Jumping Molly?!?

[Menagerie]

TGIF
My soon-to-be brackish tank can't take any more of this week. I came home to find one of my Mollies on the floor covered in dust in front of the tank stand. There is a largish gap in the back on the tank--the tank used to have a HOB from the previous owner, but with a canister, there is a gap. All of the cats were in the house and yet, there was the Molly, unharmed, but dead
I knew some tetras were jumpers, but I never expected Mollies to jump. Time for a new tank top *sigh*

 

[lmw80]

I have never known mollies to be jumpers either...I am sure it was just an accident.

 

[Keeper]

May the little puddy tats are playing games with you. ....It has been known to happen

 

[QTOFFER]

Sorry, Menagerie, that sucks. I never heard of mollys jumping either.
*cant wait to get home to tape more saran wrap around the filter hoses on the ropefish tank*

I forget where I read this, but it's the best explanation I've seen for why fish - especially the more intelligent ones - make a jump for freedom. Apparently, fish can percieve that they are trapped within an enclosed body of water. To some degree, they're aware of the world outside the tank, but they mistakenly assume that it's simply a larger body of water - one that may contain food, shelter, and potential mates. Instinctively, they desire to explore this vast lake that we call our livingroom or bedroom.

 

[Menagerie]

the little puddy tats are playing games with you

I wouldn't put it past them!! Did you see the pic of my cat on the 80 gal in my gallery?

especially the more intelligent ones - make a jump for freedom

Hmmmm, no offense to all the Molly lovers, but they just don't seem that bright. They breed when people don't want them to and every time I get them--no fry
I think the one that jumped was pregnant. *sigh* Well, I went to the LFS and asked for the most pregant looking Molly. I will have to find something for the hole until I can replace the cover.

 

[DragonChild]

I'm sorry about the preggo molly jumping...maybe she wanted an abortion?

Okay, so that wasn't very funny.

All I know is that my dad's 20 gallon used to have kissing gourmies that would jump...our cat used to sit behind the tank and wait.

 

[trenac]

I have a open top tank & had my Molly jump out twice in one week. luckily I was home and threw him back in and he is doing fine. I guess he learned his lesson because it has never happened again.

 

[nsx]

Seems that any fish can jump once in awhile. I've had 2 Siamese Algae Eaters jump twice, and one didn't make it, as I was at work when that one jumped. The other jumped while I was watching the tank. I had a Tiger Barb jump once when I was doing a water change. I didn't notice it until about 15 minutes later. He seemed near death for the next day, but eventually pulled through. Finally, I had a Red Platy jump in the middle of the night, and she didn't make it. I think she was pregnant too.

Sorry to hear about your Molly!

Moral of the story, keep all tanks covered!

 

[krap101]

my weather loach jumped out and is fine. the next day it hid in the sand and i got paranoid. it was b4 school and i had to leave and i heard they can survive up to 4 hours out of the tank. i moved the tank and looked under it and was worried all day. then i had either trombone, soccer, tennis, sylvan etc. when i got home his stupid lil head was sticking out of the sand.

moral check sand b4 moving tank stand 8P

 

[Aquafriend]

There is a big gap in my hood where the filter goes because the previous owner cut on the 'lines' rather than to the shape of the filter. I didn't want my betta to jump out the gap so I covered it with black electrical tape, which matches the hood. I just overlapped the tape to cover the section that was a few inches wide. It blends in and I was able to narrow the gap down so it's just big enough for the water flow to fall from the filter. Cheaper than a new hood.

 

[pkremer]

Uh-oh, I cut along the 'lines' as well on my 38 gallon...there is about an inch gap between the HOB filter and the the hood itself, however, I have never had any fish jump out...

I did the same thing on my 10 gallon, but none of the killies have jumped out yet...

Paul

 

[Menagerie]

An inch gap shouldn't give you a problem. I have a serious hole in the back of the tank. No more jumpers over the weekend. I also aimed the outflow of the canister filter across that area. It turns out the flounder likes to sit up there, but the Mollies have all avoided it.