My fish jumped...again

NotFishyFishGuy · Apr 18, 2019

Almost a month ago, my clownfish jumped out and died. I got a new clown about 2 weeks ago. He was a platinum percula (not very cheap either). I have a mesh lid covering the tank now so they can’t jump. I was feeding brine shrimp today so I had to remove the lid to put the shrimp in. Then I forgot to put the lid back on. Just came back home and realized he wasn’t in the tank. I stepped on something and quickly realized it was him. Put him in the tank but he was already dried up.

[emoji22]what fish have you lost?

Peace River · Apr 18, 2019

NotFishyFishGuy said:
Almost a month ago, my clownfish jumped out and died. I got a new clown about 2 weeks ago. He was a platinum percula (not very cheap either). I have a mesh lid covering the tank now so they can’t jump. I was feeding brine shrimp today so I had to remove the lid to put the shrimp in. Then I forgot to put the lid back on. Just came back home and realized he wasn’t in the tank. I stepped on something and quickly realized it was him. Put him in the tank but he was already dried up. [emoji22]

I am truly sorry for you and for them - been there.

Flippers4pups · Apr 18, 2019

Man that's tough! Sorry for your loss.

mattzang · Apr 18, 2019

sorry man, my female clown has been my most prominent jumper too. luckily the first time she did it i was right there to scoop her back in. then she jumped a couple more times, but was only able to make the overflow

ca1ore · Apr 19, 2019

I think we’ve all, or mostly all, forgotten to replace the tank cover at some point.

BertieBones · Apr 19, 2019

If I didn't have a cover my banana wrasse would jump out daily

Webslinger · Apr 19, 2019

NotFishyFishGuy · Apr 19, 2019

What fish have you guys lost?

Dsnakes · Apr 19, 2019

I lost a sixline to jumping, but I didn’t have a top. I rely on my canopy now, so hopefully no fish find their way to jump into the one narrow opening available.

Evan28395950 · Apr 19, 2019

Sorry for your loss. I keep a glass cover on my tank, luckily never had any jump while trying to feed with it off

cracker · Apr 19, 2019

Tough lesson learned Sorry for that . Iv'e lost fish just like you forgetting to put the lid back on after maintenance . Last was a very pretty wrasse orange cheek or something & pricey as well !
So lesson learned & hang in there .

LynzieS · Apr 19, 2019

I lost a diamond goby in my first tank. Found him alive on the carpet and put him back in and hoped but he didn't make it (not sure how long he was out). New tank, acclimating a firefish and it managed to jump 3 times while I was switching water around. I did have a top on the bucket but moved it about 1/2" to remove/add water. Luckily I was right there watching and manged to put it back in before any lasting damage.

Bossman · Apr 19, 2019

I've lost a few fish to jumping. All of my tanks have lids, so most were when either maintenance was being performed or feeding. I lost a beautiful solon wrasse from jumping through a small space cut in the lid for the HOB refugium. I lost a possum wrasse too during maintenance and I just didn't see it.

Recently we lost an orange spot goby. It had jumped 3 times which we witnessed and put back in the tank. The 4th time we missed it and it landed in a trash can adjacent to the tank. Found much later deceased. The only reason we found it was dog continued to bark at the trash can.

Now I try to inventory the fish when I put the lid back on.

LynzieS · Apr 19, 2019

What is the best way to do maintenance without fish jumping? I try to lift the lid as little as possible but of course they can jump through the smallest crack. I'm afraid siphoning the sand bed during water changes will scare the fish so much it will jump and my dogs and cat will eat it if I can't get to it first.

rkpetersen · Apr 19, 2019

Sorry to hear it. Jumping fish are such a drag.

I have had a number of fish jump.

In my first recent tank, before I got a lid, I had a McCosker's Flasher Wrasse jump out 4 times. And I saved him every time. He's still with me.
Then I got as Lineatus Fairy Wrasse. Just about one of the most beautiful fish ever imo.
After the first and second times it jumped and I saved it, I finally got a nice mesh lid.
Then it jumped out while I was doing some in-tank work one day.
I saved it again, but was so paranoid at this point that I put up a net attached from the back of the tank to the wall.
One day I left the food port covers off the tanks by mistake. Of course I came home to find him drying on the carpet.

The melanurus wrasse that is in that tank now has never made the slightest move as if to jump out; he's far too smart for that.

In my second tank, I've had a juvenile clown jump out to the floor through a feed port left open.
I also had a gorgeous Pintail Fairy Wrasse jump out through a feed port and land on the mesh lid, which I didn't notice until it was dead.
Think about how ironic that is - If I hadn't had the lid, the wrasse would have survived that particular jump just fine.

rkpetersen · Apr 19, 2019

LynzieS said:
What is the best way to do maintenance without fish jumping? I try to lift the lid as little as possible but of course they can jump through the smallest crack. I'm afraid siphoning the sand bed during water changes will scare the fish so much it will jump and my dogs and cat will eat it if I can't get to it first.

Move very slowly when working around and in your tank with the lid off.
One time my Lineatus jumped when I was doing something in the sump and then stood up suddenly.
Don't leave the room while leaving the lid off, even if you think you'll be gone for just a second.
When doing something like siphoning, keep an eye specifically on the fish most likely to jump.
Don't ever leave feeding ports open. Fish congregate and jostle there, a perfect setup for a jumper.
Just a few things I've learned painfully.

Daniel@R2R · Apr 19, 2019

I had this happen a few times. Now that I bought the lid (been a few years now), no more deaths (and I've seen a few times the lid has saved my fish). Before the lid, I lost a couple of wrasses and a diamond goby.

MnFish1 · Apr 19, 2019

NotFishyFishGuy said:
Almost a month ago, my clownfish jumped out and died. I got a new clown about 2 weeks ago. He was a platinum percula (not very cheap either). I have a mesh lid covering the tank now so they can’t jump. I was feeding brine shrimp today so I had to remove the lid to put the shrimp in. Then I forgot to put the lid back on. Just came back home and realized he wasn’t in the tank. I stepped on something and quickly realized it was him. Put him in the tank but he was already dried up. [emoji22]what fish have you lost?

Sorry for your loss. I had a mesh cover (from a nationwide brand) - bought a great Australian harlequin tusk - It jumped just enough to move the cover and jumped out. Fast forward 2 weeks later - bought another one - 1 day after - fish on floor after moving cover....

I bought a new cover that has an inch or so of acrylic - so that it has more heft.

MnFish1 · Apr 19, 2019

Bossman said:
I've lost a few fish to jumping. All of my tanks have lids, so most were when either maintenance was being performed or feeding. I lost a beautiful solon wrasse from jumping through a small space cut in the lid for the HOB refugium. I lost a possum wrasse too during maintenance and I just didn't see it.

Recently we lost an orange spot goby. It had jumped 3 times which we witnessed and put back in the tank. The 4th time we missed it and it landed in a trash can adjacent to the tank. Found much later deceased. The only reason we found it was dog continued to bark at the trash can.

Now I try to inventory the fish when I put the lid back on.

I also had a 7 inch discus jump out of a tank. Found him because a boxer puppy that was visiting was standing over it 'barking like crazy'. Put him back in the tank - doing fine.

Mastiffsrule · Apr 19, 2019

Sorry about your loss. Never easy to lose a part of the family.

After 25+ years I could not list the guys I lost. I’m surprised I have not wiped out the species in the beginning. I do have one I will never forget. In my early days I had a huge lion fish. I had always loved triggers so I put a humahuma in. I came home one day and lion was dead. Apparently the trigger had come up from under the lion to avoid the spines and eat him from below. All that was left was the spine and fins/spines.

Never gets easier. Luckily none lost in last 5 years or so after bad case of velvet