The other side of the glass

[horsedogfish]

Was doing some paperwork in the music room sitting in a chair sideways to the aquarium. After about two hours I sat up and looked at the aquarium--and all the fish except the neons were nose-to-the-glass watching me. Well, the cory was nose to the glass but she was, as always, swimming madly up and down and back and forth. Everyone else was swimming in place. Now I know how the fish feel at Mustic Aquarium when all the kids are standing shoulder to shoulder watching them. My replacement neons are all still alive and I've had them since Thursday, so this is good, but I must confess I never planned on counting noses first thing in the morning every day to make sure that nobody is dead. Except for the neon and the two green glofish, they all have names. I wonder if they have named me???

 

[AngelFishGirl]

If your asking if they recognize you, then I would say no.

Few freshwater fish recognize their owners. It is proven that angelfish and oscars do, and I THINK some cichlids might, but I don't think small fish like tetras, guppies, mollies, etc. do. I think they simply recognize a human walking in - which is instinct to them as "food"

But I besides the angels and oscars and any other fish proven to recognize - it is probably opinion based until proven.

 

[horsedogfish]

I don't imagine they recognize me. That was sort of tongue in cheek. It was just interesting that they were all watching me. I'm thinking maybe they get bored swimming around the same plants and caves day after day, and maybe I should figure out someway to put different things outside the aquarium for them to look at. Even something as simple as one of those twirly things on a stick. I could prop it up and get it going slowly with a fan.

 

[Cactuspixie]

I wonder if they have named me???

Yup- the great god horsedogfish- bringer of food.
When they line up against the glass like that, they are trying to control you telepathically - FEED US!

 

[Mebbid]

I bet that was quite the site to see them staring at you like that. My cichlids do that all the time expecting me to feed them like the hungry hungry hippos they are

Yup- the great god horsedogfish- bringer of food.
When they line up against the glass like that, they are trying to control you telepathically - FEED US!

Aaand you win 100 internets!

If your asking if they recognize you, then I would say no.

Few freshwater fish recognize their owners. It is proven that angelfish and oscars do, and I THINK some cichlids might, but I don't think small fish like tetras, guppies, mollies, etc. do. I think they simply recognize a human walking in - which is instinct to them as "food"

But I besides the angels and oscars and any other fish proven to recognize - it is probably opinion based until proven.

Angels and oscars are cichlids ^_^

But yes cichlids do recognize their owners as well as some of the longer lived normal fish. I would say live bearers wouldn't recognize you, I'm not sure about tetras though.

 

[Cactuspixie]

I bet that was quite the site to see them staring at you like that. My cichlids do that all the time expecting me to feed them like the hungry hungry hippos they are

Aaand you win 100 internets!

Angels and oscars are cichlids ^_^

But yes cichlids do recognize their owners as well as some of the longer lived normal fish. I would say live bearers wouldn't recognize you, I'm not sure about tetras though.

Live bearers are too sex obsessed to care about the external world. Eat, have sex... eat some more, have more sex...

 

[Cactuspixie]

My Congo tetras, olive perchlets and SAEs are the worst culprits for creeping me out. I'll happen to glance at a tank, and they'll be gathered at the front eyeballing me.
Makes me feel so.... Objectified!

 

[Mebbid]

Live bearers are too sex obsessed to care about the external world. Eat, have sex... eat some more, have more sex...

Sounds like a fun time to me

 

[FanOfAllSeven]

Live bearers are too sex obsessed to care about the external world. Eat, have sex... eat some more, have more sex...

hmmm... I have a friend who must have been a live bearer in a past life

Was doing some paperwork in the music room sitting in a chair sideways to the aquarium. After about two hours I sat up and looked at the aquarium--and all the fish except the neons were nose-to-the-glass watching me.

They were waiting to see when you'd leave so they could clog the filter and carry out their escape plan.

Seriously though that's pretty great, it's always nice when the little guys interact with you even if it is usaully just recognizing "the hand that feeds."

 

[ktomminello]

Lol, my oscar will spit at me if I don't 'play' with him or hand feed him when he sees me... My barbs recognize me as food- whenever I remove debris from their filter intake if they are hungry they will swarm my arm and peck at me, if they aren't hungry they like to follow my fingertips around... My kuhli loaches creep me out sometimes when they intertwine and swim up and down their tank wall and my blushing xray tetra are in a tight school in the mouth of the human skull decoration staring at me.

 

[horsedogfish]

Ahhh! I should have recognized telepathy in action. It worked, of course.

I have a platy that likes to follow my finger around the glass, and if I stop it, he will nestle up to the glass and rest his side on it as if I'm a comfort station on the highway.

I've been making some changes to the tank as well as pwcs and a few of them now swim up to my submerged hand. (The platy who is so bold when my hand is outside the tank dices for cover when my hand is inside the tank, but two of the glowfish neons and the cory are curious and bold.)

Cichlids arer gorgeous but my little tank is more than enough for the time being. Maybe when it gets colder and the temptation to go to the stable and fool with my horse is easier to resist. I was thinking of a discus tank but 100 gallon tank is not in my future. How many gallong do you need for cichlids?

I am SOOOOO obviously a newbie.

 

[Bambinojake]

A 55 gallon is ideal for cichlids, but you can get smaller tanks for dwarf cichlids.

 

[ktomminello]

A 55 gallon is ideal for cichlids, but you can get smaller tanks for dwarf cichlids.

Agreed, shell dwellers, cockatoos, rams and other dwarves can be kept (a single pair) in as small as a 20g. However, a 55g wouldn't accommodate a larger build aggressive NW cichlids oscars, blood parrot, Dempsey etc. but perfect for most semi aggressive/ peaceful NW cichlids and community African cichlids....

 

[jwh0818]

You mean like this?

 

[ktomminello]

You mean like this?

Pretty!! That is such an adorable pic

 

[jwh0818]

Pretty!! That is such an adorable pic

They were waiting for me

 

[ktomminello]

Lol, my oscar is mad at me because I went camping overnight and he didn't get his midnight river shrimp snack so he's sulking in his corner and has spit every dither fish in his tank at me....

 

[cgthebeast]

Yup- the great god horsedogfish- bringer of food.
When they line up against the glass like that, they are trying to control you telepathically - FEED US!

Lol, that is the best thing I ever read