African Butterfly Fish

[FISHES4ME]

Hello, I've got a bit of an odd question!!
I'm wanting to purchase 1 maybe 2 african butterfly fish for my 300l tank.
When i'm performing routine maintenance....how do I stop them 'flying' out the tank?
Sorry, bin rackin my brains but I have terrible images of chasin them round the living room everytime I lift the lid!!
Any suggestion welcome.
Thanks in advance.

 

[beblondie]

butterfly net

 

[Ripley]

I haven't had any problems with them in the past with them jumping out while cleaning.

 

[love4aquatic]

mine usually swims to wherever my hand is for food, he never jumped out.

 

[Mza36]

i heard as long as they have some type of floating cover, they feel secure and do not feel the need to flutter by like a butterfly

 

[nmonks]

Pantodon buchholzi jumps for two reasons: to escape predators and to find prey. Provided it doesn't see any reason to do either, it won't jump. Floating plant leaves, as Mza36 mentions, help dramatically, so use some floating plants or rooted plants with very long leaves.

They certainly shouldn't be kept in uncovered tanks for fear they jump out when alarmed or if they see something tasty like housefly buzz past. But otherwise, in a tank with a hood, you shouldn't really have any problems. They aren't like spiny eels in the sense of escaping from tanks through tiny cracks.

Cheers, Neale