# Open top planted tank fish choices



## ame (Mar 9, 2014)

Friends 

I am setting up a open top 4 ft planted tank with high light and CO2.

Have planned amano shrimp(10), clown loaches(6) and 20 rasboras or rummynose or neon tetras or CPD. 

What are the risk of these fishes jumping out of water from the open tank?

Appreciate if experience d members can help.

Thanks

ame


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## TorontoPlantMan (Aug 16, 2013)

ame said:


> Friends
> 
> I am setting up a open top 4 ft planted tank with high light and CO2.
> 
> ...


Considering you're going high light and it's going to be a 4ft tank you may want to consider getting lids. They help against evaporation, fish jumping out, lights falling in, etc. Yes it will decrease your PAR a bit but if you keep the lid clean you will have no issues. I've read a few posts on here of members finding their fish on the floor, and it's happened to me as well with some rose line sharks, for that reason I always use a lid now.

Depending on how heavily you want to plant the tank or the choice in plants you want to go with I wouldn't have so many clown loaches, or I would consider something else like a bristle nose pleco. Clown loaches are notorious for uprooting plants since they dig with their nose/mouth.


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## ame (Mar 9, 2014)

Thanks.

I have a rimless tank. 

So I was thinking of a plastic/steel/aluminium wire mesh mounted on top(with some corner fittings?

Me and my wife both love the small group of clown loaches and their funny acts. Once they grow big or start any uprooting activity I can shift them to another fish tank. 

I like the chilli rasboras a lot and CPD..


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## TorontoPlantMan (Aug 16, 2013)

ame said:


> Thanks.
> 
> I have a rimless tank.
> 
> ...


Since your tank is rimless I wouldn't do a plastic/steel/aluminium wire mesh on the top, it may take away from the beauty of the tank, depending on how good of a job you do. I know a guy on this forum Greg has a large rainbow tank which is rimless and if I'm not mistaken he has a large mesh top that he made. If money isn't an option I would just look into getting two pieces of glass cut & making your own lid where one slides over the other. I use this style of lid on all my emersed tanks.


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

Greg made his top from clear quarter inch mesh from a US marine supplier, and window screen framing and spline, like you get from Home Depot, painted black. It is very nearly invisible in place. Works great, looks super, saves fish suicides .


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## J_T (Mar 25, 2011)

Acrylic works well too 










Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## nc208082 (Jun 27, 2013)

I have some leftover 1/4" clear acrylic mesh if you want to purchase to make a lid like JT posted.


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