Party tricks!

Hi folk!
I'm certain I'm not the only one who has fish that have learned/developed interesting quirks...
I'd love to see what yours can do, so please post!

I'll start with Ms. Gummi. (I don't normally name my fish, but she just became Ms. Gummi!)

She (well, I'm pretty sure she's a she, pls correct me if I'm wrong) has learned that live food snacks come in the little glass. One day, she swam boldly in and now if I come near her tank with the glass she's ready and waiting! Naturally, she gets the lions share of whatever I'm offering, but hey, I figure she deserves them!


Here she is, inside the glass. Finally, tho the last pic isn't great, I've included it to show how relaxed she is, I sometimes have to evict her gently!

 

Coolios - my loaches go crazy when my tank lid gets opened and the Sumo loach eats from my fingers...

@tracyp - Ms. Gummi is actualy a Mr.Gummie...lol - cool trick btw

 

:bigsmile: Thanks!

 

Talking about party tricks...

How is it that you guys have got the fish so comfortable with you?
I put my hand in the tank and everybody scampers off in different directions.

Got any tips?

 

My Discus and Apistos used to eat from my hands too...

 

I've just "trained" - I think habituated might be a better word(!) my betta... I always move my hand quietly and deliberately in his tank, I think he's been here about 3/4 weeks, and he's already learned to come when I call... I think its all about food! He KNOWS that voice means grub! Already takes food out my fingers, hovers around when I'm cleaning etc... it's actually quite tricky, cos I'm always in danger of bumping into him! I got him to take food out my fingers (lots of my fish do) by holding my hand very still with a piece of something he likes, then being VERY patient!

 

@GG13 - behavioural conditioning/response... For Tracyp's fish it is the sight of the glass, for mine the lifting of the tank lid and adding of my Ferts for the morning... Fish associate this with food and will with time overcome their natural shyness...

Conditioning their behaviour comes with a few things you need to do to make it easier - try following the same patterns all the time,use a "trigger" like lightly tapping on the glass 3 times in one corner etc. ALWAYS reward with food initialy when using the "trigger"

When I was still working at Pet Stop,always used to amaze clients how the Juvenile Discuss we had would all rise up to feed from my hand...If you can achieve that in a LFS where it is busy...imagine how tame your fish at home can get with a little bit of patients....

 

D'awww....

My morays used to have this cute little habit of biting my fingers instead of the food :love:

Questionable safety and sanity aside, my dad's archerfish spit their food right out my hand, just as I'm about to release it! Pretty awesome, though it makes the dry food clump a tad.

 

Well my fish are sneaky. They have learnt that if they come up to the surface the get food. Even if they got fed 5 min ago. They also learnt that if they fake that they are sick, they get extra treats. But I dont give in to their scams. But my older brother always gives in. No matter what I Say he gives in

 

Thanks for that @tracyp and @azurekoi.

Training starts tonight, maybe tomorrow morning, once I've decided what my "trigger" should be

I realise that some fish are generally more shy than others, but with regards to the Cory, Rummy Nose Tetra and Pearl Gourami - do you think I'd have great difficulty in getting any of them tame...?

I remember when I saw the Rummy Noses in my lfs they would follow my finger all over the place as I moved it on the outside of the glass. That was part of the reason that I liked them so much. Since I've had them at home though they barely come near the glass if my finger is against it.

 

When my Jack Dempsey sees the plastic container i keep my crickets in she darts to the feeding area and waits for her treat.. can hand feed her and even get her to jump out about 5cm for a cricket! Funny she only does that with the crickets, she just stares at pellets like "wft is this you're feeding me?" and eventually gives in.haha

 

My one siamese fighter used to jump for his food when I fed him. I also just started out with feeding from the hand and then slowly raising the food higher each time. Now I have to train my remaining boy. My females are still shy Ive managed to get 2 of them to eat from eye droppers so far. The other 3 are still shy.