5 Jump Protection Solutions for Fish in the Aquarium - 5 Net Covers
(c) bananaquarium.com
I think that every aquarist has had to deal with the thought of a fish jumping out of the aquarium. Here we have four solutions for you that deal exactly with this issue. In addition, we have built our own DIY aquarium net cover.
As long as I can remember and have been keeping saltwater aquariums, I have had to deal with jumping fish from time to time. What a lot of tips there are! From moonlight to a glass or Plexi mat on top. The former can help you see, but is not really 100% safe. The second is unattractive and the third has the disadvantage that the glass and Plexi discs become salty too quickly, which may result in a loss of light and frequent cleaning intervals. Not to mention the effort involved in feeding. However, it would at least have the advantage of slightly less water evaporation. However, it is probably not really practical.
It's good to see that four companies have already given this issue some thought.
Everyone knows Aqua Medic, Red Sea and D-D, but perhaps not Bananaquarium yet? So today we would like to present four commercially available solutions that are somewhat different in themselves. In addition, as a 5th option, we have made our own DIY aquarium net cover for around 35 euros.
1. the Aqua Medic HOP STOP
anti-skipping protection for aquariums Prevents nocturnal fish from jumping out.
Aqua Medic HOP STOP
Aqua Medic HOP STOP
Aqua Medic HOP STOP
The innovative hopstop prevents fish from jumping out of frameless aquariums without a cover. The crystal-clear 480 mm x 50 mm strips are made of polycarbonate which, unlike acrylic glass, does not warp when exposed to moisture. The black ABS holders are suitable for glass thicknesses up to 12 mm. The scope of delivery of a set consists of three polycarbonate strips and six holders and is therefore ideal for aquariums with an edge length of 50 cm. Several sets can be combined as required. The strips can be shortened as required.
Can also be used together with the Combo 50 as a splash guard for the drainage shaft
Cost: from 11.60 EUR
Link to the manufacturer: https://www.aqua-medic.de/
2. the Fishguard - fewer fish jumping out of the aquarium
The Fishguard is exactly what you need to prevent your fish from jumping out of your aquarium without compromising the aesthetics.
Barely visible
The Fishguard is designed to fit any rimless aquarium. The Fishguard prevents fish from jumping out of the aquarium. The Fishguard does this extremely effectively without disturbing the design of the rimless aquarium. This way, your fish are safe and you can enjoy your tank in all its beauty.
(c) bananaquarium.com
(c) bananaquarium.com
(c) bananaquarium.com
(c) bananaquarium.com
Although the Fishguard does not cover the entire tank, it ensures that the fish are safe in the aquarium and cannot jump out as easily as before.
How and why it works
When a fish is frightened by an aggressor in its immediate environment, it tends to escape from its surroundings. This escape always happens in the direction that is most logical for the fish: horizontally, away from the source of aggression. Then the fish bumps into the glass, it is invisible to them, especially when they are under stress. After bumping into the glass is the only way to escape.
After studying this behaviour of the fish, it became clear that a minimalist solution would suffice, stopping the fish with extreme effectiveness (95%) in the area where they are most likely to jump out of the aquarium. Hence the FishGuard.
The aquarium requirements for the Fishguard:
4 edges with 90 degree corners are required.
The glass thickness ranges from 6 mm to 8 mm, 10 mm and ends at 12 mm
A 5 metre net is included (enough for all pools with up to 12mm glass)
The installation video:
Note: Everyone should form their own personal opinion on this. I do think that many jumping fish are stopped by this, but whether this necessarily applies to all fish without exception... Always jumping at the edge of the glass...? In any case, the idea has been implemented quite well and simply.
Link to the manufacturer: https://www.bananaquarium.com/fg
The Fishguard is currently only available from very few dealers, e.g. Coral Garden has it in its programme for around 40 euros.
The next solution is somewhat more professional and more comprehensive (safer) in terms of benefits and comes from Red Sea -
3. the individually customisable aquarium net cover.
Keep your swimming friends safe in the aquarium with Red Sea's customisable aquarium net cover. With a thin profile and small hangers, the Red Sea Net Cover blends in seamlessly, even in open rimless white glass aquariums.
(c) by Red Sea
The extra strong aluminium frame and specially designed components allow for an extra thin transparent net cover that can be adapted to the attached equipment such as lighting arms, automatic feeders and overflow boxes.
(c) by Red Sea
Beispiel des Red Sea MAX® S-500
Watch our new video showing step by step how to assemble the Red Sea fish saver. Remember, this is a DIY cover which offers versatility and customisability at a fraction of the cost of a custom made cover, but it does require good DIY skills such as planning, taking accurate measurements and cutting aluminium extrusions. So if you're not a DIYer, you can always turn to your local Red Sea dealer for help or ask a friend to help you.
Although the Red Sea mesh cover is specifically designed for rimless aquariums, it also works well with frame aquariums such as the MAX® S-Series.
Main features
Suitable for most open aquariums
extra strong, customisable aluminium profiles
transparent mesh with 8 mm mesh size
can be mounted inside the frame or on the frame
includes components for a customisable cut-out for filters
Components are available for customising additional equipment attached to the edge
ncludes a wedge roller
Contents Aquarium mesh cover
Aluminium frame profiles
Inner and outer corners
intermediate pieces and suspension
8mm mesh netting, which can be cut to size
Wedge rubber with which the net is attached to the frame
Wedge roller to insert the wedge rubber
Die Gitter gehen hier bei ca. 45 EUR los, je nach Ausstattung und Größe.
Of course, the link to the manufacturer should not be missing here either:
4. the fourth solution comes from D-D, the JumpGuard PRO anti-skipping grid.
The D-D aquarium cover/spring guard is an easy & inexpensive solution to protect your fish stock from jumping out. It is just as professional as the Red Sea cover, but with a black net.
D-D JumpGuard
D-D Jumpguard: Vorteil hier das Netz ist schwarz und reflektiert nicht so wie das Weiße.
D-D JumpGuard
The frame and the net can be easily cut to size to allow installation on almost any aquarium. Measured with an Apogee MQ-200 par meter, there is only a loss of 2.5% of the light output.
The product is available pre-cut for the following pool sizes:
60cm x 60cm 120cm x 90cm 180cm x 90cm The kits are packed & dispatched in a 75mm diameter post tube.
Article features:
Slimline cover solution
Protects your fish stock
Slight reduction of light
Easy installation
Possible on all aquariums
Contents:
4 x frame parts made of coated aluminium4 x plastic corner joints2 x plastic handles/lugs1 x Flexi Cut Out Set (cut-out for tubes, brackets etc.)1 x Brace Bar 60x60cm, 2x Brace Bar 120x90, 3x Brace Bar 180x901 x rubber lip for attaching the net to the aluminium frame1 x assembly tool for inserting the rubber lip into the aluminium frame1 x net with 6mm mesh size sufficient for the respective pool size in black
IMPORTANT - Notes:
The frame, which can be made from any kit, is approx. 3.6 cm (length/width) longer than stated on the packaging. EACH FRAME MUST BE INDIVIDUALLY FITTED TO THE TANK.
The tank should be measured on the inside of the side panes (use internal dimensions).
The necessary extensions for drainage shaft, light etc. are of course also available here.
Universelles Statikset, um die strukturelle Integrität des JumpGuard-Rahmens beizubehalten. Das Set enthält: 2 x Aluminiumtrebe 900x12x8 mm 2 x T-Stück 6 x Verbindungsclips
Dieses Set bietet Ihnen 3 verschiedene Optionen, um den Rahmen passgenau um Lampenhalterungen, Kabel- oder Rohrleitungen zu bauen. Das Set enthält: 1 x 120mm x 40mm starrer Ausschnitt 2 x 40mm
Das Jumpguard Flex Cut-Out-Set bietet Ihnen 2 Standardecken und 2 Umkehrecken, mit denen Sie den Rahmen um größere Überlaufkästen, Leuchten, Kabel oder Rohrleitungen usw., die vom Multi-Cutout-Set nicht abgedeckt werden, verändern können.
There are also 3 useful videos here:
You can find the Jumpguard Pro spring guard in well-stocked retail and online shops.
As we would have had to make 3 cut-outs each for the D-D and Redsea solution (2 for the LED mounting brackets, 1 for the drainage shaft), we approached the issue differently.
Step 1 was to find the right mesh. The one from D-D, for example, has a 7mm mesh size, while the one from Red Sea has 8mm. Fortunately, the nets from Red Sea and D-D are also available as replacements. The net costs a moderate 8.50 euros. I realised too late that the D-D Jumpguard PRO net is black, otherwise I would have preferred it to the white one from Red Sea.
The second step was to order a fly screen with a frame from a well-known marketplace. It is important that this should be made of aluminium. It usually states whether the dimensions can be changed and cut to size. However, this should be the case for most today. Our fly screen frame cost us 26 euros. Together with the net, it came to around 35 euros.
Rahmenteile zuschneiden und zusammenstecken
fertiger Rahmen
Das Netzeinspannen und dann mit Cuttermesser den Überstand abschneidenr
fertige DIY Aquarium Netzabdeckung
Then have fun building and copying it. Of course there is also a video.
Summary:
We hope you will find a solution for your fish from the options now available. They will certainly thank you for it. The DIY solution is certainly quite ok, but of course does not come close to the professional solutions from Red Sea and D-D. In our DIY solution there is still a small slit through the cables of the Tunze pumps.
