Risk assessment.

[Bent]

So, I got this auto feeder for the anthias and to make it work I had to cut my screen top. What's the odds my firefish or future other jumper will find this hole?

 

[ColinAbi]

So, I got this auto feeder for the anthias and to make it work I had to cut my screen top. What's the odds my firefish or future other jumper will find this hole?

I don't think you had to cut the screen, mine is 1/4 and most if not all of the pellets will make it through but it depends how big the pellets are but I am not sure about your question.

 

[Bent]

The flake wouldn't make it through. I put flake, pellet and freeze dried blood worms together in it. For some strange reason all my fish love the blood worms. Go figure.

 

[ColinAbi]

The flake wouldn't make it through. I put flake, pellet and freeze dried blood worms together in it. For some strange reason all my fish love the blood worms. Go figure.

Ah didn't know you had flake. You could just feed the worms you have in your sand bed lol.

 

[Reef noob_]

idk, i wouldn't have cut the opening. that being said i once had a valentini puffer jump through a hole 2" i diameter -_-, but some people do have rimless tanks. all in all i'd say it is quite unlikely that a fish will find that but maybe put a rock right under it to make fish stay away from the opening?

 

[Bent]

Ah didn't know you had flake. You could just feed the worms you have in your sand bed lol.

Lol could. I'd still like to know wth those things are.

 

[ColinAbi]

Lol could. I'd still like to know wth those things are.

I wish I had an ID for ya.

 

[stingeragent]

Never had a "known jumper" fish, but from some of the threads on here, they seem to jump out 1/2 inch gaps near the overflows and such so IDK.

 

[bitwise]

What about a tiny funnel in that square hole? Slippery enough and large enough to allow flake to pass.

 

[CStrickland]

What about a tiny funnel in that square hole? Slippery enough and large enough to allow flake to pass.

That's a really good way to run auto feeders anyway, lots of people attach a little ring to the tank rim that the food (especially flakes) lands inside of to get waterlogged and sink before it gets caught in the surface skim of the overflow. I've seen them made of the neck off a 1 liter plastic Coke bottle.
On mine I just put a little flap of the soft vinyl window screen that I had lying around over it, thinking that if a fish jumped out he'd just kind of flop around under it until he fell back down. I draped it loosely over top so it didn't interfere with the spinning part. I would think an old washcloth would do the same, as long as you dont forget it's under there.

PS I think people without lids have just accepted that they will lose the occasional fish to carpet surfing. Like it's worth it for them to keep the tank screenless. That seems weird to me and I think most fish will jump if properly motivated. Since that can be something as minor as a scuffle over a cave, or a run in at the feeder (especially now that you have a contraption that makes a weird noise and dumps a bunch of food in the same place for everyone to have at, rather than you walking up and squirting stuff everywhere) I wouldn't run a tank without a screen period.

 

[GoldeneyeRet]

IME 100%.

They have good aim.

 

[HaiD888]

the funnel will work and extended it to just under the water surface to prevent the food floating into the overflow box.

 

[Bent]

I got a ring under it if you look close.

 

[snorvich]

Fish which have a propensity to jump will find the hole.

 

[primetyme941]

I say your odds are pretty good

 

[Bent]

Blast. Guess I'll go pellet only and glue a piece of screen back on there.

 

[billdogg]

IME 100%.

They have good aim.

What he said. If the flakes won't fit stop using them in the feeder.

 

[d-man]

Ummm....yeah. Best of luck

 

[Shawn O]

Take a plastic milk jug and cut it into a rectangle. Use a butane lighter to warm it enough to bends it. Make a square tube that can be zip-tied to the screen cover. If they jump they will hit the feeder and fall back in.

 

[brett559]

Fill that thing with Spectrum pellets. My fish love them. Then you get the piece of mind with the full top. I had a hawkfish jump through the tiny space in my mesh top that a cord ran through.