Lids on a FOWLR?

[bluebarry]

needed or naw? any cases that fish slash or jump out or something?

most reef tanks out there are rimless

[Animal-Chin]

Ya I've had jumpers for sure so I put a mesh top on mine. Wrasses will jump, almost guaranteed. I've had clowns jump and my blue tang hits the mesh all the time.

Some fish swim down naturally when threatened, some swim up. The ones that swim up will be found on your floor at some point...

[bluebarry]

Originally Posted by Animal-Chin

Ya I've had jumpers for sure so I put a mesh top on mine. Wrasses will jump, almost guaranteed. I've had clowns jump and my blue tang hits the mesh all the time.

Some fish swim down naturally when threatened, some swim up. The ones that swim up will be found on your floor at some point...

ahh I see , cause you see most reef tanks and it's always open top haha. but I guess with fowlr, the chances will be bigger.

[Animal-Chin]

a lot of people do it cause it looks cool. I had a rimless tank that looked just awesome open but I'd get calls at work "DAD your fish is flopping on the floor what do I do" or I'd wake up and a clownfish would be crusty on the living room table.

Its just a risk. Some people never have issues, I guess it would depend on your stock. If you have a couple of peaceful fish, you may never have a jumper, I happen to keep a super aggressing sailfin tang and have some really expensive wrasses, it would kill me to loose them due to jumping so this tank I have now has a full mesh lid.

They sell some pretty cook kits now that make it so you can add corners and cut outs, that sort of thing. Worth a look.

[bluebarry]

i guess i just dont like the feeling of a lid because it gets away from the clean look. but yeah i see what you mean. better safe than sorry when your fish is worth hundreads of dollars.

[Cujo#31]

I'm sure I'm echoing evryone else's sentiments, but no top=carpet surfing sardines

[Frogger]

Over the years I have lost at least a dozen fish from jumping. I recently had a wrasse that jumped out of the tank while I was feeding. I opened up the screen less than an inch. He got so excited he flew right out of the tank through the crack landed on the hardwood floor 5' down. Picked him up threw him back into the tank and he has never looked better.

A couple years ago I was walking in the living room and saw a green chromis on the floor. No idea when he got there. Picked him up threw him back into the tank. He laid there for a minute or two motionless and he came back to life. He is still alive. You can't kill a damsel.

I have had smaller fish jump right through egg crate and die on the top of the egg crate.

Must have a screen. I read about a product called Bananaquarium Fishguard that allows you to keep an open top and keep the fish from jumping. Haven't tried it haven't seen it don't know if it works.

[gregzz4]

Originally Posted by bluebarry

needed or naw? any cases that fish slash or jump out or something?

most reef tanks out there are rimless

Pretty much any fish will jump when spooked.
Your own experience will be based on what fish you keep.
I haven't had any jumpers for years now, yet I keep flasher and fairy wrasses.
The reason mine don't jump is they don't have any aggressive tank mates.
Yet, if I open my tank canopy doors without tapping on them first to tell them I'm there, they will spook and jump, spashing me during feeding.

So in your case, I'd approach your tank slowly to not spook them, and go from there. But, any fish will eventually jump if spooked or picked on.

[LifeIsGreat]

I like solid glass or plexi: keeps the fish in, dirt and pet hair out, and evaporation to a minimum which also makes the heaters work a bit less.

[Skimmer Juice]

I like the red sea mesh lids , and I recommend lids on any tank .
Have had fish that are not supposed to be jumpers (boxfish) jump out so anything is possible . If you love your fish lid up