Are My Fish Bored? Or What?

[trojannemo]

well i've noticed since i re-did my tank and it's stocking (now mainly rainbows) that my fish seem to have nothing to do other than wait on me.
i dont know what they do when i'm not there, but when their light is off and they dont see me they go about their business. but the entire time (~6 hours) that my light is on and they seem me, they spend their entire time up against the front of the tank trying to get my attention.

they all swim together, always to whatever side of the tank im in. even some of my rainbows flash for me and all to get my attention. now, i feed my fish once or twice a day, and they're all plump and eating and pooping normally, so i dont think i'm starving them. if it's not them wanting food, what prompts them to apparently not have a life of their own and just wait on me the entire time?

it's just weird you know. i wish they would go about their business, swimming around and talking about life as a fish...

here's a crappy picture but it shows you more or less what i'm talking about. i started taking pictures of them and like i said before, they all bunched up and swam in front of me the entire time...

by the way, when i say my fish, i mean my 9 rainbows and my 2 angels (all on the picture!) my platy, clown loach, flying foxes or otos dont care much like these guys do except at feeding time...

 

[minxfishy]

Ah bless they you thats all

 

[nosoup4you]

if it's not them wanting food, what prompts them to apparently not have a life of their own and just wait on me the entire time?

They do want food, whether they need it or not is a different story. Fish are always more than willing to eat it seems. Don't let them sucker you into overfeeding. LOL

 

[Honeythorn]

They more you move around in front of the tank the more they will pester for food! Don't give in! Haha. Just sit quietly and they should return to their normal behaviour.

 

[murphyk32]

yea thats it, there like the majority of other animals. a dog for example, sits and begs for food at the table. fish beg for food at the front of the glass. take the opportunity to see them out and up close, but dont feed them

 

[trojannemo]

well as long as you guys aren't worried!

i know about fish being opportunistic eaters, to the extent of eating themselves to death, but what strikes me is not that they eat everything i give them...but that they spend so much time trying to get me to feed them more!

 

[tyyrlym]

My platys will come to the glass any time I get close.

They then taught this to my neons who now do it to.

Just waiting for the corys to catch on as well.

 

[shelaghfishface]

i reckon its possible they could be bored,but what can you do eh?

 

[tyyrlym]

I honestly don't think most rainbows or angels are intelligent enough to actually get bored.

 

[Honeythorn]

My mother's betta immediately comes to the front of the tank when he feels the vibration of footsteps or if someone sits at the table the tank is next to. Opening the lid for any reason is fatal! He's there waiting!

 

[WillyRBeek]

As soon as anyone comes near my Gourami tank, they get themselves all into a frenzy in the top right hand corner of the tank.

In my community tank though the angel fish is the only one that does this. It'll literally follow you around the fish tank, it's kind of amusing. If I come up to the front, it's right there. If I go and look in one side of it, there he is. If I go over to the other side, it's right there as soon as it's little fins can get it across the tank, lol.

 

[drobbyb]

Rainbows are not the smartest of fish, but they are definately beggars.

 

[Phage]

My angelfish follow me to whatever side of the room I am. They stare at me from that corner of the tank. I think they are fatties and just want more food

 

[Scotty001]

maybe theyre a little confusedand think your the one in the tank and theyre peering in from the outside world, they could be looking into your world, a little like a role reversal they could be thinking ohh the human back & looks good today i wonder what its going to be doing this time lets hover here and take a look.
lol

i used to have 3 bosmani rainbow and 7 neon rainbows and for 1 week just before the lights went out they would all line up in formation ( the 3 bosmani's at the front and the other lined behind) faceing the glass swimming on the spot (not hovering but bodies in full motion but going no where) as if the were sprinters waiting for the gun to go. I have no idea why but it did make me laugh for that week, i wonder if they then got bored thinking no ones gonna start this race are they and decided not to do it again.

Scott