Am I stressing my fish?

[Betsy]

Hi,

Lately I have had an incredibley big algae bloom. That's not what this thread is about. I have a thread with really good advice for that.

My question is:

I go in with my big gloves on and pull out algae as well as do two to three water changes a week. Does this stress my fish to have a big alien thing in thier tank?

My clowns seem to follow me almost to see what I am doing. I think they see me so much that they come and greet me when I come near the tank. I try to clean where they are not, but then they come over to where I am even though it isn't thier side of the tank or the other way around.

My Mandrin Dragonet Goby even comes out and follows those big glove hands around.

Once my Coral banded shrimp came and I am sure he was checking to make sure I was clean!

Is this because they are stressed or curious?

Should I limit my time in the tank with gloves or ?

Thanks
Betsy

[CatatonicBug]

I would say it's more curiosity. If you've had the fish a while, they probably recognize you through the glass, and if you regularly use the gloves for cleaning, they won't be overly stressed about having them in there. Most fish easily get used to cleanings and such, so I wouldn't worry too much about stressing them with the gloves.

[Kurt_Nelson]

I've wondered that myself when I do maintenance, and get in there to remove bubble algae. It definitely concerns my fish, and I'm guessing (strictly guessing) it does stress them out a bit. But they seem to get over it quickly. And the other option (not doing manual, hands-in-tank maintenance) is not really an option in my book.

Sounds like yours are more curious that stressed if they follow you around! Mine just cower in the corner!

[CatatonicBug]

Most of my smaller fish are very curious when I stick my hand in the tank. They come up and follow my hand around. However, the big sevrum cowers under the filter intake until long after I'm gone. If I just use a stick to move things around, the Sevrum chases the stick around. Strange fish...

[pat8you]

Some times my fish were a little more afraid of me when i'm cleaning. When i do cleaning on my brothers tank he has an attack clown. No kidding. This little guy charges and bites quite hard if your hand is anywhere in the tank. It not even if your in her area and she is defending that. It could be across the tank and she will come after you. I always forget and she scares me every time. Wouldn't expect that from a clown.

[roka64]

Clowns are known for that. I was at a Fish store and then mandarin hit the owner.
Betsy, it sounds like yours are very curious.

[Ziggy953]

I agree, sounds like curiousity to me. My neon goby cleans my arm when it is in the tank.

[meegosh]

I'm not a saltie but when I do my maintenance my guppy always swims right up to my hand when I'm moving things around. Quite annoying when you are planning to just do a quick redecorating, always have to shoo him away. Sounds like you have some curious fish also!

[Kurt_Nelson]

Originally Posted by Ziggy953

My neon goby cleans my arm when it is in the tank.

That must be interesting. My skunk cleaner shrimp loooooves it when my arm is in the tank! I just wish he wouldn't come up from my blind side though because he scare the *&$% out of me when he lands and starts picking at me!

[Betsy]

Thank you everyone,

I am glad to hear it is most likely curiousity. I am sure my fish know me as they come out to see me when I come into the room (I'm in often as I'm always curious what they are up to), however when there is a stranger with me only the clowns stick around. If the stranger is patient then the rest of the fish come out for a peek at the stranger. They are such fasinating creatures!

Thanks again
Betsy