CichliditisExtremitis
Aquarium Advice Regular
DizzCat, don't feel that you are alone in talking to your fish. I likewise talk to mine all the time. What would be worrisome is if they started talking back! 
Can my fishies see me through the glass?
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DizzCat
Aquarium Advice Freak
Ever wonder what they would say? Would we be praised or be in deep trouble? LOL
Donna
Aquarium Advice Regular
it makes you wonder if they'd praise us or have a right go, especially if they can hear my hubby teasing that he's going to put lemon juice in the tank to marinade them!! That's next on my to-do list though, learn to speak fish! do you suppose each species would have it's own dialect?
they definately can hear you, that's no myth. They react to my husband because his voice is quite deep and bassy.
ever listened to someone talking to you whilst you've had your head in the bath water? not to mention there's the old fisherman's fave "quiet, or you'll scare the fish!"
they definately can hear you, that's no myth. They react to my husband because his voice is quite deep and bassy.
ever listened to someone talking to you whilst you've had your head in the bath water? not to mention there's the old fisherman's fave "quiet, or you'll scare the fish!"
CichliditisExtremitis
Aquarium Advice Regular
Ever wonder what they would say? Would we be praised or be in deep trouble? LOL
"Why are you feeding us pellets that have been in the refrigerator for two years?!"
"Hey! Human! It's after 9 PM! Turn the lights down!"
"Stop messing with the rocks! I liked my cave just the way it was!"
"I want more women in here! Get rid of these other dudes!"
"Get off your lazy butt and give us a water change!"
"Haven't you ever heard of over-population? You're really pushing it, buddy!"
My gosh! At least brush your teeth if you're going to stare at us like that!"
"No! I don't like hard rock music! Put on some classical! Jeesh!"
"One degree hotter in here and we're all dead! Don't you care?!"
CichliditisExtremitis
Aquarium Advice Regular
"My gosh...When I asked for a harem, I thought you'd do better than this! Are your females as ugly as mine?!"
CichliditisExtremitis
Aquarium Advice Regular
"Please clean the algae off of the glass! I'm really starting to get claustrophobic in here!"
CichliditisExtremitis
Aquarium Advice Regular
Here's another one:
Papa mbuna to his fry:
"Hey kids! Come and see what we've got trapped on the other side of this glass!"
Fry:
Ooh, paps! That's ugly! Is it dangerous?!
Papa mbuna to his fry:
"Hey kids! Come and see what we've got trapped on the other side of this glass!"
Fry:
Ooh, paps! That's ugly! Is it dangerous?!
bmg07
Aquarium Advice Freak
lol. but that would be so cool if our fish could talk .its just that most of them are probally annoying so you need sound proof glass
I definitely agree. My oscars not only know when it's me, but my albino specifically likes my wife. They will all hide behind the rocks and sulk when any of my neighbors, or particularly neighbor kids, come to look at them. It took my red tail cat more than a week to be comfortable coming out of his cave when I was watching (I have a chair set about 5' away)...Initially I could only watch him from the staircase about 40' away.
They also know the difference between feeding and water changing time. When I feed them I just lift the front of the lid and when I do water changes I take the lid off. If I lift the lid they'll all rise to the surface and wait for their pellets/crickets/minnows and if I'm not fast enough with their food sometimes my fingers too!
As to sound, it's hard to say how well they can hear, but I like the analogy of someone talking to you while your head is under water in the tub. They definitely feel the reverberations and can distinguish different voices/sounds/patterns. When fishing as a kid in crystal clear Colorado rivers and ponds, we'd always low crawl to the edge of the water and be sure not to make a single sound - not only could the trout see you coming but they could hear your footsteps and voice as well!
They also know the difference between feeding and water changing time. When I feed them I just lift the front of the lid and when I do water changes I take the lid off. If I lift the lid they'll all rise to the surface and wait for their pellets/crickets/minnows and if I'm not fast enough with their food sometimes my fingers too!
As to sound, it's hard to say how well they can hear, but I like the analogy of someone talking to you while your head is under water in the tub. They definitely feel the reverberations and can distinguish different voices/sounds/patterns. When fishing as a kid in crystal clear Colorado rivers and ponds, we'd always low crawl to the edge of the water and be sure not to make a single sound - not only could the trout see you coming but they could hear your footsteps and voice as well!
CichliditisExtremitis
Aquarium Advice Regular
Hello OmniTranz. Thanks for the interesting post. The general consensus here definitely seems to be that our fish can see us, and to some degree understand our actions, and possibly hear us as well. I am not too sure of the latter point yet, as I haven't personally experimented with it yet.
I agree with others fish definitely can see you. My guppies flock towards the corner for food when I go near the tank.
My old angelfish used to follow my finger back and forth across the front of the tank, fun stuff!
My old angelfish used to follow my finger back and forth across the front of the tank, fun stuff!
Sweets1023
Aquarium Advice Regular
- Joined
- Jul 1, 2009
- Messages
- 54
Think they actually see you or sense the the vibrations of your movement? (lateral line)
partypalooza5
Aquarium Advice Addict
DragonFish71
Great white snark
One must wonder if they think that we humans are as beautiful as we view them to be beautiful. Or maybe they wonder why we have no gills.
Or maybe they wonder why they are stuck behind the glass and we can wander freely. lol
But yes, I agree that they can see us. Our cichlids, mainly the Jacks and Firemouths, dang near head butt the glass or the hood for food. I walk by, they meet at the glass. If I ignore them, they splash around. If I keep ignoring them I swear they hit the hood. It's even worse when they see the bag of rosie reds they get every weekend. Our Bettas do a wiggle when they see me. Our rams do the same, but our others, like the tetras, just go about their business. I am the "Food Goddess". Ah the power!
CichliditisExtremitis
Aquarium Advice Regular
spoonman
Aquarium Advice Addict
Yellow Eye Tang
Aquarium Advice Freak
Cool thread hearing everyones stories. Ya know I heard a report on the radio real quick as I was driving talking about a new study that spoke of fish intelligence. I remember hearing that they were a lot smarter than previously thought. It was a quick report but I see there intelligence every day in my tank. I've also noticed when my rainbow shark chases the mickey mouse moon I can CLAP real loud and he will lay off. Tends to scare the others tho in the process. It makes me wonder if I had a bigger / deeper tank if that would still work.
Brad S
Aquarium Advice Regular
Sure it would. You might have to get some of those big "number one" hand things (big hand w/index finger sticking up. Not the other finger!) you see at the football games and smack them together but...
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