SAE leaps to its death

[joby]

I wrote a few days ago about my SAEs and Swordtails in quarantine. I have been treating my tank for ich for 2 days now. I came home this evening and found one of the poor SAEs lying on the floor like total jerky. He was so dried out that he must have jumped as soon as I was out the door! Anyway he was lying on the floor for hours

There is only the tiniest of openings in my 10 g quarantine tank! The other 2 seem to be ok. None of the fish have any white spots, but the swordtails are still occasionally bashing themselves against things. Also the male ST keeps bashing into the female ST. Is this normal behavior?

I checked H2O this morning and nitrites were up (0.3-0.6). Maybe because of meds? Could this be why the SAE committed suicide?

joby

 

[Ems]

Could be, could also be because he wanted to get away from everyone else.
We've had guppies, bettas, loaches commit suicide.
Its normal if theres an opening at the top of the tank, and if they get fed up with anything or anyone they'll jump.

 

[joby]

he seemed so happy with his 2 other SAE buddies. I don't know why I am calling him "he". This is my first jumper.

 

[Ems]

Might not be your last jumper if there is any space for them to jump out.
Even if they "seem" happy it doesn't necessarily mean they are...

 

[Red Tailed Wonder]

Some Catfish are Incredible jumpers.
one of my Pakistani loach jumped out once and died

 

[jordank]

Isn't it possible they are just a bit curious as to whats on the other side of the hole?

 

[psargon]

i guess it's coincidental, but i had a bala shark that jumped out of a tiny hole when he had ich. i know sharks are great jumpers but i never thought he'd make i through that hole.

 

[Swimfins]

I agree with jordank, I think, some believe the water continues outside the tank and want to explore other regions.... I don't think a fish knowingly jumps to his death. Of course some are smarter than others in this regard. I think my gourami know fully well, that the living room is not a water world. The little ottos and cories however are too busy to think of life beyond the walls. They have enough work to keep them busy inside the tank. Perhaps this sae did not have enough algae to feed on???

 

[jonny p]

qoute:::::Also the male ST keeps bashing into the female ST. Is this normal behavior?

my males are always bashing into each other and are always trying to mate,

they did bash into walls when they had ich, but once they were treated they stopped doing it

 

[Ems]

I didn't mean that he meant to jump to his death, I meant that he wanted to get out of the space and probably thought there was more water on the other side of his tank.
I don't think a fish would knowingly jump to its death either.