Please help help jumping fish

[Perthegallon]

Hello guys so I had my jaws fish and my golby jump out of my tank last night lucky the noise of them jumping made me wake up so I was able to rush and put them both back into my tank but now I realize I really do have to get a lid so I ordered a clear view lid that’s on back order for 40 days what do I do in the meantime. I have a water box marine 60.2 so it’s not a common brand and it’s 24 by 24 As of the moment I’m using two container lids to cover the top but I’m worried about when the lights go on I’ll have to take the lids off for the corals will my fish jump again??

 

[A sea K]

Hardware store screen kit. Use the frame from a hardware store and get clear mesh from BRS. It will work fine until your fancy top gets here. BTW, make sure to use 1/4 inch mesh, and even then some of the smaller/slender fish will still get through.

Edit, use regular screen until the mesh arrives to keep your fish in, it will greatly reduce light if you have coral but they should be fine for a few days until the BRS clear mesh gets here.

 

[KellyCorals]

My advice would be to make a lid out of egg crate. You can buy it at Home Depot. Good for making frag racks and custom size lids to keep fish in.

Also FYI if you do go to Home Depot to get this, don’t spend 30 minutes walking around the store like I did, it’s sold as a replacement light cover.

 

[KellyCorals]

Some people claim it blocks too much light but tests show only a 10% loss of light which won’t hurt until your glass lid comes in.

 

[A sea K]

My advice would be to make a lid out of egg crate. You can buy it at Home Depot. Good for making frag racks and custom size lids to keep fish in.

Had to be the no guy but eggcrate will barely slow down any of our smaller reef fish especially the likes of jaw fish and gobies.

 

[Bob Weigant]

Super easy to make a screen cover. I ordered my net from marine depot and grabbed the supplies from Home Depot

 

[A sea K]

Just saw this at BRS https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/diy-aquarium-screen-top-kits-rimmed-tanks-1-8-netting.html

It's even 1/8 mesh, should keep even jaw fish and gobies in the tank. A little pricey IMO but hey, what isnt in this hobby.

 

[Perthegallon]

My advice would be to make a lid out of egg crate. You can buy it at Home Depot. Good for making frag racks and custom size lids to keep fish in.

Also FYI if you do go to Home Depot to get this, don’t spend 30 minutes walking around the store like I did, it’s sold as a replacement light cover.

Great idea with the egg crates!!!!

 

[Perthegallon]

Had to be the no guy but eggcrate will barely slow down any of our smaller reef fish especially the likes of jaw fish and gobies.

I’m going to layer it with a screen

 

[Perthegallon]

How’s this look guys?

 

[KellyCorals]

Had to be the no guy but eggcrate will barely slow down any of our smaller reef fish especially the likes of jaw fish and gobies.

Not saying it’s not possible but a fish would have to perfectly launch straight up out of the water and thru a 1/4 by 1/4 hole to make it out and well if he’s that determined not to be in the tank then good luck living on the carpet. Adding a screen to the egg crate is an excellent idea for added measure of safety.

 

[KellyCorals]

Looks like that will work!

 

[A sea K]

Not saying it’s not possible but a fish would have to perfectly launch straight up out of the water and thru a 1/4 by 1/4 hole to make it out and well if he’s that determined not to be in the tank then good luck living on the carpet. Adding a screen to the egg crate is an excellent idea for added measure of safety.

Not only possible but quite common. BTW, eggcrate is 1/2" square and lots of our little fishies will fly right through it and I know this from experience. I've even lost some gobies through 1/4" screen mesh. It is amazing how small an opening a fish can get through. I agree the screen over the eggcrate is a good idea though, it is what I use on my QT tank.

 

[KellyCorals]

Not only possible but quite common. BTW, eggcrate is 1/2" square and lots of our little fishies will fly right through it and I know this from experience. I've even lost some gobies through 1/4" screen mesh. It is amazing how small an opening a fish can get through. I agree the screen over the eggcrate is a good idea though, it is what I use on my QT tank.

Hey your right it is 1/2”! I dont know why I thought it was 1/4, I was starring at a big piece of it and looked smaller to me. The good news is we don’t always need to jump on the computer and order something when we have a problem. Just need to be creative!