Platies are a great addition to your fish collection, but do platy fish jump?
Can you keep platies safe inside a tank?
Keep reading for more about what makes the platies jump and how to prevent them from harming themselves.
Do Platies Jump Out of Tanks?
Yes, platies jump out of tanks. They’re highly active fish driven by their curiosity to explore their surroundings.
Naturally, your platies jump within the tank. However, on some occasions, you may see them jumping out of the water.
Fortunately, there are ways to prevent those jumps or at least eliminate their harm, but first, we should know what causes these jumps in the first place.
Why Do Platies Jump?
Platies jump for several reasons, including:
Stress
Stress affects the overall behavior of platies. They become aggressive and jump out of their tank to escape their stressful conditions.
Stress may be caused by any change in the tank, like a sudden lack of lighting, space, or tank mates.
1 – Lack of Oxygen
A shortage of oxygen in the tank water is a major cause of these leaps. This lack of oxygen often occurs with poor filtering systems.
Platies won’t be able to breathe on this occasion. Therefore, they’ll jump for their lives, thinking that they may find oxygen outside.
2 – Tank Conditions
Platies aren’t territorial fish, but they appreciate some space. They won’t be happy in a small tank. In addition, they won’t be able to get this space in an overcrowded tank.
In other words, even if you put your platies in a large tank, don’t add too many fish. Otherwise, they’ll try to jump into new spaces out of the tank.
3 – Water Quality
If the water quality in your tank isn’t good enough, your fish may try to escape. Poor water quality may add stress to the fish, causing them to take extreme measures.
Make sure that your water isn’t dirty or contaminated with high levels of nitrate or ammonia. Otherwise, your platies will jump, in search of better water conditions.
4 – Natural Instincts
Platies are curious and playful by nature, especially when they’re young. Therefore, jumping to explore unventured areas of the tank is quite natural.
Although there are several things to do to avoid these fatal jumps, there’s nothing to prevent this natural urge. Luckily, there are ways to eliminate the harm.
How to Prevent Your Platies from Jumping Out of Their Tank
These jumps can be too risky for the little fish. Therefore, you should think of ways to eliminate their causes from the start.
Here are some measures to take to prevent your platies from risking their lives by jumping off the tank:
Give Them Space
Give your platies the space they require by moving them into a larger tank. You may also divide the population into separate tanks to avoid overcrowdedness.
When you do this, make sure you put the right number of males and females. If you put more males in the tank than females, they’ll get aggressive toward each other.
Aerate Your Tank
Aerating your tank can help increase its oxygen level. You can do this by installing filters and air pumps or adding pre-oxygenated water to make sure your fish get the oxygen they need.
In addition, good filtration can improve the water quality. Keeping your tank water clean means that your platies won’t try to escape it.
Keep Them Busy
Platies won’t stop playing around the tank, so keep them busy. Add some live and fake plants to your aquarium. That way, they’ll have enough areas to explore before trying to jump.
Tank decorations can also distract your fish, especially the younger platies. They’ll find plenty of reasons to remain within the tank.
Put On a Tank Lid
If you still can’t stop their natural urge to jump, put on a tank lid. That way, you prevent your platies from jumping in the air.
They’ll still jump, but you won’t risk them falling off the tank. For that matter, make sure there’s no gap between the hood and the rim of the tank.
Final Thoughts
Do platy fish jump?
Yes, they do for several reasons, such as stress, poor conditions, lack of space, or oxygen shortage.
Fortunately, there are ways to prevent these jumps such as aeration, giving them space, and improving water quality.
Jeff has always enjoyed having pets, but as a child, he was drawn to his family’s fish tank. Being able to maintain a small ecosystem and observe the behaviors and interactions in the underwater world peaked his interest early on and has kept him hooked until this day. On Avid Aquarist, Jeff shares everything he’s learned about helping aquatic life survive and thrive in a home aquarium.