Do rice fish really need a lid?

[naluralstyletanks]

I've been planning my next tank, which has a land section, and was considering rice fish due to their temperature needs, but in my research I saw that they need a lid, but I've seen people keep them without lids, and some with dense floating plants. Is a lid absolutely necessary or is there a way to work around this?

 

[orandaman]

I would plan on a lid. They are tank jumpers. The floating plants are good for a small time but if there is a gap they will jump.

 

[Noroomforshoe]

Keeping fish without a lid is a risk, anything other than obligate bottom dwellers could jumpout, contaminites can get in. temperature will fluctuate.

 

[_Fried_Bettas_]

Rice fish jump out for reasons other than bad water. It is part of their hunting strategy. Both my larger tanks have no lids, and I find that all the fish (and shrimp/snails) I keep stay in the tank, but I wouldn't try rice fish. Contrary to what someone else said, if you live in a warm climate, it is much easier to regulate temperatures without a lid. I can't keep my tanks under 85-90 degrees in the summer when they're covered, though I could use a screen if I had jumping fish. I also wouldn't keep female or plakat bettas in a tank without a lid. I once had a female that would try to jump out every time I opened the lid to feed her.