Will Jumpers Always Jump?

[Laith]

I currently don't have any fish that are considered jumpers but would like to stock some wrasses in my new build so I'm looking at some type of net cover.

However I have a friend who has a 4,000 liter system with no lid of any kind who told me that if you have eurobracing around the entire perimeter of the tank, it is very unlikely that jumpers will jump out. His reasoning is that most jumps are accomplished by the fish streaking straight up against one of the sides of the tank, and almost never in the center. If you have eurobracing around the entire rim the fish will hit that and be stopped from flying.

I haven't yet decided if I want to test his theory ;Joyful... but he has wrasses and as far as I remember he said he's never lost one. His tank however is a large cube so there's also plenty of space for a fish to jump and land back in the water!

 

[Ardeus]

I currently don't have any fish that are considered jumpers but would like to stock some wrasses in my new build so I'm looking at some type of net cover.

However I have a friend who has a 4,000 liter system with no lid of any kind who told me that if you have eurobracing around the entire perimeter of the tank, it is very unlikely that jumpers will jump out. His reasoning is that most jumps are accomplished by the fish streaking straight up against one of the sides of the tank, and almost never in the center. If you have eurobracing around the entire rim the fish will hit that and be stopped from flying.

I haven't yet decided if I want to test his theory ;Joyful... but he has wrasses and as far as I remember he said he's never lost one. His tank however is a large cube so there's also plenty of space for a fish to jump and land back in the water!

I have a eurobrace and I hope your friend is right. Although I have a mesh cover I normally only put it on the tank at night or when I'm not home.

 

[Kid_Vegas]

I lost 2 wrasse because of them jumping out, I was thinking I was ok because it’s been 7 months with no issues. Then one week both decided to test their faith.

 

[Chewbacca]

I stop my dog from jumping on the couch with a shocker collar

 

[Fallling]

I currently don't have any fish that are considered jumpers but would like to stock some wrasses in my new build so I'm looking at some type of net cover.

However I have a friend who has a 4,000 liter system with no lid of any kind who told me that if you have eurobracing around the entire perimeter of the tank, it is very unlikely that jumpers will jump out. His reasoning is that most jumps are accomplished by the fish streaking straight up against one of the sides of the tank, and almost never in the center. If you have eurobracing around the entire rim the fish will hit that and be stopped from flying.

I haven't yet decided if I want to test his theory ;Joyful... but he has wrasses and as far as I remember he said he's never lost one. His tank however is a large cube so there's also plenty of space for a fish to jump and land back in the water!

I have eurobracing with mesh screens on top and still have had fish manage to get out a few times (I likely didn't position screens back after working in the tank).

The last fish was a kamohara blenny - I happen to be sitting on the couch in the adjacent room and noticed the cats highly intrigued with something on the floor... it was the blenny. I was able to scoop him up with a paper towel and quickly get him back into the tank. He's been fine since (this was 6 - 8 weeks ago). I've also came home to a ruby head wrasse having escaped and laying on the floor behind the tank (likely through a 1.5" hole in the corner of the eurobrace that was there when I bought the tank). He was dead. =(

My tank isn't a 1000 gallons... that's a big tank and not typical size for most of us. My tank is 125 gallons 40" L x 24" W x 30" H.

So, yea - I couldn't imagine not taking any precautions. Even then, it hasn't been fail safe for me.

 

[Kid_Vegas]

I stop my dog from jumping on the couch with a shocker collar

Somebody should invent that for fish, tanks looks so much better without lids.

 

[Kengar]

Somebody should invent that for fish, tanks looks so much better without lids.

And even better with fish with bling (i.e., shock collars) around their "necks".....

Ultimately, I've seen no posts to support my thinking that space + mellow tank mates would keep them in the tank. So I ordered one yesterday

 

[rkpetersen]

His reasoning is that most jumps are accomplished by the fish streaking straight up against one of the sides of the tank, and almost never in the center.

This is incorrect, fish can and will jump at any location of the water surface.
But a eurobraced tank will catch some of the jumpers, including those that are most likely to go over the edge.
If a fish jumps straight up in a center part of the tank and then lands back in the water, you might never know it.

I had a fish jump out through a feeding port on a lid, and land back on the lid, only to be found dried out later.
If there had been no lid, it would have been fine!
That was an unusual situation, but maybe not rare. Fish do tend to jostle around right under feeding ports.
I keep the covers on them all the time now.

 

[RazorD]

I just lost a beautiful fat hippo that I had for 5 years. Mind you, I have a nice custom lid I had made but it was off as I had only the hippo in my tank who was never a jumper. Was planning on adding some other fish the next day from QT and intended to put the lid on then. Stupid on my part and lid the price. Never again. Not worth the risk.

 

[Scott chilton]

I found my fairy wrasse in the return chamber of my sump! he must have jumped did a bank shot off the back wall and into the sump. it was then i decided i better use the glass top that came with my tank