Firefish - Think this lid will keep it in the tank?

[Grebex11]

Hi Everyone,

I have a 14g Innovative Marine aquarium. My plan was to add a helfrichi firefish but after reading they are known jumpers I'm wondering if my mesh lid will work in keep it in. Here is a link if you are unfamiliar: https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/14-n...ro-aio-aquarium-bundle-innovative-marine.html

The holes in the mesh are too small for chapstick or a pen to get through but a pencil can glide through easily. Let me know what you think or even better if you have kept a firefish in a IM Fusion.

Thanks!

 

[Dragon52]

It should work just fine for the firefish, just make sure it's not to light for anythings else you get that might be bigger & jumps.

 

[Grebex11]

Thanks for the reply! I wondering if it might be able to jump through the holes as they are aren't very stiff.

 

[Alchameth]

Yep, it'll work. Have one just like it and it's kept mine from flying free many a time.

 

[Tired]

It depends on how big the firefish is. A bitty one might get through if it gets unlucky, either by managing to get through the mesh by sheer chance or by jumping through a gap somewhere.

Frankly, all fish except seahorses (and maybe boxfish?) should be considered known jumpers. FIrefish are just easily startled and a bit more likely to jump by accident. It's not that they mean to jump, necessarily, they just dart rapidly towards the surface and, whoops. Comes of being a fish that, in the wild, can expect to never be in a position where it can dart upward and wind up out of the water. Either it stays in water because it's 10 feet under, or it lands back in water because it's in the ocean.

 

[Alchameth]

Ya, read a lot of jumper fish just don't register that. They live deep enough that flying out of the water isn't something they are wired to consider. Probably as much of a surprise to them as us!

 

[Tired]

My porcelain crab discovered the surface of the water the other day, when its anemone moved to the top of the rock. Spent a few minutes up there just kinda grasping at the surface, slowly and deliberately. Could practically hear its little brain churning away.

 

[najer]

Thanks for the reply! I wondering if it might be able to jump through the holes as they are aren't very stiff.

I found a firefish on top of a mesh cover at my lfs a few months ago, just very unlucky so it can happen.

 

[Grebex11]

Thanks for the replies everyone. Definitely something to consider. I live in a condo with units above and below so there is plenty of activity going on. My LFS had three helfrichi and they were all pretty decent sized from what I remember but their fins are flowly so I'll have to take a closer look.

Tired, your porcelain crab is hilarious!

 

[Grebex11]

Regarding fish being jumpers, I had a blue spot jawfish about 10 years that got out of maybe a nickel sized hole. The entire tank was covered with fine mesh except for the tiniest part at the back near a filter. He somehow got out of that gap. Had to have been on purpose.

 

[saltyhog]

If it's like the lid that came on my IM 25 Lagoon the mesh size is too large and would likely allow a small firefish to jump. It's a simple matter to get the black 1/4" netting and replace the clear netting on your present lid. It also looks so much better.

A picture of my lids on my main tank after I replaced the clear netting with the black.

 

[Grebex11]

If it's like the lid that came on my IM 25 Lagoon the mesh size is too large and would likely allow a small firefish to jump. It's a simple matter to get the black 1/4" netting and replace the clear netting on your present lid. It also looks so much better.

A picture of my lids on my main tank after I replaced the clear netting with the black.

Okay I like that idea a lot! It would definitely make me feel more comfortable. Did you just use the 1/4" black netting from BRS? Was that pretty easy to replace? I'm sure there's a video out there something to DIY.

PS. This forum is so much better than the previous one I was on. Way more helpful/active.

 

[saltyhog]

Okay I like that idea a lot! It would definitely make me feel more comfortable. Did you just use the 1/4" black netting from BRS? Was that pretty easy to replace? I'm sure there's a video out there something to DIY.

PS. This forum is so much better than the previous one I was on. Way more helpful/active.

Yes sir pretty easy to replace. Just remove the spline (rubber cord in a slot) holding the netting in place. You can reuse it to put the new netting in place. I did get my netting from BRS, that's the only place I could find it and it was very inexpensive.

There is some learning curve in putting the spline back in without distorting the netting . I start on one side (preferably the long side) and go slow. You will find it much easier if you purchase a spline tool like this https://www.homedepot.com/p/Barton-Kramer-Screen-Spline-Plastic-Tool-654/205619545

Don't worry if you mess up. The netting is cheap. I bought more than I needed in case I messed up.

 

[j.falk]

My porcelain crab discovered the surface of the water the other day, when its anemone moved to the top of the rock. Spent a few minutes up there just kinda grasping at the surface, slowly and deliberately. Could practically hear its little brain churning away.

What kind of RFA is it sitting on?

 

[Grebex11]

Yes sir pretty easy to replace. Just remove the spline (rubber cord in a slot) holding the netting in place. You can reuse it to put the new netting in place. I did get my netting from BRS, that's the only place I could find it and it was very inexpensive.

There is some learning curve in putting the spline back in without distorting the netting . I start on one side (preferably the long side) and go slow. You will find it much easier if you purchase a spline tool like this https://www.homedepot.com/p/Barton-Kramer-Screen-Spline-Plastic-Tool-654/205619545

Don't worry if you mess up. The netting is cheap. I bought more than I needed in case I messed up.

Awesome! Ordering it today.

 

[Tired]

That's just a shallow-water/non-ultra RFA that I got for $8 from live-plants.com. It's moving around a lot lately, seems to be looking for a different light level. It finally settled yesterday and has stopped standing up all weird like that.

 

[saltyhog]

What kind of RFA is it sitting on?

I would say my RFA's never move but one of mine that I've had for several years moved from the front of the tank to under a ledge a few weeks ago....seems to be happy despite the lack of light there. Mine will also "reach" or cup when spawning.

Spawning position.

 

[Tired]

This one seems to have decided that it's time to go onto the top of the rocks and stretch up to the light, even though I'm pretty sure it has plenty of light elsewhere. Anemones- weird. I'm not sure if something upset it a couple weeks ago and it's just now moving around in response? What with that fun situation where anemones take awhile to respond to stress, then awhile to stop responding even once you fix the problem.

Whatever's going on with it, my porcelain crab is going along for the ride. It doesn't seem to mind, the anemone's stayed in places that have decent flow. I feed the porcelain crab a couple times a week anyway, it'll happily grab mysis if you give it one.

 

[sohal tang]

Regarding fish being jumpers, I had a blue spot jawfish about 10 years that got out of maybe a nickel sized hole. The entire tank was covered with fine mesh except for the tiniest part at the back near a filter. He somehow got out of that gap. Had to have been on purpose.

Jawfish are by farrrrrr the worst jumpers in our hobby reefs!!!! They WILL find any opening they can get out...one time late at night I seen the little bugger going around the top of the tank bobbing his head right out of the water ever few inches looking for an opening!!!! They are true escape artists...not as bad as an octopus but the next best thing! lol