Temporalis in love with thermometer?

[DrDoNothing]

Greeetings friends,
My 7" chocolate cichlid has been spending pretty much all day for the last week or so staring up at the tank thermometer. A regular partial water didn't change anything. I checked and water parameters are within normal range. No tankmates are in distress. He eats normally, is not surface breathing, and no signs of injury or distress. He seems almost enthralled by the thermometer. He'll be swimming normally until he catches a glimpse of it, at which time he seems to become hypnotized. At this point, his colors all wash out and he swims pretty much nose to nose with it, where he'll remain for hours if uninterrupted. Again, his appetite is hardy and otherwise everything seems normal. Is this brain damage? He hasn't tried to eat the thermometer, bite it, or make love to it yet. If we disturb him, he'll leave it alone and get regular colors back. Then, when no one is looking, he's right back to it. I moved the thermometer, he stops. Put it back, he starts again. Any guidance is much appreciated. I'm guessing they can't actually breed, but that would be a trick eh?

 

[Cakilla]

Wow that is strange I have never heard of a fish doing that before but I have a cat and adog that will watch tv lol

 

[Lupin]

I don't see anything to be concerned about especially since you mentioned the fish is just doing fine and its appetite never even changed.

I admit this thread cracks me up.

 

[irishfan]

My male sev does the same thing, exact same position too. It is really funny, he does the same, glues his chest and face to it. Hes a beast tho, just seems to be something he enjoys. Sort of goes in and out of stages of love with it now tho that he is older

 

[DrDoNothing]

I think I figured out what he's doing. Late last night, several of the gouramis in the tank about 5 feet from him started doing the same thing. So, he's receiving messages from the mother ship and transmitting them to the next tank over. Or, he's using Cichlid mind control (much like Jedi Mind Tricks) to recruit legions of gourami followers. When he has a big enough group of minions, they are all going to jump the cat and have a little feast.