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Very freaky when i saw this, i come back from a shower, and i see one of my tigers lying on the floor, dead as a door handle. I thought barbs didn't jump, now i gotta find a way to cover the tank, with out it costing big bucks for a hood. And i can't even have a hood cause of my hang on filter.

I can't believe it did this, ive always wondered why fish decide to jump. Atm ive put two pieces of glass to cover most of the tank, hopefully that should suffice.

What would make it jump?

Curiosity killed the cat, so why cant it kill the tiger barb? Some fish are not considered to be big jumpers, but that doesnt mean they wont jump...you can get a hood with a HOB filter, most if not all hoods come with a strip on the back which you cut to allow you heater and filter to fit. A good hood is a good investment, it reduces evaporation, provides good lighting, and keeps fishies from jumping out.

-Formerly known as the Ferretfish

Another fish in the tank might have scared the fish into jumping. I haven't heard of tiger barbs jumping before...

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

Both glass tops and full hoods have a piece in the back where you can cut out places for filter, cords, etc... I have a HOB with my glass top; the back panel of the top is plastic.

I've seen my fish jump up to get food off the glass when it gets stuck there... My cories get startled easily, too, so I'd never want to go without a cover. On the other hand, the evaporation in my room is excessive even WITH the covers... can't imagine what it would be like without one!

~Meow. Thus spoke the cat.~

I have friends with a 90 gallon reef, with full hood/cover, and they have A GALLON of evaporation a day.

-Formerly known as the Ferretfish

ANY fish can/might jump from time to time. Certain fish, such as swordtails, are especially known for it, but my LFS keeps a 500 gallon tank with an 18" Black Tip Reef Shark in it and have lost one to jumping THROUGH a space in the hood they have for that tank...

I got trained to always have covers on my tanks because my first two fish were notorious jumpers. All covers will have a removable/alterable area in them in which you can adjust their size to allow for a HOB filter (since I have three tanks all with HOB filters...). Also, if there is a little space left to be covered, try using SaranWrap taped to the plastic of the cover...

For a quick fix, maybe just try jacking some plywood to place over it...

PM/email/msg me if you have any questions/comments regarding me or my knowledge or if you want me to read a thread.

Hoods do not need to be expensive, I got a glass hood online for $32.00.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=3781&R=20579&Ntt=hood&Ntk=All&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Np=1&N=2004

It is quite efficient and looks great. I use a HOB filter and had no problem cutting out the hole to accomodate the filter or my powerhead, which also hangs off the back of my tank.

Barbs are active fish, IMO almost all in the cyprinid family are (I've had two jumpers, betta and a barb). My goldfish flops about in his "pond" (coverd with plexi glass from home depot) quite a bit. Like everyone else suggested, get a cover. I'd suggest using plastic kitchen wrap (did that after the two jumpers got out of my covered 10), just make sure to cover very well...the killifish I stepped on not too long ago came from a very well sealed off tank ....and he made it most of the way across the carpet after escaping the glass box .

^_^

When I was getting a glass hood for my 52, no one made one the right size. They were all about 1/8 inch too big, so they didn't sit in the tank right. ].< However, my LFS sells the hinge and back plastic part by the foot, so we just got that. The total with the hinge, back part, and glass was about $10. It was really easy to do, and it saves money and time in the long run with replacing jumping fish and evaporated water.

Any stress or excitement could make your tiger jump. My fish jump at feeding time, and sometimes when I turn the light on or off. A loud noise also startles some of the more skitish fish.

You shouldn't assume that just because a fish isn't particularly known for jumping it won't. Not having a hood on my tanks just looks wierd and makes me nervous.

As the others have said, saran wrap is a quick fix, but it isn't really permanent.

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They shade the glow of it with their mossy-misty costumes,
They wear masks of silk, porcelain, brass, and silver,
So as not to mislead with their own, ordinary faces.