Posted under Fish Tank Talk & Uncategorized
Sometimes by nature of the aquarium hobby we learn things “the hard way”. We’ve all read the books, the online articles, gotten the advice from friends and breeders alike, decades of experience at your finger tips, but still seem to make the same costly mistakes.
I’m talking about those happenings where you should know better!
I’m sure this has happened to quite a few hobbyist out there. You’ve come home from an outing and the first thing us fish fanatics do is check on the tanks of course! Doing a quick head count you soon realize that someone, or some-fish is missing… After an in depth search of the tank the missing fish is nowhere to be found. Just then you feel something oddly disturbing at your feet. Visions of dried fish corpses pass through your mind like lightning making you weak in the knees.
Sure enough, another fish has lept to it’s death through the smallest opening at the top of your tank. In this most recent case, Cyprichromis Leptosoma. Worst of all It’s not the first fish to make the jump to fishy heaven, i’ve lost two or three already in the same way. Do they hate being caged up? Is the algae looking greener on the other side of the fence? No. My stupidity and ingnorence is to blame. After losing the first fish, i should have made absolutely sure that all escape routes were closed, but sometimes you learn “The Hard Way”
What a terrible way to go! I feel shame and anger at the same time… R.I.P buddy.
Needless to say after that instance i made sure the tank was sealed. But for how long. How long will it take before my apathy, forgetfulness or just plain stupidity claim yet another beautiful fish. A completely sealed canopy serves more than to keep the water from evaporating, it keeps your fish in the tank! This is a rule for beginners, and experts alike!
I don’t know how they do it, but fish can find the smallest opening or crack when they feel the need to escape, you can’t be to thorough. Even once you’ve taken precautions you still have to take the canopy of for maintenance. There was an occasion during a water change where another cyp jumped from the tank landing square on my back while i was adding water conditioner to some buckets! Luckily I was able to toss him back in right away. It’s never a good idea to leave tank open and unsupervised.
In the future I will do the best I can to limit “jumpers”, perhaps counsel the tank members a little on how to talk a suicidal fish away from the “edge” and back into the tank.
All joking aside, a valuable lesson has been learned, “the Hard Way”
SEAL YOUR TANKS EVERYONE!
