Polypterus defence mechanism?

[odalisay]

The other day saw my big female endli take a swipe at my hampala barb. I have noticed all my big polys doing this tripod type thing as of late. Maybe cuz they have associated me coming towards the tank as feeding time and boy what a feeding frenzy it is! So anyways my big female endli was in this position and the hampala barb(who is a freakin' trouble maker) came close and she took a swip at him. We all know that polys don't see too well, so I guess she sensed something coming close and took a swipe thinking maybe it was a sinking Massivore pellet. Many off my bichirs have caught massivore pellets before they hit the sand, showing off some sort of "sonar". Amazing fish indeed! Love my bichirs!

 

[davo]

Burying themselves in sand is the only defense mechanism I've seen... always thought they had more of an inclination to flee...

Aquaman, if your pleco is bothering your poly, it can be a bad thing.

 

[is300zx]

Burying themselves in sand is the only defense mechanism I've seen... always thought they had more of an inclination to flee...

Aquaman, if your pleco is bothering your poly, it can be a bad thing.

 

[thefishguy7]

Mine has done it a couple times. He does it more to my other polys. He's done once or twice to my carpinte.

 

[DeLgAdO]

i think this is more of a 'flinch' than a defense mechanism

^the reason i say that is because if something was actually trying to kill the ornate, a tail whip will not do any good lol

HAHAHAHA!! i agree

and look at the shape of there bodies, of course there tail is going to move like that during a fast getaway.

 

[Glacier]

Well, I suppose it could have been attempting to swim away, but the thing is it didnt move fast at all. If it wanted to escape, polypterus can shift, this time it hardly moved at all.