Suicide Fish

[Guest coralsoutmyears]

I am writing in utter dismay. Our 3rd happy fish, our Midas Blenny has jumped to his death after one short week in our tank. We have metal halides and no cover so as not so interfear with the light. We fead him and he seems happy and healthy and when we come up he is dead on the floor. Is there anyway toprevent this or just give up on this type of fish. They are running 40 buck a pop at herdon. Its getting frustrating but I like blennies because they don't disturb the corals.

 

Any suggestions from the Pros???

 

Thanks

JJ

[DEEPBLUE]

You gotta put a top on it, that is the only way to keep jumpers in. I run MH too and have a glass cover and it really doesn't affect the light, yes I do have to clean them, but that take no time.

 

Eric

[davjbeas]

I have had trouble with snowflake moray eels, flame hawkfish, and spotted blue jawfish jumping out. My main tank(75gallon) has a bicolor blenny and lawnmower blenny which have never jumped. There is probably no way to know for sure if a fish will jump. but probably if the fish can have its own safe territory it might be less likely to jump. you can put a glass top over the tank, but i think that you will have less oxygen exchange with a cover on the top. the surface water on my tank is constantly in motion from the return line and powerheads. which i believe keeps my tank well oxygenated.

With the midas blenny that jumped, was it getting along with the other tankmates? also what size tank do you have and how many other fish?

 

David B.

[Caribbean Jake]

JJ

compatability... have you check your fish mates and made sure they are compatible?

[Jon Lazar]

Go to Home Depot and buy a sheet of light diffuser, then cut it to size to cover your tank. It's in the lighting section, and you can get a 2'x4' sheet for about $15. It won't interfere with the light or oxygen exchange, and it keeps your fish from leaping out.

 

If you look at the diffuser carefully, you'll notice the pieces that make up the grid are actually tapered on one end, and wider on the other. When you lay a sheet flat, either the tapered or wide ends will be pointed up. Orient the sheet so the wide ends are up, nearest your lights. This seems wrong at first, because you think the wide end blocks more light than the tapered end. But light striking the sides of the grid are reflected into the tank when you orient the sheet with the wider ends up.

 

You may have to buy a sheet, look at it, and think about it for a while for this to make sense.

 

Hope this helps,

Jon

[rocko918]

Go to Home Depot and buy a sheet of light diffuser, then cut it to size to cover your tank. It's in the lighting section, and you can get a 2'x4' sheet for about $15. It won't interfere with the light or oxygen exchange, and it keeps your fish from leaping out.

 

If you look at the diffuser carefully, you'll notice the pieces that make up the grid are actually tapered on one end, and wider on the other. When you lay a sheet flat, either the tapered or wide ends will be pointed up. Orient the sheet so the wide ends are up, nearest your lights. This seems wrong at first, because you think the wide end blocks more light than the tapered end. But light striking the sides of the grid are reflected into the tank when you orient the sheet with the wider ends up.

 

You may have to buy a sheet, look at it, and think about it for a while for this to make sense.

 

Hope this helps,

Jon

Jon- is this the same as egg crate? if so it will make a huge differents by blocking the light. I have par meter readings to proven that it blocks alot of light.

 

http://www.wamas.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=8170

[Guest coralsoutmyears]

It was the only fish in a 90 gallon tank. Maybe he was lonely

 

JJ

 

I have had trouble with snowflake moray eels, flame hawkfish, and spotted blue jawfish jumping out. My main tank(75gallon) has a bicolor blenny and lawnmower blenny which have never jumped. There is probably no way to know for sure if a fish will jump. but probably if the fish can have its own safe territory it might be less likely to jump. you can put a glass top over the tank, but i think that you will have less oxygen exchange with a cover on the top. the surface water on my tank is constantly in motion from the return line and powerheads. which i believe keeps my tank well oxygenated.

With the midas blenny that jumped, was it getting along with the other tankmates? also what size tank do you have and how many other fish?

 

David B.

[flowerseller]

Do you have a grounding probe or grounding wire on this tank?

 

Egg crate, and even more so glass, block a significant amount of lumens from entering the tank.

[xCGx]

my midas did the same thing two days ago.... :(

[Lee Stearns]

I concur with chip get one of the very inexpensive titanium grounding probes- It will be good for your safety as well as take away a possible reason for jumping-an enclosed hood keeps them from jumping as well, if you do not want a cover- some fish such as the fire fish and blenies are natural jumpers. They live in the costal reef area where they jump from puddled area to area when the tide is out.