Interacting with Fish

[csababubbles]

To what extent do you guys interact with your fish?

Do you only watch them through the glass?

Do you "play" with them when your (gloved) hands are in the water?

Do you hand-feed them?

Do they interact with you? Do they recognize you when you move close to the tank with the fish food and a swim about in a starved I-haven't-eaten-in-weeks manner?

Can they recognize you from other people?

Do they spit water at you or splash you or any other neat trick?

 

[loohunter]

its funny you mention this because yesterday my copperband butterfly was spitting at me. i never saw a fish do that

 

[DonW]

I think fish are pretty smart or maybe its just repetition either way you can get them to do cool things. I have a small bright orange plastic kitchen strainer. I use this for a net and for all feeding. The fish learn that the strainer is their friend. After a few months they will just swim in and get their food. I can tip the strainer up and they just swim around eating after a minute or so a I let them go. After going through this process time and time again when its time for one to find a new home its just as simple to get the fish out of the tank unharmed without stress.

Don

 

[Curtswearing]

I have had many different puffers spit at me as well as triggers. We had one HUGE Golden Face Puffer that would get mad if I got busy with customers or suppliers or on the phone. If I took too long to give him his morning breakfast, he would continue spitting even if I wasn't there. I took to leaving the "Caution...Wet Floor" A-Frame sign by his tank because he would literally soak the floor with saltwater and I certainly didn't want to get sued over a an accidental slip.

However, my most interactive animals have always been my peacock mantis shrimp.

I had a 14" Unicorn tang and an Emporer Angel that was slightly smaller in one of the 850 gallon tanks. No matter where you were in the store, they positioned themselves in the tank so you could see them. They wanted to make sure I knew they were still hungry....little pigs. LOL

 

[leebca]

I (unintentionally) trained a Picasso Triggerfish to spit at me. :evil:

I noticed some water on the floor at the right corner of my tank. I immediately thought, "Leak!" Something not too uncommon from glass tanks of the early '70's. To the best of my ability, I couldn't find where the water was coming from. Since I was near the tanks, I fed all the fish at the same time.

Found wet spot again; could find no cause; fed fish. This went on for a few weeks!

In the early 1970's glass tank lids were the thing to use. Rather than attach a knob or handle to the part of the top that lifted up, the front (usually right) corner was cut off so the hobbyist could reach a finger under to open the lid.

While sitting watching the aquariums I see the Picasso looking at me. I was obviously not moving to feed them. It swam to the corner and spit some water out of the corner. It joined the water already there on the floor with a splat.

Apparently, the fish learned that by spitting, I would mostly likely show up to feed them.

I was trained by my fish.

 

[Curtswearing]

I was trained by my fish.

LOL

Ain't that the truth.

 

[surf_buddy]

I think fish are pretty smart or maybe its just repetition either way you can get them to do cool things. I have a small bright orange plastic kitchen strainer. I use this for a net and for all feeding. The fish learn that the strainer is their friend. After a few months they will just swim in and get their food. I can tip the strainer up and they just swim around eating after a minute or so a I let them go. After going through this process time and time again when its time for one to find a new home its just as simple to get the fish out of the tank unharmed without stress.

Don

This is brilliant... I'm going to start tomorrow.

On a side note I occasionally move rocks in front of my GBTA so my maroon clownfish has something to do. He'll do some rearranging and it always amazes me how strong he is. I started doing this to draw his attention away from a new frag rack that I have dedicated to deep water corals. Now he leaves the rack (and frags) completely alone.

 

[krisfal]

For a couple of years now I have had 2 tanks across the room from each other. Typically I feed the 46g tank first as it is closer to the kitchen where I prep the food. When I turn around to head to the other tank all the fish in that tank are up towards the top head up waiting for the food to hit the water. It amazes me that they can see me feeding the other tank across the room.

The other day I was gluing new frags into the tank and found a real neat place for one coral in the middle front of the tank. During the entire gluing process this tiny yellow tail damsel was attacking my gloved hand. As soon as I removed my hand the damsel started attacking the frag. By morning the frag had been dislodged and moved about 6 inches away (against the flow). I had to find a different spot for the frag. I am ashamed to admit that I lost a battle with a 1" fish

 

[loohunter]

my female maroon clown will undo anything i do in the tank if it is in her view in the anenome. frags, rocks it dosen't matter it will be moved

 

[morgan]

i hand feed my occy and have got him to take food off the glass lip

 

[leebca]

Don,

I really wish you would put your post #3 in this thread:
Catching Fish.

That is the most brilliant things I've heard recently! :idea: