Yeah my top has a gap where the filters are, glass versa top I removed the section of plastic for the length of my 2 filters leaving about a 14" x 2" gap.
I do have 2 male cherry barbs in there that may of eaten a few they're the only ones I see poking around where the fry hide but if they did eat some it was enough, before anyone says add more, I did get 3 females and they killed 1 and chewed the other 2's fins so i moved them out.