When good fish go bad...

[flipstylex]

My Oscar started attacking me for the first time yesterday when I was scrubbing algae. First he bit me, so I bapped him with my finger right on the nose. He tried to come back at me, so I stuck out my finger and spun my hand around his nose so fast he couldn't get a lock on the finger to bite it. He scooted off in frustration. Then he came back for more, and got the same. He figured out pretty fast that he wasn't going to be able to bite the spinning finger. Maybe you could try that on your little buddy. Might work for awhile, at least. Don't be afraid to get close, he hasn't got a chance in heck as long as you're very fast. And when you get near the eyes, it should really deter him.

thats animal cruelty dude, its a fish, it doesnt know any better, dont hurt the poor creature ! lol

anyways, try to use one of those rubber gloves when cleaning tank, they can attack it all day long and it doesnt penetrate

ps. i butcher live asian tilapia from the asian market (animal cruelty hypocricy lol )^

 

[knifegill]

I never hurt my fish, man. Just a firm touch is all it takes to get him wary. And the spinning finger of confusion is just that. Not abuse, just a distraction. And an effective one. Unless you're suggesting I reinforce his behavior by allowing him to maintain his composure after attacking me? No, he must be made temporarily uncomfortable so he associates his incorrect behavior (natural as a dog biting a person who gets near his food) with the harmless but annoying response. There is nothing abusive about training a fish not to bite its keeper.