Why do fish jump out from tank

[Marz]

I have a nano cube tank in my office and today after a week, I got back to work and found my Bristlenose pleco dried out on the carpet. I've had her for almost a year and she was always a happy/active pleco around the tank. The tank has a lid with a tiny hole for feeding the fish. Why do fish do this and why plecos? I've had jumpers before but never a pleco.

The tank is well-established with filtration and lots of healthy plants, I haven't tested the PH or the ammonia level, but I don't think they are high. Beside a little algae build up on the glass, the other tank mates (a couple of Guppies and Cherry Barbs) are doing fine.

 

[JLW]

In the wild, jumping out generally doesn't result in a fish's death. They wind up in a situation where they can easily get back to water, so there's no reason not to do it. If you're confined to a small area, it may be a pool in a stream or similar, and jumping out can get you into another one. There might be more food, better water conditions, less predators, or even a mate in there... or it could just be a new adventure.

Fish jump for a variety of reasons, not only in the hopes of moving to a new spot. Some fish will jump to chase prey -- a fly, a shadow, anything like that and they leap out. They might miss on the way back. Jumping out can rid them of parasites. It can get them away from a predator or a perceived predator (e.g., the cleaning lady). They may jump because they're startled.

And, they sometimes jump just to keep in practice.

 

[Marz]

Thank you Joshua, that was helpful.

I'm still wondering if she jumped or climbed/crawled through the hole in the top of the tank lid. It happened to me before in my other tanks at home where I found them behind the matten filter foam sheet. I wasn't sure if they jumped over or crawled through the jetlifter pipe.

 

[Digital]

Someone has an axe to grind with you and took it out on the pleco!