Anyone keep swamp darters in open top tank?

Hello , Anyone keep swamp darters in open top tank or does everyone feel that chances are they will jump out?. I was considering a couple for a 20 gallon long planted open top tank, no other fish only lots of copeds, etc.

I think the chances of them jumping out is very near 0. They don't jump at all.

Thank you very much. I asked as had a mud darter jump through a small opening years ago and was not sure of swamp darters esp in open top tank. Hmmm for some reason I am having trouble writing in the forum , either way thanks.

Swamp darters won't even venture up in the water column unless there is a particularly desirable bit of food there, like a bloodworm.

In general darters rarely jump, especially the more benthic ones. I find it odd you had an etheostoma darter jump. I never kept the mud darter but find in general non percina darters only leave the bottom to either get a particular food item or rest on raised structure.

Darter species adapted to shallow high-gradient streams certainly can and do jump - they have to in order to colonize and persist in that habitat. If you have a hang-on filter with a return chute, they may try to swim or jump up it just like they would swim/jump over riffles in a creek. Fortunately swamp darters are not in that category, but if they're being chased by a sunfish or something, they could jump, especially at corners. If you want to reduce the risk, but still have an open top, just cover the four corners of the tank with small glass triangles.

I have as my profile picture a photo of an Etheostoma spectabile hanging out a foot up off of the ground in some ceratophyllum demersum plants. Darters can and do jump.

But there's a difference between jumping up in the plants to hunt livebearer fry and jumping out of the tank. I find that things tend to jump out of the tank less when there are plants covering the surface of the water, when nothing's chasing them, and when the water quality is good (ammonia is 0 ppm and nitrate is less than 30 ppm).

Picture of darters jumping up into plants:

http://gallery.nanfa...rt coontail.jpg


http://gallery.nanfa...304-3/022-1.jpg

Edited by EricaLyons, 21 July 2013 - 11:35 AM.

" If you have a hang-on filter with a return chute, they may try to swim or jump up it just like they would swim/jump over riffles in creek. " That is exactly what I had it was a 40 gallon long with an aquaclear 300 and and emperor 400 . The Aquaclear had a 2 inch open area for water return and an adult male Mud jumped right through it

I have as my profile picture a photo of an Etheostoma spectabile hanging out a foot up off of the ground in some ceratophyllum demersum plants. Darters can and do jump.

But there's a difference between jumping up in the plants to hunt livebearer fry and jumping out of the tank. I find that things tend to jump out of the tank less when there are plants covering the surface of the water, when nothing's chasing them, and when the water quality is good (ammonia is 0 ppm and nitrate is less than 30 ppm).

Picture of darters jumping up into plants:

http://gallery.nanfa...rt coontail.jpg


http://gallery.nanfa...304-3/022-1.jpg

Thanks and great looking tank.

Darter species adapted to shallow high-gradient streams certainly can and do jump - they have to in order to colonize and persist in that habitat. If you have a hang-on filter with a return chute, they may try to swim or jump up it just like they would swim/jump over riffles in a creek. Fortunately swamp darters are not in that category, but if they're being chased by a sunfish or something, they could jump, especially at corners. If you want to reduce the risk, but still have an open top, just cover the four corners of the tank with small glass triangles.

The glass triangle sounds like a great idea , thanks

In general darters rarely jump, especially the more benthic ones. I find it odd you had an etheostoma darter jump. I never kept the mud darter but find in general non percina darters only leave the bottom to either get a particular food item or rest on raised structure.

The tank was 40 long same as 55 but not as tall , 2 males and 4 female Mud darters, plenty of driftwood and areas for the males to avoid each other (I don't recall fighting in 2 yrs) but both males used to swim against the aquaclear stream , never thought they would jumps out of the opening I had for the water fall type return but one did jump and after reading the reply by Gerald , I see why.