# How to avoid fish jumping out on rimless tanks?



## chiefroastbeef

There is really no way of stopping fish or shrimp jumping out. I've had numerous celestial pearl danios, dward pencilfish, clown killifish(6 of them jumped out in two days), chili rasboras, and cherry shrimp jumping out and drying up. It is something you will have to live it unless you put a glass top/Stainless steel screen on top of it.

Two kinds of fish that doesn't jump in my experience are cardinal tetras and ember tetras.


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## DogFish

I feel that floating plants will reduce the suicide rate. I had a thread going on ultimate beta about this, several there felt the same.


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## Eldachleich

I feel the same way. Floaters really help. I was wondering how they did that with rimless tanks though. You don;t see many floaters.


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## Oxl

This is one of the reasons I'm considering a 90g rimless rather than a 75g just so I can keep the water level 4-5 inches below the rim to prevent jumpers.


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## zergling

Save yourself the grief of losing beautiful fish and build a cover. See speedie408's DIY cover for a very nice implementation on a rimless (ADA 120-P) tank.

I use the same 1/4" pond netting that speedie408 is using, but I built my own "frame" using square acrylic rods......which did not turn out to be anywhere near as "clean" as I wanted it to look.


This is speaking from 4+ years of owning an ADA 120-P.


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## GeToChKn

Oxl said:


> This is one of the reasons I'm considering a 90g rimless rather than a 75g just so I can keep the water level 4-5 inches below the rim to prevent jumpers.


I just got a 125gal for my turtles and keep it 6" below so its about 100gals so they don't climb out and I don't have to build a huge hood over it to keep them in.


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## i-Aquarium

I have heard of people using a perforated acrylic cover, so air can exchange but at the same time stop any jumpers! Wire/ plastic mesh can be used also but may not stop suicidal shrimps.


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## Sharkfood

It depends largely on what type of fish you stock. I've never had a fish jump out of an uncovered tank, but I did have an Amano shrimp climb out a year or so ago.

Something like a hatchetfish is a notorious jumper, while a bottom dwelling fish would probably never jump ship.


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## Storm

i-Aquarium said:


> I have heard of people using a perforated acrylic cover, so air can exchange but at the same time stop any jumpers! Wire/ plastic mesh can be used also but may not stop suicidal shrimps.


If you want a cover, I recommend a wire mesh similar to what speedie408 uses. Plastic or acrylic covers get water condensation and you have to clean them.


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## Hoppy

Even bottom dwellers can jump out. I had a cory go flying once, and only found him a couple of years later, behind the stand.

The best bet is not keeping known jumpers. And, I think the hyperactive fish are more likely to exit than more sedate ones. I had a Diamond Tetra jump out, and that is one very hyper fish.


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## iskandarreza

I did this from July to September in my 8g:









_Pictured above is the 8g in mid July this year._

That's just a strip of black mounting board wrapped around the first inch of the tank's rim and secured with hot-melt adhesive. It would have probably looked better if I actually took the time to do it properly, but this was a rapid response to my CAE which jumped out a day after the lone zebra danio female jumped out and dried up (CAE survived, but now I gotta get rid of him...:icon_roll). 

Bonus: it reduced the glare from the lighting and made the content of the tank more prominent and it tells me easily if I need to top up the water.


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## zergling

Hoppy said:


> The best bet is not keeping known jumpers.


So that leaves us with....guppies, plecos, and cardinals? :flick: 

Hehehe jk Hoppy.


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## DogFish

Well, I'm not building a rimless tank and then going to put a lid or net over it. Honestly, whats the point then of having a rimless tank.

Don't put notorious jumpers in the tank. Those rare flying corys, nominate them for Darwin awards and peal them out of the carpet.


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## wendyjo

It's our job as fishkeepers to keep the fish safe. Same as you find a way to keep your dog confined in your yard, you need to find a way to keep the fish confined to their tanks.


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## fusiongt

wendyjo said:


> It's our job as fishkeepers to keep the fish safe. Same as you find a way to keep your dog confined in your yard, you need to find a way to keep the fish confined to their tanks.


Yep I definitely agree. I started the topic because I loved the style of ADA but hated the fact that I would worry about the fish when the top was off. I've started to lower the water level now and that should help. I just know every time I go to places with beautiful ADA aquariums I'm amazed at how high the water levels are. But to me I am more concerned about the things inside the tank as opposed to the appearance so I hope the lower water levels will help... and if not, I'll make a mesh screen top tank top.


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## Hoppy

DogFish said:


> Well, I'm not building a rimless tank and then going to put a lid or net over it. Honestly, whats the point then of having a rimless tank.
> 
> Don't put notorious jumpers in the tank. Those rare flying corys, nominate them for Darwin awards and peal them out of the carpet.


This is my attitude also, but I recognize that many people differ from me.


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## DogFish

Hoppy said:


> This is my attitude also, but I recognize that many people differ from me.


I think if you put a jumper back in the tank you just acting an an enabler. How are they ever going to lean without consequences?

:icon_wink

On a quasi-serious note, fish don't just jump out because they what to boldly go were no fish has gone before. One grows as an Aquarist when one understand the behavior patterns of the fish they keep. Then it's a matter of not allowing situations to develop where fish will be motived to jump.


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## Capsaicin_MFK

For my situation, my 9 roselines are totally fine staying in the water unless I turn on any type of blue LED nightlight. My QT tank is a 20H with the new Marineland LED fixture and when I switched it over to the blue LEDs, all I heard was thumping against the glass and on the plastic lid because it freaked them out so much.


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## 150EH

DogFish said:


> Well, I'm not building a rimless tank and then going to put a lid or net over it. Honestly, whats the point then of having a rimless tank.


I've got one, it's called a Marineland tank! I like you attitude, they just lay on the carpet while you yell, Bad fish, that'll teach ya!

You can use a screen like Speedie has on his tank and just remove it for photos or if people are comming over.


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## DogFish

Joking aside, common sense should be used. If I wanted to get back into keeping African cichlids I would NOT dream of putting them in a open top rimless. The Oscar tank had to have bricks on the lid. 

I want a rimless tank, so I don't put known jumpers in. The fish I do choose I don't create stress that causes them to panic like photo shock or needless aggression like 3 male blue gouramis with one female.

The biggest lesson I've learned from training dogs you don't need to fight every battle. Set yourself up for success, not failure.


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## Doc7

I had a cardinal tetra jump and eventually die when I hit the tank lights to do a trim, well after tank and house lights had been out a while : /

I'll look into netting but is 1/4" going to stop tetras?

A simple set up that is easy to remove for photos / company is a good idea as well... Maybe I don't need to eliminate gouramis from my stocking after all! I don't like floating plants for my tank as I run very high surface flow (2 eheim 2217 spray bars) so floating plants don't stand a chance unless I get them jammed in corner somehow, not really an option. But gives me an idea for a thread to start sometime, plants that will grow on top of a net with roots going into the water....

Sent from my BlackBerry 9650 using Tapatalk


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## Doc7

Also regarding a 2 cm water level from top of tank.... I've seen photos of a tank that has a 6" wooden rim on the top and he has had several jumpers.... If they want out a inch or couple of inches might not be enough...

Sent from my BlackBerry 9650 using Tapatalk


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## zergling

DogFish, while I agree with your notion of rimless tanks and covers, a compromise can still be made. If you are good with DIY, you can build a frame using square acrylic rods, and then create a net using clear fishing line. If done right, this is using the same concept as glass lily pipes -- you know they're there, but made to be as "invisible" as possible.

If you have an ADA tank, it'll come with metal hooks that are meant to be used with custom glass tops. You can then use these to rest your DIY frame on.

I, unfortunately, do not have an ounce of DIY skill -- so my DIY cover did not end up looking anywhere near as good as it did in theory.

Would I love to have my ADA 120-P be 100% open top like I used to, 4 years ago? Sure. But I love my dwarf pencils and dwarf rainbows enough to put a cover on my tank. 

Finding a $15 fish on your carpet.......or open top tank?


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## wendyjo

I made a top for some of my tanks using velcro and fabric. Put the velcro along the top edge or sides of the tank and then either find fabric that will stick to velcro (yes, it's out there - many type of mesh fabric will stick to velcro) or put the other half of the velcro on the fabric and connect it that way. either way you want a nice breathable fabric so go with a mesh or lace or netting. It's better if you get velcro that will stick well to the materials you stick it to moreso than heavy duty velcro that will stick real hard to itself. This makes it easier to peel the two sections apart when you want to remove it without actually pulling if off the tank and/or fabric you're using. I also leave a small piece of the velcro hanging out a bit to use as a "handle" to grab and pull when I want to remove the fabric lid. I've also used this to cover areas that the lids don't always cover - like the cutouts in the back for cords. It works well because the velcro and the fabric can be molded to fit snugly around pipes and cords.

I may have some pics I can show you of mine if you're interested but have no clue what I'm trying to explain.


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## DogFish

zergling said:


> DogFish, while I agree with your notion of rimless tanks and covers, a compromise can still be made..,


Of course it can. One can make anything work, I question the whys of it not the hows. Just because one can make something work doesn't mean it's the best answer.

You can haul manure in a Corvette, but a pick-up truck works better. :icon_mrgr

For me and I think others, the Rimless is about the plants and a few select fish / inverts that complement the tank and serve a function. If fish were or inverts were the focus then proper lids are the expectation.


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## Hoppy

DogFish said:


> For me and I think others, the Rimless is about the plants and a few select fish / inverts that complement the tank and serve a function. If fish were or inverts were the focus then proper lids are the expectation.


I believe we have a winner! This is exactly how I see it, and again, I know that many people have different viewpoints on the subject. If the fish are the main focus of your hobby, then of course you do whatever it takes to protect them. But, if the plants are your focus, you select fish not known to jump, fish that are inexpensive to replace, and not too many, so the focus of the tank is the plants and aquascape. There is surely enough room in the hobby for both approaches.

I love animals, but I also eat meat.


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## talontsiawd

I have really only had open top tanks outside of one so I have a lot of experience. 

The obvious, don't buy jumpers. Does that mean nothing will ever jump out, no, but some fish will all jump in a day, others, you may loose 1 or 2 over a period of years.

Second obvious, the lower the water level, the less fish are prone to make it out of the tank. I used to top of one of my tanks that is very visible in the kitchen area when we had company as it looks better. Well, that was short lived, we lost 6 fish in one night. That isn't to say lowering the water level to .5 in or 1 in is going to totally prevent jumpers but a topped of tank will ensure a few jumps in my experience.


Changes in water chemistry. If water conditions change, I have found fish more prone to jump. If I do a 25% water change, no worries. If I do a 75% water change, I will sometimes get a jumper. So, if I do a large water change, I make sure to keep the water level really low for a few days. Same with CO2 changes, lower the water when making adjustments. 

New fish seem to be more prone to jumping. I attribute this to water chemistry. Again, lower the water level when you add new fish and keep it there for at least a week.

Some people claim that if you keep a top on at first, fish "learn" that they can't jump out. I have no experience with this and can't say that it works. 

The bigger the tank, it seems the less jumpers you get. It makes sense, fish don't only jump at the edges, they jump everywhere. They are not on a mission to jump out of the tank, just on a mission to jump. The more surface area, the more likely they are to end up back in the tank after flight.

Lastly, if your fish do not jump for a long period of time, rarely do they start late in life. The only time I really see this is when I don't do some of the above steps. Mainly large changes in water conditions and topping off the tank cause fish to get suicidal as an old man/women.




To put it more simply, the right fish, the right water level, and being careful with changes in water conditions will minimize jumping considerably. If a fish doesn't jump in the first week or two and you do the basics, it will stay in the tank for the rest of it's life. I have not lost any fish in a long time with my routine.


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## TLE041

I love the look of water filled to the brim of a rimless tank, but I've lost so many fishes to suicide (the water parameters are ideally suited for the species and water quality is pristine, so I know it's not due to that). I've given up a while back a got the matching ADA glass lids for both tanks. I think it looks pretty good and doesn't detract from the slim lines much.


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## Hermens

I had the same problem and here is how I solved it. Go to a fabric store and purchase a material called tule. I could be speeling it wrong but it sounds like (TOOL). Anyway wrap the egg crate with it and your problem is solved. In my tank it did not effect the lighting too much and saved my fish. Or why don't you build a ramp that will sort of fit onto or into the overflow that is low on the water side and high on the wall side. This way, if they jump and land on the ramp, they will slide right back into the water. I would construct of "L" brackets and thin sheet metal, or flexible plastic if you can find some.


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## atriz

read all the forums and tried to make my own and failed. but i found this and it really does work great and doesnt make the tank look bad

Rimless Aquarium Lids


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## atriz

dup


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## sohankpatel

It is more of a rim for the tank, it still wont stop a determined fish from jumping.


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## sl3xx

Go with nonjumpers if you want a rimless. I've had a few RCS deaths and one or two nerite deaths, but none of my dwarf puffers have ever tried it hopping out of my 12 gallon long.

As long as you catch the nerites within a week+ they'll most likely be fine from my experience. These ones just found some clever suicide hiding spots. One under the humidifier across the room.


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## atriz

its had done good. it keeps my snails and eels in too. since ive had it i've had no more jump outs. the guys that jumped in the middle when i had a net got caught in the net. with this rim the middle jumpers just fall back in the water. the ones that are near the edge get blocked by the rim. only once i found water on the top of the rim so a fish must have jumped and landed on it and slid back in because it creates a platform-ish instead of the fish hitting the edge of the tank and just flopping outside on the floor


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## bsantucci

atriz said:


> read all the forums and tried to make my own and failed. but i found this and it really does work great and doesnt make the tank look bad
> 
> Rimless Aquarium Lids


Are you using this? Have photos? I'm curious about it, but I wish it was actually glass. Looks a bit hazy in photos.


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## PickieBee

Avoid clown killis, they are the WORST jumpers! But I have terrible luck even in my 95% covered tank. My 6 inch lazy Farlowella managed to jump out and land in the cat's food bowl.


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## Nordic

..at least that is how the cat explained it...
I recently lost a female that was hours away from giving birth. I thought I had a spare canopy in the garage but couldn't find it... so the tank had to stay open till the Monday.


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## KrypleBerry

PickieBee said:


> Avoid clown killis, they are the WORST jumpers! But I have terrible luck even in my 95% covered tank. My 6 inch lazy Farlowella managed to jump out and land in the cat's food bowl.


That would be quite the sight. They are such terrible swimmers, I cant imagine one jumping. Lol


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