Do Your Fish Know Who Is Boss?

[Yanks15]

I've had my current setup for a couple months now and something interesting is starting to happen. There are 4 people in our house and every time anyone other than me walks by the tank, the fish scatter If I walk up 10 seconds after they scatter, they all migrate back out to the front glass again! Needless to say this is starting to aggravate the other occupants of my dwelling. Could it be that my fish know who "DADDY" is?




Thanks,
Steve

 

[fluttermoth]

More like they know who feeds them!

Fish certainly do recognise individual people; our oscar loves my son, because he feeds him, and hates me, because I'm the one that does his water changes (which he hates)

Either let your housemates take it in turns to feed the fish, so they learn that all people = food (good old Pavlovian conditioning never did anyone any harm ), or just let them be jealous. Tell them you've trained the fish to come when called. I used to have a tank in a hallway; the fish would follow me as I walked past, and I told a few people I'd trained them to do it

 

[zain611]

Have to agree with that and prbably if you do a water change and put you hand in the tank to do maintenace your fish might peck you instead of swimming away

 

[Fish Lover Forever]

They may not think much of the other people who live in your house because they know that your the one who has food. Take in turns to feed them then when other people who feed them walk past they may pay more attention.

 

[dannybgoode]

Is there an echo in here?!

Cheers

Danny B

 

[Yanks15]

I think I will leave things the way they are. Everyone else gets the dog, I get my fish My fish constantly peck at my hand when I feed them their pellets. I usually sink them between my fingers to get them soaked before they eat and they go to town on my hand When my kids were younger, I had them convinced that I taught my fish to kiss my hand They would tell their friends and needless to say, I would get the questions from the kids parents about how did I train my fish! Amazing.....



Thanks,
Steve

 

[PrairieSunflower]

I love that my fish recognize me differently than others. None of them are even bothered when I clean the tank or move things around.

If my daughter comes to look a few of them come to the front hoping for food but don't stay long, whereas nearly every single one makes an appearance for me.