Why do my fish hate me?

[AdamHorton]

We've tried this one. I literally sneak up on the fish and they run away. She tries to scare them away and it doesn't work. Also, in the saltwater tank, I've stuck my arm in the tank once since these fish have been in it -- all other interaction like water changes and such has been done through the sump/refugium.

In the FW tank, Ctanley will get pretty close to me when I'm doing water changes, I'll have to be jerky in order to get him away from the siphon. As small as he is he'd get sucked up in there too easily. It seems like the fish are more interested then than when I'm out of the tank though.

Just to be clear, this thread was started with the intent of being half joking, half serious. I'm not going to get all depressed because my fish seem to hate me, but it would be nice if they didn't.

 

[AdamHorton]

i think catching your fish by hand instead of a net really gets a bond going... my fish try to eat my hand every time its in the tank now. they never did that until i started catching them by hand. they really dont like the nets

I thought you weren't supposed to touch fish because it was bad for them... Is it only certain types of fish?

 

[Aquarium1]

It can cause problems with their slime coat and weaken their immune system.

 

[mfdrookie516]

I'm not sure on saltwater fish, but i would assume it would be the same. Catching fish with a wet hand is MUCH better than a net. There is no stress, their fins dont get caught in the net, etc, etc, etc... Not to mention they run from a net, they run TO my hand

 

[mfdrookie516]

It can cause problems with their slime coat and weaken their immune system.

nope... im pretty sure that all you read about it being bad is about as accurate as the 1" per gallon rule...

 

[Aquarium1]

At least your using a wet hand. Just make sure you keep those fingernails short lol. And if you handle them too often, it can cause them to stress, which can cause them too lose some slime lol. Since stress is the main cause of slime coat depletion (for lack of a better word)

 

[mfdrookie516]

can you imagine what a net does to them? flopping around getting their fins caught in the fine mesh, the mesh rubbing against their body... if you think about it, it makes alot more sense

 

[Aquarium1]

Its not as bad if the net is wet (lol, maybe soaked for a few minutes).

 

[Halthe]

My fish run from the net and my hand. I've always been afraid of catching them with my hand, I'd think I'd drop them or hurt them somehow.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

At least your using a wet hand....

How do you catch a fish in a tank with a DRY hand?

 

[mdaniel2882]

How do you catch a fish in a tank with a DRY hand?

LOL....There is an answer to this believe it or not. if you quickly thrust your hand into the water and jerk it out.(with the fish) the surface tension in the water makes an air pocket forms around your had. Same reason you can quickly dip your hand into hot oil and not get burnt. You must be pretty quick with it but....you must be pretty quick to catch a fish in your had to so it makes sense.

 

[Aquarium1]

Or, if you used a glove, your hand is still dry lol. Unless you have a bad glove. Btw very informative answer mdaniel.

 

[AdamHorton]

Another insightful discussion. It would probably be best then to catch the fish with my hand, but my fish will run away from that too, since they still hate me and I still don't know why :-(

 

[Aquarium1]

Try just standing around the tank (maybe a foot or so infront of the tank) relatively still for a while and maybe they'll want to come out. I do that with my cichlids sometimes

 

[AdamHorton]

When I'm in the room for a while they usually come out, but I usually have to be across the room and for at least and hour. I still like the ugly theory the best.

 

[Krypt]

To the fish you probably seem like the vengeful god that comes in and moves the mountains of their world and create sandstorms with a whoosh of your mighty hand! If they start building you shrines, that might cause some unwanted fish deaths in the name of sacrifice!

 

[TwoTank]

Krypt is so far the winner in my book. Imagine how afraid you'd be if something not your species came by and decided your house looked better on the other side of the tank, where you pooo. I'm sure you'd be afraid.

 

[AdamHorton]

The cave goby likes to move around empty snail shells (he appears angry when he does this). Does that count as a shrine?

 

[Mitchell0605]

lol I agree with Krypt.

 

[Krypt]

The cave goby likes to move around empty snail shells (he appears angry when he does this). Does that count as a shrine?

Yes, be worried, if you see him trying to drag other fish to it, it could be bad.