My luck stinks.......

[bamf25]

I had a nice long nose hawkfish that i had in my qt for 5 weeks. He moved to the dt last week and looked great. He had an amazing personality, very friendly, he even knew how to beg. Somehow, he managed to find either the 10 square inches of uncovered tank top on a 24 x 48 inch tank, or he got caught up in the netting covering the tank, because I initially did not see the body (actually my 9 year old saw it in a very obvious place on the floor and freaked). This is the second carpet surfer I have had in 3 months after my 1st coral beuty jumped out of my qt and they rarely jump.

I am just frustrated.

 

[argi]

You know what they say..."if it wasn't for bad luck I'd have no luck at all."

I think most of us can feel your pain.

 

[Dr Colliebreath]

Sorry to hear it. It is amazing how fish can find small openings or why they would bother to jump, particularly a fish like that. Most of us have experienced it at some point and it is never a good feeling.

 

[slojmn]

I do know your pain . My Royal Flasher wrasse somehow jumped through the netting on my tank and was stuck on the outside of the netting to dry up under the lights. I felt awful. Then my McCoskers jumped while I was cleaning the tank and I didn't find him until the next day. The final incident came when my female Earli wrasse got spooked when I was feeding and managed to jump out of a tiny slit. I watched it happened and scooped her up and plopped her back int he tank. This all occurred within a two week period!!

I now have the 1/4" clear mesh top that no one can get through and not a single opening anywhere. I have someone keep an eye out when I have the top off for maintenance and I watch closely when feeding. It is a royal pain but so far it has kept all of my wrasses in the tank.

 

[EllieSuz]

I had a McCosker's actually lift the edge of 1/4" netting in a screen kit. He lifted it enough to make it to the floor. Luckily, I was home at the time and heard something that didn't sound right and I popped him back in. Now I keep weights on the front edge of the screen top. Think about this for a minute; when a fish jumps in the ocean, he stands a pretty good chance of landing in water. They don't have that assurance in our tanks.

 

[SDguy]

I almost always win in these threads, when I post my pellet eating yellow belly regal

 

[bradleyj]

Ever since I changed my netting to 1/4 inch, I've had great success. A couple have jumped while I had it off for maintenance, but I've been lucky enough to see them and get them back in the water. I just changed my netting to some new netting. After 2 years of the lights beating on it and all the salt creep. I figured it was time. I waited until the lights went off and the wrasses had gone to bed.
I'm glad I did, the netting was getting all worn out and brittle. Might be a good idea for all of you to check yours if it's been over 2 years.

New netting.

 

[Franklin B.]

Lost a flame angel to the carpet.

 

[usatennisfan]

Ever since I changed my netting to 1/4 inch, I've had great success. A couple have jumped while I had it off for maintenance, but I've been lucky enough to see them and get them back in the water. I just changed my netting to some new netting. After 2 years of the lights beating on it and all the salt creep. I figured it was time. I waited until the lights went off and the wrasses had gone to bed.
I'm glad I did, the netting was getting all worn out and brittle. Might be a good idea for all of you to check yours if it's been over 2 years.

New netting.

Is this bird netting? I've heard of it being used but never seen it.

 

[bradleyj]

Is this bird netting? I've heard of it being used but never seen it.

Not quite sure if its labeled as bird netting , but it's a clear netting with 1/4 inch holes. And, I believe it's UV rated so it wont break down under the sun, or our halides. You can order it at Bulk reef supply.

It's by far, the best protection you can use.

 

[Aaarrrggg]

Be careful with the netting for nano fish. My Yasha Goby managed to jump through the 1/4" stuff and fry himself under the lights. Found a Yasha shaped crisp the next day grrr!