My Fish Bit Me!

[SarahBravo]

I'm used to getting nibbled by the guppies, but I got a real shock this evening! Went to feed Peaches the Midas, and he jumped 3 inches out the water, got all the cichlid sticks and got my finger as well..... I tell people he will feed from my hand, I'm not used to him trying to feed ON my hand! Thank goodness he hasn't got any teeth yet. He didn't draw blood but it sure did hurt! Do you think he was just hungry, or is he starting to show his true addressive colours? Anyone else with midas cichlids - do you get bitten? Should I start to be worried about putting my hands in his tank?

 

[WILDER]

Sorry it was funny, never kept them so don't no, but if he can do that before he's got teeth, i would be wary.

 

[Durbkat]

Fish have teeth? Wow with a mouth that big and I got bit by that big fish I would drop the food in and slam the lid shut so he wouldn't bit me.

 

[BigC]

Fish have teeth?

You learn something new every day

 

[Durbkat]

Yep I'm a fast learner.

 

[Fella]

Fish have teeth?

You learn something new every day

 

[mike190762]

My discus nips my fingers all the time when I feed the bloodworm. The redtailed Shark has a nip too & my dog always nips my nose when I'm trying to put drops in his eyes!!!! (He's had an operation for conjunctivitis)

 

[Synirr]

I have a midas-bloodparrot hybrid, but she's a sweetheart... thank goodness! She has dark teeth that stand out against her white skin and look rather sharp, albeit not very large. I've never been bitten by her, but had I been stupid enough to stick my hand close when she laid eggs I'm sure I would have. I have, however, been bitten by my oscar when he was trying to grab food out of my hand and he actually broke the skin a little. He didn't mean to bite me though, he was just going for the food, which I suspect is what's going on with your midas

 

[kat and james]

i'm always scared of putting my hand in the tank.. just in case someone isn't too happy about me being in there.. especially since everyone is getting really rather big.. what is it gonna be like in the new tank, when they will all grow to their full sizes!!!

i got bitten once in thailand, we were in this lagoon, and i something yanked my leg.. i immediately looked for my bro or sis, and neither were near by, when i looked into the water this really rather large dark shape was swimming away pretty damn fast!! when i got out of the boat my leg was bleeding (only a little).. and there were three teeth marks.. i still have faint scars!!!

 

[prankster705]

I bet its just a love bite, lucky you it might be your new gf that suports fishkeeping

 

[sarahw20000]

My betta bites me all the time, i think he's going for the food but he's not a very good aim, sometimes he miss's my hand and the food altogether!

Seriously though, if he did have teeth that would really hurt, he's a strong little bugger

 

[consp]

Feeding from the surface is different putting your hands right in the tank (eg: to get the siphon down the bottom for a water change). The reason for this is... You feed them from the surface. They get used to it... And they get super eager to get their food as fast as possible so they can jump out for it.

When you put your hand in the water make sure you put in most of your arm as well and never stop it moving... They'll just ignore it. But as soon as you stop they'll e over to investigate


My mum had a shock one when she asked if she could feed my Oscars. I let her and I told her wat foods and to be quick. Now, my mum not being as used to feeding as I was took her time whilst the fish were all waiting at the top... The second she opened the lid and waved her hand over one jumped out and got her! It also splashed water all over her face. She then started to panic (she doesn't know anything about fish... I try to teach her but she just doesn't take it in) and started shouting "OMG have I been poisoned? Am I poisoned?" I couldn't stop laughing but she was seriously distressed... almost in tears. When I managed to stop laughing I told her she was fine... After that day she ALWAYS wanted to feed the Oscars because it was exciting. I let her... Meaning I got to avoid being biten

 

[Ethos]

My chichlids nibble my hand when ever I try and do some cleaning/rearranging. Also, when I turn the lights on, and come up to the tank and put my finger just below the water line, they'll all come up and nip it and try to bring it down to the bottom. Maybe they'll grow up and stop doing it, because they're only juvies right now...

 

[Fella]

I managed to get my Gastromyzon beaufortia (Hillstream loach) to feed from my hand before now, and my goldfish always fed readily from my hand. My SAP will take blood worm from a pipette and prawns or snails straight from my hand.

If you offer the shell dwellers any food from the surface, they're not interested.

When goldfish bite, it's just sucking because they have teeth in their throat, but I'm not going to risk getting bitten by my sap. If their teeth can break snail shells and prawn shells, I don't hold much hone for my fingers...

 

[sarahw20000]

When we feed our piranhas we try and make sure none of the food floats on the surface so they don't get used it eating from there coz if they do then when i'm rearranging the floating plants etc they could mistake me for food!