Don't know what's happening...fish are jumping out!

Leopardess

Leopardess

Everything's eventual.
Aug 13, 2003
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New Hampshire Seacoast Area
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Title kind of gives it away.

Water parameters are dead on, nothing has changed at all. Its got an enclosed hood. A week ago, I woke up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and on my way out, I saw something on the carpet. I looked and it was a still alive celebese rainbowfish! I scooped him up really quickly and threw him in (geez, it's hard to pick up a fish from a flat surface!). He seemed okay...as if he hadn't been out long. Next day he was fine, and the next. A few days later I found him dead.

After this, I added the glasstops back on (had no need before). They are missing the plastic strips on the back and so don't completely cover the hole. There's maybe an opening *just* the size of a celebese if it were to jump vertically.

Today, I wake up and find ANOTHER male celebese on the floor....but this one was long gone:( The sheer odds of him being able to fit through that space are mind boggling.

Why the sudden jumping? I just can't explain it! Not one single thing has changed. These are the only fish that have ever jumped out...both males and both celebeses.

At least my cats didn't eat them (I'd have been really confused as to where they went), but both times, Dante was sitting there just staring at it like "What are you doing down here?!"
 
Sorry to hear, its amazing that they can find the smallest spot isn't it? I had a rainbow shark jump to its death, and I never thought it could even fit through the hole!! I have cats too!! I think a platy may have gotten eaten, but the rainbow shark was out of their reach.
The only things I've heard for fish jumping out is poor water quality and harrassment from other fish. Have they been chasing each other more than usual lately? I sit one of my containers of food over the small hole in the back now to cover it.... Hope you figure it out :confused:
 
That's odd, Holly!

No, no harassment. These fish have all been together for several years now, with no new friends.

It's only happening at night though...which further complicates it, I think.
 
I have had the same experience with these guys and other types of fish as well. There is most likley nothing wrong you are doing except not covering up your tank well enough. Fish jump...thats just what they do.....especially species like Celebes Rainbows who are very active fast moving fish. There is really no mystery to figure out.
 
I think the rainbows in general,are jumpers, as they eat flys and mosquitos from above water as nature's diet.
I have an openeing at the back of my aquarium, and reading this, I might consider adding the plastic pieces back. (I didn't use them either).

Sorry to hear!
 
I'm aware that fish jump. I've kept rainbows (many species) for a few years; they're my favorite fish. My question is really why now. Why not two years ago? Why both in the same week? Odd coincidence? Those fish have been without glass tops for a long, long time now (the hood itself is enclosed...there is about a 1/2" opening where the front panel doesn't rest flush..its DIY)...it just seems odd to me to have it happen to the males, the celebese, right in a row!

EDIT: This post was sort of just more a story than a question. I don't expect anyone to be able to tell me what my fish were thinking the night they committed suicide...though I've looked for notes, and no such luck;)
 
My friend has a snakehead that jumps out all by itself all the time. It can breathe atmospheric air, so it has lived for quite some time on the carpet before(hours). He just picks him up and tosses him back in. The snakehead seems to like getting out though, as he jumps out sometimes during water changes and hangs out on the carpet until he gets picked up. He seems to do it then because he knows he's going to get picked up right away. The funniest part is that he doesn't flop around or anything when he's out or being picked up, he just chills. :D
 
I don't know anything about that fish species, but is it possible that they are performing mating "dances" at night (especially since it's just the males) and this involves frantic up and down swimming. If you don't know, I'd do some research to find out if they breed at night and any other practices.

On a side note, but not to scare you, is maybe a heater leaking some current into the tank. I had one that was titanium and just wasn't sealed well enough that leaked current and when it would "jolt" the fish would go ballistic! :hang: I couldn't figure things out for a couple of weeks (poor fish) :sick: until I was doing a water change and felt a slight "buzz" in the water. Thank God I didn't get a full dose! Since that I generally try to use GFCI outlets (although my Display tank doesn't have one!). The fish all survived but it took a while to heal emotionally for them. They would seriously cower whenever I would come into the room thinking I was the reason they would get hurt. I mean when they would get zapped, they would go crazy in that tank. One of the fish would charge from one end to the other and back several times, ramming the glass in his frenzy at each end! One time he hit so hard, I actually think he knocked himself out (or at least stunned for a bit). VERY SCARY TIME! One easy way to tell with glass heaters is to turn them off and remove it from water. If it fogs up inside it's got moisture in it! Don't use it.
 
Leopardess said:
My question is really why now.
Click to expand...

Even though all the fish have been together for years, maybe someone has recently gotten big/old enough to become agressive at night. The pleco perhaps. Maybe keep an eye on them one night to see if that's the case.
 
congealed - that is kind of odd! Of course, snakeheads in the wild do skip from water to water...so maybe he's looking for some new digs?:cool:

measure - Scary! Good thing they didn't all fry! I don't run any heaters on that tank (too hot in here all the time), though, so that's not the problem for sure! In the past, they have mated during the day...I don't think it's a night time thing.

cloud - I don't know. The pleco is only a 3" candystripe...he's very small and shy. Even at night he doesn't venture far from his home. He never knows I'm watching him with the little moonlight either - its the only time I can ever see him!


I'm beginning to think its just one huge coincidence.
 
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