Well the opening wasn't that small it was pretty large but I always keep the water level about an inch lower just in case. It's a pretty big tank so the openings were fairly large. I have the mesh netting from the marbles but it isn't big enough to cover the size of the opening. I'll be up all night monitoring my fish tank until I can get the wholes covered up.
I stuff rolled up kitchen paper across the holes cut out in the tank lids. These holes are only cut for pipes and cables etc so I wonder if there does need to be air allowed through them Mine are always sealed up with the tissue and the fish don't seem to suffocate and I've had them like that for a year now.