How Do U Know If Your Fish Are Happy

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only126db

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jul 21, 2010
141
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North Central Michigan
like the title says, how do you know? i just dont think they are happy, do you think they would be happier with friends of their own kind? they eat and look good but each has their own territory in the tank, of course they move around the tank but its not like the entire tank is their playground. i have a sunfish bass and creek chub. is it me or am i projecting my boredom ?
 
Oddball;4707378; said:
I don't anthropomorphise human emotions on my fish. I never consider them 'happy' or sad. They're either healthy and active or unhealthy and lethargic.
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maybe i will take a video and post it and see if you guys think these are normal fish behavior. I really have only had goldfish a couple plocastomus (spell check) and a big ciclid. so this is a new experience for me. i have had them for a little while now and were about 1 1/2" when i got them (creek chub was 4 1/2"). they are in a 29g aquarium.
 
Are their fins clamped to their sides? Do they sit on the bottom, or hover near the top. Do they gulp air from the surface frequently? Do they dart (swim quickly like something is chasing them, when nothing is chasing them) or flash (rub up against things in the tank, or the tank walls)?

Do you test your water for Ammonia, NitrIte, and NitrAte? How long has this tank been set up? What kind of fish do you have in the tank?
 
Oddball;4707378; said:
I don't anthropomorphise human emotions on my fish. I never consider them 'happy' or sad. They're either healthy and active or unhealthy and lethargic.
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I agree, but a a healthy and active fish could be considered "happy" lol.

To the op, a bass isn't going to be "happy" in a 29 gallon for long, and creek chubs generally need more space than that as well. Chubs are also schooling fish, so it may enjoy the company of some other chubs in a larger tank. As for the sunfish, what species is it? Bass are technically in the sunfish family...
 
I agree with Laticauda and fisher.....first I would check your water; then once you get that fixed I would get a bigger tank' so you can get some more creek chubs to keep the one happy until the Bass gets big enouth to eat them (which he will). how big are your fish, and how much filtration are you using?
 
I have to agree with the active and healthy is a "Happy Fish" though we can't place emotions on them we do have to consider quality of life.
 
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