How to stop fish leaping out

[schmee]

Hi
This may be a silly question, but it's on my mind all the same.
i will very soon have 4 ADFs, amano shrimp and eventually also a betta. Firstly, i'm wondering how i'm going to be able to introduce the 4 frogs one by one without the others jumping out of their respective containers.
My other worry is water changes. From what i've read, a 10-15% water change once a week should do the trick. (i have a 10 gallon with a trickle filter) The thing is, it seems it would be best to use the gravel hoover to clean the gravel while taking the water out. However, i cannot use it without the hood completely off and surely it will be stressful for both fish and frogs. What if they jump? Or should i remove them during the water change? i'm reluctant to do that as surely that is even more stressful.
Or do i leave the gravel and just remove the water using a jug of some kind?
What do you do and what are your thoughts on this?

 

[JohnPaul]

1. You definitely need to vacuum the gravel or else it will build up "gunk" and cause all sorts of water quality issues, which will eventually (likely) kill everything in your tank.

2. When doing tank maintenance, yes, you remove the hood entirely. In all my years of having aquaria, only twice have I ever seen a fish jump out of the tank while I was doing that. It's not a huge concern. Most typically what will happen is when you start rooting around in there, most of your fish etc. will swim to the bottom part of the tank and basically try to stay away from your arm (or whatever it is that is in the tank). Jumping out of the tank is the last thing they are thinking about. There is no need to remove the fish or other occupants from the tank--as you rightly pointed out, that would be far more stressful to them than just leaving them in the tank.

3. I don't understanding your question about introducing the frogs... are you worried about them jumping out of the aquarium? Or out of the packaging that you buy them in?

 

[jsoong]

No experience with frogs, but fish do fine with gravel vac. As long as you don't do any sudden big movement, you can stick your hand or gravel vac into the tank & do stuff without stressing the fish.

Incidentally, as far as water changes goes, you need to be guided by water tests. If the tank is not cycled (and I would suggest doing a fishless cycle so it IS cycled before putting fish/frogs in), you would need to do much more than 10% a week ..... more like 50% a day in a small setup until the tank is cycled.

 

[schmee]

Thanks for the reassurance.
The worry about the frogs was that i plan to have the frogs in one container so that i can gradually add tank water before introducing them to the actual tank. When i then come to move one of the frogs across, i will have both containers open and fear the frogs may take the opportunity to jump. i suppose i'll just have to keep an eye.

The tank is cycled. i will have to see how the readings go once adding the shrimp & adfs i guess.

 

[mgamer20o0]

just be careful it shouldnt be a problem.