Lid Thickness For Arowanas?

[..puSkar..]

Here in India people use mesh for the lid. its generally a iron frame with iron mesh ( the one used in bird cages) . but I've seen aros getting badly damaged when they jump and bang something inflexible like iron mesh or thick glass. they loose scales and if real hard they may injure theBr back.
Better get a poly lid and put on some weight on the edges or get a iron frame but use plastic mesh , so that when the aro jumps the flexibility of the mesh absorbs the force and the aro would be harmed less.
Cheers

 

[tlindsey]

https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/first-arowana.721996/page-3

 

[Jessabelle?]

Well, anything is possible; adding weights, or better yet some type of clip or hold-down, would alleviate any worry.



Accepting the idea that they are jumpers in general, do what you can to minimize this behaviour. This might include leaving a night light on over the tank; if the fish can see they are somewhat less likely to get spooked if they bump something, or something bumps them. Don't use a night light in the room that allows you to walk between it and the tank, that will freak them out.

Nocturnal fish bumbling about the tank, especially catfish with long whiskers, can increase stress leading to jumping. Reduced stress = reduced jumping.

Finally, the bigger the tank the less likely they are to jump constantly. A small tank crowded with lots of fish, and/or poor water quality, all give a jumper like an arowana an incentive to look for greener pastures outside the tank.

Thanks, and it will be the only fish in the 8x3x2 and the water quality should be fine, I'm planning on running two fx6s with 30% weekly water changes and cycling the tank well before moving it in.

 

[Andyroo]

I've had home-made plexiglass lids warp with the warm/humid - ask the dealer, confirm it's the right stuff.

 

[Arowana_forever]

Forget plexiglas. Out of experience plexiglas tends to bend/warp under the temperature of >28 °C + humidity

 

[Andyroo]

Simple float glass, 1/8" should do most applications without cumbersome weight - get your measurements & go to the supplier to cut & buff the sharps.

Clear packing-tape at the back for a hinge if you're feeling particularly cheap. Can affix a cupboard handle/knob (via epoxy putty?) if you feel the need, or just a suction-cup, or just get fingers under the edge. Me, I put a potted plant on top to give a little weight, which has worked for good-size Am.eels also.

This is the cheapy-starter, so maybe reassess once your aro gets upwards of 14" - that's a lot of inertia.

 

[fishdance]

I use sand in zip lock sandwich bags (plastic) for weight. It won't break the glass lids when coming back down after a hefty jump like a brick or rock would. Some fish are around 100cm long.

Also drill a 40 mm feeding hole so hardly ever need to move lids.

Always have 2 dim lights (5Watt LED) on 24 hours a day. Too risky having just one light that could fail and having them always on reduces the chance of failure.