Coral Beauty jumping?

joebeagle

New member
I was shocked to find my coral beauty on the floor yesterday morning. I had it for several months. It seemed to be doing well (feeding, excellent with keeping the tank clean) but had a habit of chasing the water on the surface where the skimmer emptied back into the tank. Is it possible this fish could jump out of a tank? Has anybody else had a similar experience? I don't want to blame the cat for something the fish might have done to itself by accident.
 
Either way, it's never the animals fault. They only do what we as owners allow them.

Sorry for your loss. Consider placing a lid on your tank. Something like eggcrate or a screen would also work if you need to keep it open to air.
 
I guess my question is: Are coral beauties prone to jumping?

If I put a screen on the tank, will it interfer with the lights/quality/quantity reaching the tank?
 
Prone to jump? Don't know, but in your tank, for whatever reason, apparently yes.

A screen will block some light, but many hobbyists have had luck with them anyway. There is plastic mesh sold at some hardware stores that is more like netting. It has larger holes and blocks very little light.

Is a glass top not an option?
 
I really never gave much thought to a glass top (or any top for that matter) until now. I'd like to balance accessibility (for feeding) with safety and lighting (and air exchange).
 
Any fish is capable of going carpet surfing. Granted, some fish are more prone and will do it all the time. There's many articles here on RC that explain different ways to cover up your tank. I also found egg crate helpful, but would have liked to try a mesh top as it would have been less bulky. I dislike tops that completely seal off the tank or that don't allow for proper air flow as it allows for too much heat to get trapped, especially if you are using extreme lighting.
 
What about clear plexiglass? It would allow for cutting, air holes and such. Would it change the wave length/quality of light?
 
The only thing about plexiglass is that it would start to bow over time and if you get it too thick than it will be to bulky to remove and ect. I mean it could work but making a mesh screen would be much cheaper anyways.
 
go with mesh or eggcrate, not a solid surface if you can avoid it. it's a constant chore to keep it free of salt film, which cuts down on light, and it can pose a problem for temp and diminished water/gas interchange
 
I had a problem with wrasses jumping and I went with eggcrate.

eggcrate2.jpg
 
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