Do I need to use I lid on a Clownfish tank?

[Hugo Garcia]

Hey guys, this is my first time with a saltwater tank and I was planing on starting with a clownfish tank. I've had a freshwater tank with goldfish for a while, and always had no lid on the tank, because it seemed to me Rabat gold fish can't jump. But now I just realized that clownfish can jump, and now I'm worried that some day I might come home and find my fish on the floor,

So what should I do? My 20 gallon tank that will host the clownfish doesn't have a lid and has a bunch of eipament that makes using a Lind kind of difficult. Any suggestion?

Thanks,

Hugo Garcia

 

[eatbreakfast]

Any fish can jump.

1y4" mesh screen from Bulk Reef Supply and a screen frame from any hardware store.

 

[DancingShark]

Yes, it's the reason I installed one after the death of my clown fish.

 

[Shameless_Dood]

Another option is an egg crate light defuser from your local home improvement store. They cut easily with wire cutters and you can cut around your equipment. That's what I've done for my QT systems.

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

Even if a fish is not known to jump, it's just good practice to have a lid on a nano aquarium in my experience. You want it to fit tightly too, my engineer goby jumped out of my tank through a 1/4" hole in the corner of my lid bracket where a power head cord used to go. I would say something like egg crate or polycarbonate/acrylic is your best bet in this scenario, since you have to fit around your filters. Just make sure there is enough air exchange area if you go with the polycarbonate or acrylic by cutting out some squares in the middle and replacing them with glued in mesh.

 

[Hugo Garcia]

Thanks a lot for the tips guys!

 

[seastar]

Just adding to the chorus, the most heartbreaking fish I lost due to jumping was a clown and I added the lid right after. Sad because I also love the not covered look.

 

[Hugo Garcia]

Just adding to the chorus, the most heartbreaking fish I lost due to jumping was a clown and I added the lid right after. Sad because I also love the not covered look.

And what kind of kid did you use?

 

[seastar]

There are a couple of options really. With your 20 gallon (if you find yourself to be a little handy) you can buy a DIY screen kit from a home good store and simply set it over the tank. I bought some black bird netting which still had small enough wholes for the actual screen part of it because I prefer black netting over the more reflective white/clear. There are several more pricey custom builders of tops like artfully acrylic, but I'd maybe do that if you end up upgrading to a larger tank in the future as they're quite the investment

(Here's my frag tank)

 

[rck329]

I'll share my recent experience - had a 90g that I recently consolidated into a 40 breeder. I had made mesh covers (like above) for the 90 but rarely used them, and only had one fish jump in 3 years. Well with the 40, I've lost 3 fish in a month - clown, firefish and six line. My take is, the shallower the tank, the more prone you are to losing a fish by jumping. Between the 3 that jumped and 2 chromis, they frequently chased each other - nothing too serious, but I'm assuming they chased each other right out of the tank. I'll be putting a mesh cover on the 40 - as much as I hate how they look.

 

[Steve McGlamery]

Yes...I have a cover on my tank with an opening for the auto feeder and both my clown fish jumped out . A year apart.

 

[Hugo Garcia]

Yes...I have a cover on my tank with an opening for the auto feeder and both my clown fish jumped out . A year apart.

Thanks horrible! So how can I make sure they won't jump?

 

[Steve McGlamery]

Put a cover on the tank and don't leave any openings. I learned my lesson.

 

[Hugo Garcia]

Put a cover on the tank and don't leave any openings. I learned my lesson.

Oh god, but how can I fit a HOB filter and a lid?

No lid can cover this

 

[Karie]

I have had lots of fish commit suicide but never one of my clowns.

For what that's worth.

 

[Salty1962]

A tank cover will keep you from burying your fish Don't tempt Murphy's Law

 

[zieg9479]

Oh god, but how can I fit a HOB filter and a lid?

View attachment 563868

No lid can cover this

You know how on freshwater tanks, they have a rubber strip on the back end, so that you can cut as you need to for equipment? Well find a way to have your own, workable, malleable rubber strip.
When my gf and I had a 29 gallon, she actually put slips of cardboard or heavy stock paper clipped to the rim of the tank. I do not recommend that. Maybe needle point canvas (the kind people use for ATSes)?

 

[Waters]

I actually lost both of my clowns due to jumping...one after I installed a lid (which had a small 1" gap in the back). Definitely use a lid if possible.

 

[Jimmyneptune]

Nothing is 100%
I have always used a mesh lid, Bulk Reef Supply mesh and HD screen frame, and have had fish jump out when I do maintenance.
Other times the lid was on and they jump in the over flow and die or get lost. I cover my overflow now with egg crate and still do even though I found onetime one of my clown fish LED fried on the egg crate.
Me personally, if I was running your system I would use nothing. The clown that got baked was a freak accident. Sometimes "things happen" no matter what you do. I would risk it and enjoy the open look. If you really want something I would say egg crate you can cut it to fit easy.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Nothing is 100%
I have always used a mesh lid, Bulk Reef Supply mesh and HD screen frame, and have had fish jump out when I do maintenance.
Other times the lid was on and they jump in the over flow and die or get lost. I cover my overflow now with egg crate and still do even though I found onetime one of my clown fish LED fried on the egg crate.
Me personally, if I was running your system I would use nothing. The clown that got baked was a freak accident. Sometimes "things happen" no matter what you do. I would risk it and enjoy the open look. If you really want something I would say egg crate you can cut it to fit easy.

Eggcrate is pretty wide, so affords more opportunity for fish to get through.

Vigilence and regularly observing your tank will cut down on jumpers during maintenance. The op doesn't have an overflow.

While fish can be remarkably resourceful in jumping out of a mostly covered tank, their odds of staying in the tank and not carpet surfing a greatly improved by having a top.