How High Can They Jump?

[TammyLiz]

I'm planning new homes for both of my bettas and one of them is going to have an open top. I need to know how full I can fill it. As of now, I only fill their bowls about 5 inches from the top because I have had one jump and don't want to lose another that way! It is such a sad way to lose an otherwise healthy fish. When the last one jumped, it was about an inch from the top, and didn't have any inward curve at the rim. The new container in question has a rim that curves inward about an inch, with a surface area of about 9" in diameter. I want to make sure he can't jump out but it would look nicer if I could fill it up almost to the top. How far do you think they can jump?

--Tammy

 

[lisie]

Personally, I would make some kind of makeshift cover... I wouldn't be able to sleep at night without one, lol. I'm not sure how high they can jump, though.

 

[jaclynhas7days]

Yeah, make a cover. With an air hole, that is. I see way too many bettas at the LFS who suffocated(sp?) because a cup was stacked on top.

 

[Synirr]

Yeah, make a cover. With an air hole, that is. I see way too many bettas at the LFS who suffocated(sp?) because a cup was stacked on top.

That seems a little far fetched... they can survive for days, if not weeks, in a tiny bag with very little air. Probably died from poor conditions at the store instead of suffocation

 

[TammyLiz]

Hmm...I was planning on having plants growing out of the top. It does have a lid, although its glass and there is no ventilation in it. The plan was to leave it off for the plants, and have a light over it.

If the betta really can jump very far, maybe I will rethink my plans and keep some other fish in this setup, and put my betta in a covered tank elsewhere in the house. I think this would be a very happy home for him, though, if he wouldn't kill himself!

 

[soritan]

My male betta can jump maybe 2-3mm, my female can jump a whole inch if it strikes her fancy... and someone on this forum once claimed her male betta jumped through a hole in her lid, from the top shelf to a 20 gallon community tank below, to die there of ICH, which she said to measure around 2-3feet.


I think it's safe to guess they probably max out at about 3-inches.

 

[TammyLiz]

So you keep yours filled close to the top and they don't jump? I wonder if many people do this... I noticed a few people who's pictures show they do it like that.
I don't think my planted setup will look bad if I keep it 3 inches from the top. Maybe 2 would be OK since it has a little bit of a lip on it. Do you think so?

 

[Taridan]

I would think if your tank is like most, it also has the 3/4th of an inch of the black plastic stuff around the top? I keep my water anywhere from an inch to an inch and a half below the stop of the black, and I've never had any problems... of course, my tanks also have lids with the pop-out-able plastic in the back for room for the filter and heater and stuff.