. Some Blennys are advertised as "rock jumpers"...Does this mean they are known to jump out of the top?
What fish have you had to "jump out"?

 

[nereef]

common carpet surfers include: firefish, sleeper gobies, blennies, and reef-safe wrasses.
this problem can be helped by using egg crate (light diffuser) to cover the tank.

 

[t316]

I was going to try the egg crate, but as high as my water level is, I think you are going to be able to see it from the display sides. This won't be very attractive, but would probably save lives.

 

[matt b]

but if u use the egg crate wont the light look dif in the tank bcus of the lines from the egg crate

 

[nereef]

Originally Posted by MaTT B
but if u use the egg crate wont the light look dif in the tank bcus of the lines from the egg crate
doesn't seem to matter.
as for the egg crate showing, isn't there a lip on the trim of the tank to place it on?

 

[t316]

I have a recessed down trim of glass. Water is level with it, actually water rolls up onto it occasionally. From display sides, you would be looking straight up at the egg crate.
I was more curious as to what fish are "known" to jump. I know all fish have the potential..."the water is always clearer on the other side".

 

[tiberius]

I lost my Lawnmower Blenny a couple of months ago. Was fine for 3 years then I think my soap dish holding cheato spooked him because I found him on the glass top where the dish hangs.
I had a canopy made out of black plastic sheeting. It sits on the edges of the tank and the lights fit inside. I do not see the top of my tank and I put the covers on in the Winter time.

 

[dragonzim]

I've lost firefish and diamond gobies to jumping.

 

[wangotango]

I lost a diamond goby, and my clown pair; female jumped first, male jumped a few months later. I think my damsel was irritating them a bit much

. Regardless of whether or not you plan on adding fish that are known jumpers, I think it's a good idea to use eggcrate on top.
-Justin

 

[harris28]

Originally Posted by MaTT B
but if u use the egg crate wont the light look dif in the tank bcus of the lines from the egg crate
As a matter of fact it did on my tank. I just recently (last week) put egg crate over my top because I purchased a diamond goby. I noticed the tank seemed dimmer. Well it is a light diffuser and when used in retail it diffuses light and makes it less potent. So after seeing my tank dimmer I took my canopy off and since my light sits right on top I cut the egg crate to fit around my light so my light is not diffused but my tank is covered. Looks better now!

 

[t316]

In everyone's experience, are these fish jumping because they just happen to be facing up when something scares them, or are some fish "known" to be jumpers??? It would be castostophic to have a high dollar fish become a carpet surfer

 

[rcoultas]

Originally Posted by NEreef
common carpet surfers include: firefish, sleeper gobies, blennies, and reef-safe wrasses.
this problem can be helped by using egg crate (light diffuser) to cover the tank.
Agree with these - add eels - any fish has the potential to become a jumper however if the tank conditions are not good or it is being harrassed or startled.

 

[shoregirl2]

I've had 2 longnose hawkfish go carpet diving, and I acutally had one clown I found face down on the floor. That was in my old tank, which was covered except for maybe a 2 inch opening where my HOB protein skimmer hung.
I'm still amazed when I think about it.
I know the first hawfish would perch on the power filter attached to the skimmer, and I think I did spook him one night about 2:00am in the morning. I heard a weird splash when I walked by the tank, I was half a sleep, and didn't think about it until the next morning when I found him on the floor.

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by T316
In everyone's experience, are these fish jumping because they just happen to be facing up when something scares them, or are some fish "known" to be jumpers??? It would be castostophic to have a high dollar fish become a carpet surfer

My diamond goby got out of a very small opening in the back of the tank. No aggressive tankmates and the fish had been doing extremely well.