Do Killifish Jump? Why they do, and how to stop them

Do killifish jump?

it is not news that many aquarists have lost countless numbers of their fish, and continue to lose them because some fish could jump, and could even jump very high. Many fish could do this, no matter their size or their water type, both big and small fish, freshwater and saltwater, etc. The fact is many aquarists fear this, and many of them, especially the newbies among them simply look the other way, once they hear that a particular fish they want to buy are great Jumpers. In this article, you will learn if killifish could jump or not.

Do Killifish jump? Killifish are great Jumpers. In the wild, they migrate from pool to pool by jumping.

The simple truth is, many fish are like that, and they do that for some various reasons, such as to catch their prey, which could be flying insects, grasshoppers, etc, or they simply use it as a means of migrating to another location.

When it comes to freshwater fish that could jump, and even can jump high and, maybe escape any tank, then killifish is among the top jumping fish.

All Killies are great Jumpers too, be it clown killifish, Least Killifish, Golden Wonder Killifish, Diamond Killifish, etc.

So, if you love them, then you must have it in mind that their ways of exit must be secured, or you will risk losing them.

Although I have seen people that have successfully kept these fish for years with their aquarium open, the fish did not escape for once, so, I think, it depends on where they are raised (bred) because wild-caught killifish will have more tendency to jump than those that lived all their lives in captivity.

So, all Killifish can jump, but the place or environment they are bred in will impact them so much.

How High Can Killifish Jump?

Adult killifish could jump up to 15 inches high when they jump.

Killifish can jump very high, in fact, more than much other freshwater fish, that’s why they could easily escape any tank once the lid is open.

Although all of them could jump, how high they could go solely depends on the size of the fish, and how healthy it is.

They could jump up to 15 inches high, but their smaller ones could hardly attain that height, nor their sick ones.

So, how high they could jump depends on these two factors, which are size and health.

Do Fish Jump Out OF Rimless Tank?

Yes, Fish that are natural Jumpers will jump out of the Rimless tank.

Naturally, fish are explorers, and will always like to get out of their immediate environment to explore other places, so if they get the chance, they will jump out of your tank.

How To Stop Your Fish From Jumping Out Of Tank

As I explained above, all fish are great explorers, and some like the killifish are great Jumpers, so, they will jump out and escape the tank if they have the chance, and this is one of the greatest losses many fish keepers have suffered, and are still suffering till date.

So, how do we stop fish from jumping out?

1. Put a lid on your tank. Many people prefer to use floating woods to cover the surface of the tank, well, I won’t advise that, because it’s not 100% safe. So, get the normal tank lid.

2. If you must always have your tank opened, then make sure the tank is very tall, and don’t add water up to half of the tank, because, if the water level is close to the tank surface ( opening) then they will find it easy to jump out.

3. Avoid aggressive tank mates. Many times, fish would want to leave an environment if they feel threatened.

4. Limit sounds and traffic around your fish tank, because it could startle them, which could make them feel unsafe in the tank, and might want to leave.

5. Provide hiding places, and have your tank planted, so that they could keep them busy all day without them looking forward to escaping via jumping.

6. Finally make sure that they are well-fed, and the water condition is suitable for them because no animal would like to leave a place that it is comfortable in.

Conclusion

Killifish are great Jumpers and would jump out if you are not careful with them.

References

Plantedtank