NTT Dat playing dead to get fed?

[islandguy11]

This guy's a real character. 3 times over the last week or so my NTT has started doing this clever little trick when I've been late for their evening feeding, and this last time I caught him on camera: he lays down on his side and plays dead -- until I come over to the tank, then he 'miraculously' recovers and starts begging for food.

I really don't think it's a health/swim bladder issue as he only does it when I'm late on night feeding, no other time. This is my first Dat so not sure if it's a common behavior, anyone seen similar behavior?

"Help...help me...I'm dying..."


Oh geez, I better go check him out.


"Oh, it's the worst one! This is the big one! I'm dying! You hear that, Elizabeth! I'm coming to join you, honey!"




Starting to feel better already lol.


Ready for dinner...

 

[kno4te]

Guess it’s ok as long as it’s playing dead lol.

 

[islandguy11]

Yeah I'd certainly be concerned if I saw him doing it other times, but it's only as described above. So he's either acting, or maybe working on his suntan.

 

[Matteus]

That is hilarious. Such a character

 

[Vancouver_98683]

Ntt is impersonating a clown Loach. Lol

 

[islandguy11]

Ntt is impersonating a clown Loach. Lol

Ha ha, well he's certainly got the clown part down.

 

[islandguy11]

Well I think I understand what the recent drama is about now: pretty sure my Dat is going through puberty lol. He's about 1.4 years old now and while 100% stable color-wise, has always been quite shy, staying behind sponge filters most all of the day, usually only coming out to feed then going back behind his sponges.

That's changed recently in the last week though:
-- first he stopped needing the Flagtail as a dither to come out and eat; in fact once in a while he even chases the Flagtail away during feeding.
-- then he started this acting like he's going to fish heaven stuff just to get fed.
-- but the biggest difference in behavior seems to have been triggered by an exceptionally large water change yesterday. I normally only change about 50% every 2 weeks (small bio-load on that tank), but yesterday I accidentally drained 90% due to getting distracted by a customer's phone call.

In fact I was worried it would be big stress on the fish. But after (slowly) re-filling the tank, within about an hour the NTT totally changed character and started acting like he's King of the whole place lol.

Previously he only stayed at or very near to the bottom of the tank, but after the big water change he started swimming confidently at all levels all around the tank, and now only occasionally goes behind a sponge. He's also suddenly started noticing and fighting his reflection, sometimes snapping his jaws to act tough, none of which he's ever done before.

Not the most exciting video (at least there's some crickets chirping in the background for you Matteus ) but you can see what I'm saying, again this is all new behavior and interesting that an unusually large water change seems to have been an extra big trigger, maybe due to a significant dilution of hormones or similar in the water, not sure.

Best watched in HD, sorry lights at both ends of the tank were turned off so video is a bit grainy sometimes:

 

[AroDyn@m1c]

Maybe the Ntt seen too much Sanford and son. Nice neat tank you got.

 

[islandguy11]

Maybe the Ntt seen too much Sanford and son. Nice neat tank you got.

Thx, admittedly there's so much more I could be doing with that tank both stocking or decoration wise, but for now prefer to keep it simple and with just the NTT and Flagtail.