# Jumping Zebra Danio...suicide..



## Martina

Today I was in the fish store, I got 5 more red serpea tetras and several plants (java moss, hornwart and java fern)....and as soon as I got home, I slowly adjusted the newbies in a bucket (adding water from my tank..) - and I put the plants into the tank...therefore I had to remove the hodd - I introduced the news ones, which immediatly shoaled with the other three...everything seems fine...but then the bad surprise, I couldnt see my danio, first I thought he is hiding somewhere...he didnt show up....and then I looked at the behind the tank, and there he was...dead, he must jumped out when I put the plants in - I feel so bad, I cant even be happy with my new ones, he was the one who stayed with me trough the whole cycling...I am just ssooooo sad


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## maxpayne_lhp

Sorry to hear that.
Well, zeb danions are very active and jumpy so a hood is always suggested.


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## MyraVan

Funny, I don't think of zebras as jumpy at all. All through the summer I left the lid on my tank open to try to keep the tank from getting too hot (lights generate a fair amount of heat and I wanted to let that escape) and I never lost anything.

To be honest, it wouldn't have been fair to keep him all by himself, with a bunch of completely unrelated tetras. These guys are schooling fish and need other danios for friends to be really happy.


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## Martina

..do you think knowing that he committed suicide :wink:


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## Lara

I agree with Myravan, however I did have three jumpers when I first introduced my z.danio's. This is common when introducing fish to a new habitat, new water parameters etc. My fish jumped through the tiniest hole in the aquarium lid for about two months after being introduced. At the time I put this down to two possibilities (as nitrites and ammonia tested 0): fluctuating PH (pH dropping at night due to low KH) or fluctuating temperature due to summer heat surpassing tank heat which can be very stressful for fish. One more possibility is that you have introduced a disease or parasite into your tank that might have driven him a bit mad (watch your other fish), he would already have been pretty stressed due to the cycling process.

I suggest you check your water parameters: pH, nitrites, ammonia, kH, temperature, nitrates (your lfs can do this, get them to write down the values).

Also keep an eye on your other fish in case there is something fishy (so to speak) in the water (very bad joke, sorry).

Don't beat yourself up, these things happen. Don't get anymore Z. danio's, you don't have room for a school of them and they prefer a very long tank to swim in anyway as they are so active.

Good luck


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## fishn00b

I had some freshwater crabs that would actually lift up the lid to the tank and crawl out. This went on for about 2 months, they would get out about twice a day. Two of them finally died when they crawled across my house and parked themselves under the TV where I found them after they had dried out.


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## CroW

One of my Zebras managed to jump out of a 1" slot near my filter on the rear of the tank and flopped all the way to the front of the tank on the floor. I found him the next morning stiff as a board. By then he was a dried up little fish stick.


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## Jonno

i have had zebra loaches jump out of my tank while cleaning it they lived because i got them back in there they have also jumped into the filter and got stuck in there. But once one of my female gupps jumped out while i was adding some plants and she sadly died. 

But i'm very sorry for your lost.

- Jonno


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## Chazwick

R.I.P. Little Zebra Danio, i'm so sorry


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## micstarz

he was very stressed- and the only one of his kind left- they are a shoaling species and will act diffrently if not kept in groups.


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## Fish Friend

you should have scooped him up as quickly as possible..and chucked im the tank, there would have been a slight chance he may have lived....i have put dried up crispy catfish back into my tank..and they are living to tell the tale!!! how long was he out of the water for??t he cats are healthy and very active


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## mousey

i have a couple of siamese algae eaters that get so excited about food that they arch out of the tank. i just pick em up and throw them back into the tank.


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## pintoponylover4

My zebras get jumpy when I have the net in the water I found keeping the water a little bit lower helps keep them from nearly jumping out.


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## N0z

sorry to hear a fish died but can i ask do you have a tank lid ? because the time it would of taken you to put the plants in the tank he would still be alive on the floor maybe he jumped out before you started putting the plants in ? :O


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