Bar Goby performs nearly impossible suicide attempt

[ScubaSkeets]

My tank has a mesh lid that look like 1/4" or smaller squares.
I recently got two Bar Gobies and within an hour of adding them to the tank, I found one on the carpet. I'm thinking how is it possible for the Bar Goby to be able to jump high enough and vertically enough to go through the mesh, but it did.
So I did an experiment: I got some heat shrink window film and applied it the lid. (It actually came out pretty good and I would suggest it to anyone looking for a less expensive alternative to glass or acrylic)
So now if the remaining Bar Goby wants to jump, if he was able to get through the mesh, he would bonk himself on the film and fall back into the water.
You would think....
Nope. He was able to jump through the mesh and get himself stuck between the mesh and film.

After taking this pic, I cut the film to remove him thinking he was dead, but when I went to pick him up, he started wiggling so I immediately put him back in the tank. He wasn't doing too well and he is hiding, but hopefully he'll be OK.

 

[Miami Reef]

Believe it or not, this is more common than you think. The film should be on the underside.

These gobies have a death wish.

 

[ScubaSkeets]

The film should be on the underside.

Agree. Working on it

 

[Breadman03]

Believe it or not, this is more common than you think. The film should be on the underside.

These gobies have a death wish.

Some fish really seem to.

 

[Steve and his Animals]

I find that most fish that are notorious for jumping only usually do so if either their tank is in an active area around waist level (a lot of big monsters walking by) or it's the first week or so and they're still panicking from the new environment. That being said, there's also the chance of long term jumpers from aggression or just general unhappiness with their environment, but I doubt that's your case.

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

I had a Chalk Bass jump out through the tiny opening, where the Auto-Feeder is. Unfortunately he was long dead by the time I found him.

 

[Irregardless]

Believe it or not, this is more common than you think. The film should be on the underside.

These gobies have a death wish.

This.

What crazy force for such a small fish.

 

[Bucs20fan]

I have glass lids on my tank, with the plastic part on the back side, that I have cut to fit my filter and lights etc. And still had a diamond goby jump out, their jumping accuracy is beyond my comprehension.