Fish Toys?

Scott MacAdam · Jun 9, 2008

I hear people talking about fish toys and I've seen some videos on youtube and such of some larger fish playing with things like pingpong balls, but does anyone do this with their fish?

I have a somewhat large JD and i was considering this but i really don't know what would be good/safe for it. Any suggestions?

Colin_T · Jun 9, 2008

they aren't playing with the toys, they are trying to remove them from their territory. With big cichlids you can move the rocks around each week and level out the gravel. Then the fish can dig it all back up. This helps to keep them occupied during the day. Outside of that I don't know of anybody that puts things like ping pong balls in their tanks. You can change the outlet from the power filter and move it to a different position. It helps to get the fish to swim in a different direction for a bit.

Scott MacAdam · Jun 10, 2008

Yeah, I guess that makes sense. Thanks for the input!

shelaghfishface · Jun 10, 2008

no i def wouldnt bother, my oscars actually have a lot more fun ripping up plants and dragging them around the tank, only to start all over again once i have replanted them , i did try a ping pong once-they showed no interest what so ever, tho i was tempted to add a woolen spawning mop, so they could drag that around insted of the plants, but i havent done that yet so cant say if they like it or not

celaeno · Jun 10, 2008

ping pong balls float, try using a golf ball.

Honeythorn · Jun 10, 2008

My grandfather had an Oscar that used to play with a little diver man. He would pick up the diver, take it to the top, let it go, watch it sink, then go and fetch it back and do the whole thing over again :hyper:

He also liked pingpong balls.

rossyt99 · Jun 11, 2008

Mine used to nod a ping-pong ball for a bit, but I removed it as he could almost fit it in his mouth at Fully-grown stage!

kewskills · Jun 11, 2008

My fish just like to try and bite me, so i guess that makes me their toy

Colin_T · Jun 11, 2008

kewskills said:
My fish just like to try and bite me, so i guess that makes me their toy

LOL

jayjay · Jun 11, 2008

With larger fish (normally cichlids) you can get them to attack magnetic algae scrapers. "Teasing" them through the glass, letting them try attack your finger etc. Putting stuff above the tank on the glass covers to get them to investigate (won't keep interest long), ping pong balls, golf balls. Anything they can't eat that won't hurt them really. Also try mirrors and pictures of other fish to see a response.

shelaghfishface · Jun 11, 2008

jayjay said:
With larger fish (normally cichlids) you can get them to attack magnetic algae scrapers. "Teasing" them through the glass, letting them try attack your finger etc. Putting stuff above the tank on the glass covers to get them to investigate (won't keep interest long), ping pong balls, golf balls. Anything they can't eat that won't hurt them really. Also try mirrors and pictures of other fish to see a response.

thread was about toys not torment