Wrasse in an uncovered tank

[Mr. Brooks]

How many of you keep wrasses in an uncovered tank? I built a screen out of PVC and netting. It looks like crap and blocks some light. My tank is 30" tall with a canopy. I'm wondering what the chances are that a wrasse will jump out if I don't use a cover.

[michellejy]

What type of wrasse is it?

I have a fairy wrasse that jumps EVERY SINGLE DAY. He's a nut.

[Hop]

I have a clown wrasse that I have not seen jump and its still in the tank.

[snorvich]

Depends on type. Fairy and flasher wrasses WILL jump it is only a matter of when.

[iamwrasseman]

yes they will ,they are escape artists and certainly be aware that they are great at finding any hole that there may be .they have a good skill at this ,nothing but net !

[Mr. Brooks]

Dang, I was afraid you guys might say that. I just bought a blue star leopard. I'll be ading a flame, female leopard, sixline, flasher and fairy wrasses of some kind. Looks like I'll be doublng up on the screen mesh.

[physioman]

I have a sixline in a tank without a lid and it doesn't even seem interested in jumping. He's new and only there for about a week it that makes a difference.

[justinl]

if you have a tall enough canopy (at least a foot maybe?), if will be sufficient to have the fish bounce off of and back into the tank.

[iamwrasseman]

the flame fairy and flasher are the better jumpers but i have not yet seen a leopard try . most are spooked into jumping especially when there is quick movement near the tank so i always approach my tanks slowly and try not to spook them .alot of my fairys easily get spooked this way and wind up damaging thier mouth area bashing off whatever the slam into .once they damage themselves many succumb to starvation or just plain stress from the event .

[DaveG99]

Ive had a six line in my topless tank for 6 months with no jumping

[Jenisiz]

My 6 month flasher hasn't. I removed the grate due to me having to constantly target feed and move stuff...he's the biggest fish in the tank. I'm working on a hood now, but yeah he's been fine. I wouldn't risk it if you have other options, but so long as you have a low and small sized stock...you should have better odds.

[saltwatermadnes]

I have had a sixline for 2 years with no accidents haven't even seen him jump, also have a yellow coris wrasse and nothing there either

[stanlalee]

I think we can agree sixlines are least likely to jump and I too have one with an open top. I dont think I'd attempt it with many other wrasse ESPECIALLY fairy wrasses.

[Playa-1]

I've have a Velvet Wrasse in an open top tank for about 9 months without any problems. Before that I had a Flame Wrasse in the tank that I lost to a disease outbreak.

[macreefster]

i've had a couple of sixline wrasses jump before, mostly at night or when the lights first go off it seemed. can't say i'm too unhappy about the last one jumping as i was right there to pick him up and put him in the sump..... he was an aggressive little guy to any other wrasse i tried adding to the tank.

my leopard wrasse doesn't seem to be a jumper all.

[James983]

I have a Mystery Wrasse in open tank for over a year. No problems.

[tankguy001]

Surprised to hear so many people not having their wrasses jump. My six line jumped. I had another one jump out of tank #2. Its always been my understanding that all wrasses will jump

[fishysteve]

I've had my sixline in an uncovered tank for about four years with no suicide attempts that I know of. I do have a cover on my smaller tank that has another kind of wrasse. This guy. For some reason I can't remember the name. Orange shoulder wrasse maybe.



[IMG][/IMG]

[Miasma_F]

For the record, my sixline jumped. It disappeared one day (happiest day of my life since it was a holy terror) and I found it shriveled up a year later when I moved my tank.

[crvz]

I've had wrasses clear a 6"+ ledge that chases the back of my tank. I'd definitely have a cover if you like the fish. Sometimes I'll have fish jump when I just have the front open for feeding.

[mrter]

I would cover the tank, regardless of what fish you plan to get. Even non-jumpers can have accidents, why push your luck?

[snorvich]

I agree with iamwrasseman. If you want to roll the dice, it is your money. I have some very expensive fish that I don't want to lose, some of which cannot be replaced. I hear fish bouncing off the top all the time.

[saltydude]

One of my clowns jumped twice. Once on th floor, once ended up in the overflow. I have egg grate over the tank now, not a chance of that happening now.

[Jenisiz]

This is really interesting for me to read...I've never had a fish jump in almost 6 years, and I've had almost everything from Fire Fish to Wrasse.

[snorvich]

Originally posted by saltydude
One of my clowns jumped twice. Once on th floor, once ended up in the overflow. I have egg grate over the tank now, not a chance of that happening now.

Well it may keep clowns in but it will not keep firefish and wrasses in. They go through "nothing but net".