How do they still manage to jump???

[Delphinus]

I had large wrasses escape though eggcrate. I don't know the mechanics of how that's possible but they got out. I guess it's not surprising because I swear those fish can swim through solid rock so why not eggcrate as well?! .... Seriously, either two possibilities: they fit through the squares; or they hit the eggcrate with enough force to lift it up enough for them to still pass overhead and then the eggcrate falls back into place afterwards ....

Sorry to hear of your losses... I love them wrasses to bits but it's so heartbreaking to find them on the floor.

[Douglas]

I would recommend maybe switching out your egg crate top, for a smaller holed screen top. One like this....

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/catalo...d/1810/.....If possible.

The holes are a 1/4 inch and not 1/2 inch. You may not think it would make a difference, buy it might. Couldn't hurt.

You can get the supplies for the frame, at home depot, and the screen possibly from someone on the forum, saving you on the cost.

Its just an idea. Merry Christmas!

[Dearth]

I have eggcrate with mesh on top of my tank and already have had my fish break the eggcrate in 2 places and I think it is either my lubbocks of lawnmower Blennie doing the damage if the mesh wasn't there I think my cats would be having fish food literally

[Coralgurl]

I've got screening I guess I could add. The lighting is already affected by the eggcrate so I've resisted adding more to block even more light. But I guess that's always adjustable....

Stupid fish....maybe I'll find some time over the holidays to get something done. If my last 2 wrasses jump before that, then I might just go back to an open top and stay away from them for a while....

[Delphinus]

The clear bird netting should have smaller holes and block less light - and you can do away with the eggcrate altogether..

[paddyob]

Originally Posted by Dearth

I have eggcrate with mesh on top of my tank and already have had my fish break the eggcrate in 2 places and I think it is either my lubbocks of lawnmower Blennie doing the damage if the mesh wasn't there I think my cats would be having fish food literally

I don't see how either of those fish could physically break eggcrate. At all. Unless what you are using is not the egg crate I own... As what I call eggcrate I struggled to cut with side cutters capable of slicing a finger off. No way a fish would break the egg crate I know of.

As for the thread user ... Do you have any spaces that perhaps are cut around wires or pipes or something like that? Maybe they found a crack.

I forego eggcrate now and use a canopy about 8" tall. I have not lost a jumper since. Not even a wrasse in several years. Short of loss while doing maintenance. I failed to notice a jumper during extended maintenance. Oops.

[lastlight]

Originally Posted by paddyob

I don't see how either of those fish could physically break eggcrate.

My bet is on the cats. Which means your curious felines would have been in the tank had you been using screen top!

[Coralgurl]

Originally Posted by paddyob

As for the thread user ... Do you have any spaces that perhaps are cut around wires or pipes or something like that? Maybe they found a crack.

I forego eggcrate now and use a canopy about 8" tall. I have not lost a jumper since. Not even a wrasse in several years. Short of loss while doing maintenance. I failed to notice a jumper during extended maintenance. Oops.

I have cut outs for wires, but there's only enough room for the wires and still covers the eurobracing, gap is smaller than the actual eggcrate holes.

I haven't skinned my tank (top or bottom), but any that I've seen with a canopy do not seem to have jumpers, so this may be the plan for this year. I do think they may have jumped when I feed. I have a 2'x2' piece that I move to feed them, that's really the only way I could see them escaping, unless they did actually fit through the holes.

Originally Posted by lastlight

My bet is on the cats. Which means your curious felines would have been in the tank had you been using screen top!

Our cat sits on top of my tank too, is up there as soon as I move the ec to feed. She loves watching them but she won't put her paws in the water. She did this before I added the cover, she just walked along the euro bracing.....

[tobysmurf]

I've lost several to jumps lately, I had a beautiful pink tile goby and a solon fairy wrasse that decided to jump through the eggcrate a few days apart.