Fishy Behavior

[threedifferentco]

For me, its not enough to watch fish go back and forth in a tank, I love to watch their behavior and interactions with you, the tank, and their tank mates.

I wanted to share my favorite observation and was hoping to hear some of yours.

I went to the Baltimore National Aquarium with Emily (gf) this past summer. While there we saw quite alot in our five hour stay, including a sleeping GPac Octopus. The most amazing thing we saw, however was the Green Moray Eel.

Up to this point, Eels were mildly interesting to me. With their beady little eyes and rows of sharp teeth, they seem to have a sour disposition. However we watched as the divers went in to feed the fish. Two divers arrived at a small cave like display and this Moray comes swimming out. The first thing I noticed was how graceful he moved. The tried to feed him with a piece of fish on the end of a stick (no need getting your fingers nipped by hungry fishes) but he wasn't biting. Instead, with a child like smile, he nosed closer and closer to the bag of food held by the one diver. Like digging through coral for hiding fish, he dug through the bag and choose the best fish for himself. I swear he was smiling the whole time.

I still have no interest in keeping one of these fish, but it is so fascinating to me to see the personality of the fish.

Anyone else have some stories?

-Adam-

 

[Nabbig2]

Eels are cool, you are right. Especially big morays.

I hand feed my cories and my bichir, it's very fun. You should hand feed your fish, too.

 

[cvermeulen]

I hand feed my fish, and my loaches all cram themselves into my loosely closed hand looking for bloodworms. I'm always amazed at their level of agressive feeding. I can even pull my hand out of the water with several flapping tails still hanging out.

I have to be careful at feeding time now because the loaches will do their thing, and the other (predacious) fish in the tank circle excitedly looking for theirs. I'm always aftraid someone is going to lose a red fin! Usually I break off a couple other pieces of whatever I'm feeding to keep the other fish happy while the loaches are doing their thing.

Other interesting behaviour I have noted is my largish gibbiceps will chase everyone out of his favorite area to feed, whether he's found any food there or not. If he smells food in the water, everyone better vacate his stretch of vacuuming turf, or they get chased. Similarly the BGK will chase the gibbiceps out from under his log around feeding time.

 

[merc123]

My rope fish don't want anything to do with me or hand feeding...