# Preventing Pseudomugil from jumping out of the tank



## parotet (11 Mar 2014)

Hi all

I have finally decided what to add to my 60 liters tank and it will be Pseudomugil gertrudae or P. furcatus, depending on the availability at the LFS... anyway both are awesome.

I have read that they are very good jumpers and at the LFS I've been told that during the day it is not a problem (not a bigger problem than for other species) but it looks like they do jump by night quite often. Actually it is a very cool LFS with at least 10 large opened and massive planted tanks filled with water to the very top... and the manager told me that he covers every night the tanks with plastic lids.

Obviously I want to avoid finding my Pseudomugil on the floor but I don't really like plastic lids (even by night)and if I am leaving for some days I would prefer the tank to remain opened for a better gas exchange.

Any suggestion? I'm sure you have it guys...
Maybe a transparent plastic grid?

Cheers,
Jordi


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## Arne (11 Mar 2014)

Maybe a nightlight will help the anxious fishy sleep well?


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## MirandaB (11 Mar 2014)

All I can think to suggest is floating plants which may discourage them.


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## TOO (11 Mar 2014)

Doesn't sound like the best choice of fish. If you want to go ahead why not just use a glass cover with some ADA hooks, doesn't impact the setup too negatively, especially if only applied at night...but you are right, nice fish...


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## sanj (11 Mar 2014)

As TOO says in regard to the cover. Psuedomugils, other blue-eyes and rainbowfish will jump at some point.


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## Dan Wiggett (11 Mar 2014)

I have so Pseudomugil Ivantsoffi in my LFS, I'd get them if it wasn't for the jumping 

Maybe some floating plants? Just an idea? But a cover would definitely work!


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## Mihai Boldor (12 Mar 2014)

Some people use a mesh cover over the tank, if you google it you will find all sorts of DIY solutions or you can take a look at Exo Terra terrarium screen covers


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## James O (12 Mar 2014)

http://www.charterhouse-aquatics.co.uk/diy-aquarium-tank-cover-90cm-60cm-p-12780.html


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## TOO (12 Mar 2014)

Cool product in that link, James.

Thomas


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## parotet (12 Mar 2014)

Thank you all, I guess a mesh is going to be the solution...

Jordi


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## Rasbora (12 Mar 2014)

Years ago a I bought a roll of fine black fibreglass window screen mesh in B&Q and it's come in handy for all sorts of things. Don't know if they still sell it, but even though it would cut out a small amount of light, it's pretty unobtrusive and would be ideal for this.


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## viktorlantos (12 Mar 2014)

Gertrudae is not that jumpie. But furcata is a jumper. Sometimes this jumps to the light so close reading lamp etc is not recommended. A little led backlight to your tank would solve the problem


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## parotet (12 Mar 2014)

viktorlantos said:


> Gertrudae is not that jumpie. But furcata is a jumper. Sometimes this jumps to the light so close reading lamp etc is not recommended. A little led backlight to your tank would solve the problem


Hi Viktor, the solution you give with the backlight is for furcata and by night, isn't it? I understand that gertrudae won't need it.


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## viktorlantos (12 Mar 2014)

parotet said:


> Hi Viktor, the solution you give with the backlight is for furcata and by night, isn't it? I understand that gertrudae won't need it.



Yup only for night and for Furcata. Probably the best if you put this to the bottom part of your tank.
These fishes are really crazy. I've seen it personally when we had a LED light bulb on after the tank light went off one of the tanks where we had like 80 Furcata they started to jump out one by one into the direction of the light.
I thought the only solution is to have dark when the tank light goes out or at least avoid strong light close to the tank. But a few of our forum member at the Hungarian board reported that with a little LED backlight they keep it without any issue.

Guertrudae are much smaller in size. Their activity also different not as crazy as Furcata.
Still if you have a large tank i would go for Furcata as their colors are really unbelievable when they reach the adult size. Meanwhile this is really rare to get a nice Gertrudae what you can find on the internet with the nice blue fin etc.

There are other species too like Signifer which is not that colorful but a good fish.

I've seen a wonderful Pseudomugil at Interzoo 2012 in one of the Anubias tank what Oliver Knott installed. It's like Gertrudae, but then a wonderful selection, but probably a different fish. This one looked amazing.
Otherwise go with Furcata 


Interzoo 2012 Day 2 by viktorlantos, on Flickr


Interzoo 2012 Day 2 by viktorlantos, on Flickr

from our old tanks


Fishes shots by viktorlantos, on Flickr


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## parotet (12 Mar 2014)

Thank you Viktor! Very useful comments! Regarding gertrudae it is true that the really beautiful ones are bluish with black dots on the fins (Aru, are they called?) but the most common here are yellowish.


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## ourmanflint (12 Mar 2014)

I'm looking for some gertrudae as well, really great fish, have kept them before and they really light up any tank. Of all the ones I have seen, most are the "standard" ones like those in Viktors photo from Interzoo, there are some Pseudomugil sp iriani, available which are gorgeous but double the pice of the regular gertrudae. 
Cheers.Rod


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## sanj (13 Mar 2014)

James O said:


> http://www.charterhouse-aquatics.co.uk/diy-aquarium-tank-cover-90cm-60cm-p-12780.html


 
I bought one of these last year to trial on a breeding tank. They are neat, small mesh, but it is pretty expensive. If you have only one aquarium, it may well be worth it though.


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## sanj (13 Mar 2014)

ourmanflint said:


> I'm looking for some gertrudae as well, really great fish, have kept them before and they really light up any tank. Of all the ones I have seen, most are the "standard" ones like those in Viktors photo from Interzoo, there are some Pseudomugil sp iriani, available which are gorgeous but double the pice of the regular gertrudae.
> Cheers.Rod


 
There are many strains of P.gertrudae in the world, but those in Victor's photo arent "standard", they look like Aru IIs or IVs which are slightly larger than common aquarium strain gerts, their tail colour spots give them away which are absent in the common LFS variety. They are actually more rare than  Pseudomugil sp iriani/paskai.


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## DTL (13 Mar 2014)

Ref screens , this is a cheaper option.
Commonly used in the States.

http://www.newblinds.co.uk/content/framed-flyscreen-3705/

A cheaper option here though you would need to build a suitable frame

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Major-Pest-Control-Insect-Screen/dp/B00187MESK


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## sanj (13 Mar 2014)

DTL said:


> Ref screens , this is a cheaper option.
> Commonly used in the States.
> 
> http://www.newblinds.co.uk/content/framed-flyscreen-3705/
> ...


 

Excellent, thanks for those links


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## ourmanflint (13 Mar 2014)

sanj said:


> There are many strains of P.gertrudae in the world, but those in Victor's photo arent "standard", they look like Aru IIs or IVs which are slightly larger than common aquarium strain gerts, their tail colour spots give them away which are absent in the common LFS variety. They are actually more rare than  Pseudomugil sp iriani/paskai.


Cheers Sanj now i know what to look for!


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## MirandaB (13 Mar 2014)

I've just hatched out some Pseudomugil gertrudae Aru II eggs  hoping I can rear them on successfully as they are lovely fish.


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## sanj (13 Mar 2014)

MirandaB said:


> I've just hatched out some Pseudomugil gertrudae Aru II eggs  hoping I can rear them on successfully as they are lovely fish.



I think you will be fine, although blue-eyes are small their eggs and hatched fry are a lot larger than the Melanotaenia and Chilatherina genus of rainbowfish. They are also comparitely fast developers. Start feeding with fine powder foods like Seramicron or golden pearls 5-50micron grade.

These fish typically live for ~18months give or take and their breeding life is shorter than that. The populations need to bred regularly otherwise your population will dwindle to a few geriatrics.

I have a group that I have kept going since 2009. Very nice strain and there is variation in the pectral and caudal fin tail spots; orange, yellow, white. Tail spots can be single or double.


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## sanj (13 Mar 2014)

ourmanflint said:


> Cheers Sanj now i know what to look for!



No problem, it can get confusing with different strains of the same species.


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