Fish jumping out of water is not very common but when somebody sees it, it can initially look quite impressive. They can just be jumping out of the water for fun or to escape a mate but there could also be more concerning reasons.
Why do fish jump out of water?
High Ammonia Levels
One reason is because of high Ammonia levels in the pond. If Ammonia levels are not monitored, they can quickly rise and become very dangerous.
As they excrete waste into the pond, it creates Ammonia. These high Ammonia levels can result in burns to the fish’s gills which could explain why they are jumping. When fish experience pain, they will either swim into the pond walls, to “itch” the pain. Either that, or they will jump out of the water to try and escape the pain.
Fortunately, this is very easy to treat with Envii Pond Equaliser. Equaliser instantly stabilises the chemical balance in your pond and creates perfect water conditions. Equaliser will adjust pH, KH and GH levels in your pond, as well as reducing Ammonia levels and heavy metals.
We recommend using this product to all our customers as it provides the perfect conditions for fish and plants. As well as beneficial, aerobic bacteria – allowing you to get the most out of any of your bacterial pond treatment products.
High Nitrate Levels
Nitrates are a by-product of the bacterial reduction of Ammonia. If Ammonia levels in your pond have been high for a while, chances are they have reduced to their final product, Nitrate. As with Ammonia, Nitrates can cause irreversible damage to your fish, including their liver, spleen, nervous system and kidneys.
Nitrate levels are easy to neutralise and can be done so within hours, using Envii Nitrate Klear.
Parasites and Diseases
Parasites and diseases can cause damage to fish. This damage may not always be visible without taking your fish out of the pond. Unfortunately, there are many diseases that can affect them, however, most of these diseases can be diagnosed via visual symptoms. Use our Common Fish Diseases post to help determine what may be wrong with your creatures.
As with High Nitrate Levels and High Ammonia Levels, the common denominator that is causing them to jump is damage/pain. Therefore, act as soon as you see you them jumping.
To conclude, you should check your pH, KH, GH, Ammonia and Nitrate levels in your pond using a test kit. If these are all okay, isolate the jumping fish and inspect it for any visible damage, parasites or diseases.