Open Tops/Rimless Tanks with fish

Rbacchiega · #1 02-23-2009, 08:14 PM

Red Coral is pretty decent priced, so I'll probably see if I can order them in through them. Thanks again

GreenSpottedPuffer · #2 02-23-2009, 08:39 PM

My tank is open topped when I am home (quite often as I work from home right beside the tank) and has a screen cover (window screen) when I am not and all night. I just put the screen on before i go out or to bed...its habit already. I had a puffer jump after owning him for 3 years a while back and vowed never to do open topped again. I did it again obviously

But I am trying to lessen the chance of anyone jumping.

It just takes one quick, little fight for it to happen and I am willing to bet if you have the tank set up for years, it will. Everytime. Just a matter of time. It took three years with that last tank.

So some days if I am out all day, the screen will stay on the tank and light will be blocked a bit but oh well...kind of like a cloudy day on the reef. Its window screen to keep bugs out so NO fish can fit through. Would even work for eels.

The nice thing was that you just buy the frame in length and cut them to fit the tank. Its super easy to make a quick custom cover. Takes maybe about 15 mins. max.

Good luck!

BTW, I had chalk bass in the past and they all jumped at some point either up into my canopy or would jump and hit the lights

Didn't do it often but over a few years, they all seemed to jump. Only 2 of the 6 died but still...if I didn't have a canopy, all of them would have.

Whatigot · #3 02-23-2009, 09:06 PM

I would bet you had much more aggressive tankmates than I ever did.

Thats the key IMO, careful selection of inhabitants to make sure that there is as little chance of aggression as possible.

Sure, you're never gonna be 100% jump free, but thats no what this thread is about.

Rbacchiega · #4 02-23-2009, 09:33 PM

so technically, according to what you're saying, if I keep with one species and provide lots of nooks/crannies/mini territories they should be less likely to jump.

GreenSpottedPuffer · #5 02-23-2009, 09:41 PM

Its simple. Fish jump for various reasons and if you have an open top, you have to accept the fact that you will loose a fish or two over the years. There was a thread about this on RC a long time ago that got really long and probably 90% of people with open tops had lost fish unless the tank was only set up a few months. There was everything from triggers to tangs to chromis jumping.

Delphinus · #6 02-23-2009, 09:54 PM

+1

Seems to me it's a just a risk you have to accept if you want open-top. If you don't want to accept the risk, then you have to find a solution to make them fall back in the water "when" they do jump...

Rbacchiega · #7 02-23-2009, 10:06 PM

good points both of you.

The only sure way, it seems, to avoid fish jumping is to go with no fish at all. Herm. Food for thought indeed

Whatigot · #8 02-23-2009, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreenSpottedPuffer

Its simple. Fish jump for various reasons and if you have an open top, you have to accept the fact that you will loose a fish or two over the years. There was a thread about this on RC a long time ago that got really long and probably 90% of people with open tops had lost fish unless the tank was only set up a few months. There was everything from triggers to tangs to chromis jumping.

yeah.
Nobody refutes the fact that you're gonna have some jumpers if you go open top, its a gimme on this thread...lol
no question GSP, if you're tank is an open top, you will eventually lose a fish to it.
HOWEVER, I think this thread offers some great insight for those who understand the risk and just like or need open top for whatever reason.
and in my EXPERIENCE, in the 3 years I have been running open top reef s dedicated to PEACEFUL fish only, that your risk of jumpers is mitigated quite substantially by
A) Picking inhabitants carefully to ensure they will all get along, if you have even ONE single aggressive fish, your jump likelyhood increases significantly for every other one, this is why I gave my chromis, yellow tail damsel and yellow tang the boot in my 72 open top; aggression.
B) Have other places to go, if a fish has some known hiding spots like lots of live rock, they will have somewhere else to swim if a panic moment does occur
C) have your tank somewhere low traffic in your home

You'll never have a jump free tank, but you're certainly increasing the potential for one, even if your statistic leaves 10% of tanks jump free ;-)

FlamesFan · #9 02-23-2009, 10:22 PM

yeh my 90 is rimless and I to have had deaths inthe past. Thankfully only chromies

GreenSpottedPuffer · #10 02-23-2009, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Whatigot

yeah.
Nobody refutes the fact that you're gonna have some jumpers if you go open top, its a gimme on this thread...lol
no question GSP, if you're tank is an open top, you will eventually lose a fish to it.
HOWEVER, I think this thread offers some great insight for those who understand the risk and just like or need open top for whatever reason.
and in my EXPERIENCE, in the 3 years I have been running open top reef s dedicated to PEACEFUL fish only, that your risk of jumpers is mitigated quite substantially by
A) Picking inhabitants carefully to ensure they will all get along, if you have even ONE single aggressive fish, your jump likelyhood increases significantly for every other one, this is why I gave my chromis, yellow tail damsel and yellow tang the boot in my 72 open top; aggression.
B) Have other places to go, if a fish has some known hiding spots like lots of live rock, they will have somewhere else to swim if a panic moment does occur
C) have your tank somewhere low traffic in your home

You'll never have a jump free tank, but you're certainly increasing the potential for one, even if your statistic leaves 10% of tanks jump free ;-)

Right and I agree 100% with what your saying. I just think especially for people new the hobby that they need to make sure they understand there is a risk. I am willing to bet if you keep an open top tank for say 5 years, even with just small peaceful fish, you are going to get some jumpers. If not, then thats awesome...but I think rare.

My scissor gobies would dive straight into the rocks when scared and never go near the surface, so I think your point about them having a safe spot in the tank like a cave is a good point. They should dart to that spot instead of out of the tank...hopefully.