Keeping cats out of fish tanks?

[Joshaeus]

HI everyone! I am planning to set up a 5 gallon planted tank for my grandparents, but they have two cats. How would I keep them out of the tank? Would using a mesh reptile lid with safety clips (intended to keep reptiles in the tank) work? Thanks

 

[BlackSkirtTetra]

If it is harnessed tightly it should work. But I believe a tank lid would be better.

With a mesh, if a cat stood on it, the harness might give way and let the cat fall in. The reptile mesh was to keep animals in not out, but than again it depends on how tightly it is harnessed.

 

[AngryRainbow]

Those mesh reptile lids will eventually rust. My friend used one on her axolotl tank and after a while it rusted.

 

[Dunk2]

Train them to just watch.

 

[Doomheadthebetta]

HI everyone! I am planning to set up a 5 gallon planted tank for my grandparents, but they have two cats. How would I keep them out of the tank? Would using a mesh reptile lid with safety clips (intended to keep reptiles in the tank) work? Thanks

I have a crested gecko enclosure with a mesh lid and my female cat sits on top of it. Making it cave inwards. I don't think a mesh lid would work. I don't really have a suggestion since my cats ignore my fish. Maybe try keeping the tank in a place where they can't get to it?? Hopefully their cats will ignore the tank too :3
Sorry if this wasn't helpful..

 

[Joshaeus]

I know they rust...but replacing the lid every few years is a lesser evil than having the cats eat the fish. Any other ideas?

 

[AngryRainbow]

Petco sells small glass lids that fit the standard 5.5 aqueon tanks if that's the one you're using

I know they rust...but replacing the lid every few years is a lesser evil than having the cats eat the fish. Any other ideas?

it was a few months, not a few years for it to rust. You'll be replacing it often

 

[Smack442]

Question: how likely are the two cats to bother the tank?

My cat shows very little interest in my tank other then somethings watching my betta swim around. She actually shows more interest in my betta's NLS pellet food -_-

Maybe place the tank out with just water or nothing in it at all and see what they do.

 

[Joshaeus]

Petco sells small glass lids that fit the standard 5.5 aqueon tanks if that's the one you're using

Those are not very heavy...I highly doubt any cat with a brain would not be able to figure out how to get one off if they wanted to, which would not only imperil the fish but would also likely damage the lid.

 

[AngryRainbow]

Those are not very heavy...I highly doubt any cat with a brain would not be able to figure out how to get one off if they wanted to, which would not only imperil the fish but would also likely damage the lid.

I've got 4 cats and they really aren't that determined to get in the tank as I think you're assuming they'll be. At most they hit at the glass walls to try and hit the fish or sit on the lids

 

[Suzanne2]

My tank is uncovered and so far after a year the cat just looks in the side never over the top. The other tank is covered with the lid that it came with and sitting on the floor and still the cat never jumps on it or messes with it at all.

My friend's very large cat on the other hand would sleep on the 10 gallon tank lid because the built in light made it warm. He would also drink out of the filter. Her lid had a little door that popped up to feed through, so no openings for the cat to stick a paw in, I don't think he even noticed the fish at all, he just liked sleeping on the lid.

A mesh lid would give the cat a good view right into the tank, as would a glass lid, but the standard black plastic lids would not allow them to see in from above and they probably would have no interest in trying to get through it since they would not see the fish bellow them.

If you are worried they will push the lid off you can use tape or put something a little heavy on the lid.

 

[Momgoose56]

I have never had a cat get a glass lid off a tank. I did have a cat jump IN a tank once when she thought the lid was ON it though lol! I had taken the lid off to clean it...

Found this old picture of her. Outside the tank