Interesting Things For Fish

[darkfool58]

Hi All

I am new to fish and was wondering if like you may give a stick or ball to a dog is there anything interesting you can do for fish?

Thought come about as my corydora loves the ship wreck going in and out of the under part and hiding over night and would love to do something for the rest of the fish,


Any ideas greatly appreciated.
Russ

 

[dbanner]

Hmm... The only thing that springs to mind is that iv heard of some people giving a ball, like a ball smaller than a golf ball to larger cichlids like oscars as they are very intelligent but I can't see other fish using 1.

The corys (amongst other small fish) will like things like shipwreck decor because it provides them with cover so they feel safer.

 

[MBOU]

The best thing you can do for fish is give them as much space and the best water you possibly can and lots of different places to explore. Lots of branches and pebbles, plants and caves...

Fish dont really play or want that same human interaction as dogs to.. though saying that, clown loaches love to play with bouncy balls (anyone remember them!?) LOL

 

[darkfool58]

http/www.tropicalfishexpert.co.uk/providing-toys-for-your-fish.html - ahh found something

 

[Aquascaper]

A few bioballs always used to provide some entertainment

 

[Baccus]

I have a large hollow log that stands semi upright in my tank which my male siamese fighter likes to swim through, entering at the top and emerging again out the bottom of the log. Other wise most fish will gain their interest and play from interactions between fellow shoal mates or other tank mates.

Mirrors for siamese fighters work a treat too but only do it for a couple of minutes a day.

 

[garyspence84]

There was someone on here who posted their clown loaches playing with a grape, of all things. But it looked like fun

As for mirrors and s.fighters? I don't think that's as fun for them as it is us

 

[Baccus]

A mirror for a fighter (for a limited amount of time) may not be "fun" but it reduces the monotomiy of being in usually a small vessel of water with no other stimulation from fellow tank members.

 

[Aquascaper]

The only reason I've heard for people putting a mirror front of a betta is to make it 'flare' for a photo, never for its amusement.

 

[Dazzler666]

And on the back of the mirror thing, the fighter flares to ward off intruders/competitors in HIS territory hence stressing the fish out!!! Not a good way of entertainment IMO!!!
Its a bit like putting someone you really hate in front of you each day for a few minutes simply to watch you get wound up .... Certainly stimulating if not a tad cruel!! Lol.

 

[Baccus]

Just as cruel to leave an intelligent fish in a tiny tank with only interaction it gets is via a huge hand putting a bit of food in the tank? Fighters are intelligent and do like stimulation, Have you ever watched a fighter in a large community tank of suitable fish? I have and they happily potter about inspecting all facets of the tank, in fact any time I have added new plants/ timber to the tank the fighters are usually the first to come over and inspect it.

I am not saying put a mirror beside a fighter day in and day out, merely it is something that can be to keep a fighter intersted in its surrounds.

 

[BerryAttack]

i have seen this video... and not able to relocate it.... well what they did is took plastic sinking balls, of all different colours... were small, but not small enough for the fish it eat. it would float around in the water current, but wouldn't float near the top of the water.. always sinking down the the bottom.. well the fish would swim through it and have a blast in the video.
i'm not too sure that it was healthy for the fish... something on the lines to use in a bath... filled with soap liquid or something.. (hope you know what i'm trying to get at) well anyways it was really cool, but i'm not to sure if it would leach into the water.

 

[Aquascaper]

Similar to using a bioball then