Cover your Tanks!

Most people don't consider lions and scorps a big carpet surfing risk. I have a wall of shame that speaks otherwise. Lions and scorps by their very nature are made to propel themselves forward to capture prey. They can jump for any number of reasons.... a pesky fly (lunch.... they're not picky), when startled, when hungry (trying to leave the area for greener pastures), undesireable water quality, inappropriate tankmates and paratite irritation.

Last night reminded me to make this post as I had a waspfish try to go AWOL. I was poking around his tank looking for some gloves and I must have startled him when the little bugger went airborne. A couple were found in time, the rest jumped to the great big ocean in the sky. Lions are more prone to this, which is probably an exact result of their kite like wings. One pump and that puppy is taking off!!

Saved Missle #1:




Saved missle #2:




The rest are RIP.

Dendrochirus brachypterus (female)




Dendrochirus brachypterus (female)




Parapterois heterura




Scorpaenodes brasiliensis




Scorpaenopsis macrochir

 

talk about a surprise, walk into your living room and you have a 12 inch lionfish flopping around on the floor. wouldnt want to step on that haha.

 

Sorry to hear about that

 

I'm sorry buddy.

 

There's nothing like trying to get a live scorpionfish up off the floor.

 

oh i am sorry for your loss! Those were some nice fish. Luckly you were able to save a couple.

I had a scorpion jump out of its tank once. It didnt make it.....but that was when we had our octopus tank and the little burger figured out how to get out somehow. Well he must have been hungry because he was found in our predator tank which was in the same room (or should I say a tentical here and there wtih a happy large golden puffer). Well this whole event must of scared the scorpion and he jumped out of the tank. Bad night to be a fish at the schacks house!

 

Holy smokes! That would be an interesting video, though.

The worst was the blackfoot. We had beat the odds and stil had him after a year and 8 months .... something like that.

 

Interestingly enuff, Renee and I were recently at one of the LFS in our area, and they were perplexed at finding a fuzzy dwarf dead on the floor in front of one of their DT's.

They were absolutely flabbergasted when we told them that lions, ESPECIALLY fuzzies, can, and will go carpet surfing. They had been arguing amongst themselves that the mass of a lion's body is too great for them to jump. We pointed out the size of a lion's pectorals and let them know that they not only LOOK like wings, but they ACT like wings, and can propel the fish upwards with considerable velocity.

We all learn something everyday...too bad it's often as a result of our own mistakes.