do you pet your fishes?

[Danya]

when i was younger i had this goldfish (in a bowl, oooh the cruelty!)
that lived for 3 years. i used to pet him.

now i like to catch my slow fish (i.e. sonny jr, the guppy) and pet
them. i caught the other guppies and have petted them too. and i
think i caught one of my swordtails once. actually, when i bought my
corys, the net was in the other room so i just put my hand in the bag
and got them out that way. they didn't seem to mind. it's probably
not as rough and hard as a stupid net.

so anyway, is it mean to catch the fish and pet/play with them? have
you ever petted/played with your fish?

one time i had my hand just dangling in the tank (when i had my 10
gal.) and my swordtail started trying to suck food/algae off my hand.
haha, what a dork!

[Limnophile]

Touching fish with your hands is not recommended,. Doing so can remove
their natural slime coat and make them vulnerable to viral and bacterial
infections.

You should only move them with a net. They might try to get food from your
hands, or taste your skin out of curiosity, but you shouldn't have direct
contact with them if you can avoid it.

I've had some intresting fish touching incidents, though.

My Oscars and Jack Dempseys would jump out of the water and grab food from
my hand. A couple of times they grabbed my finger by mistake. When the fish
is over a foot long and nearly a pound, that can be exciting.

I also had a large male C. salvini bite me so badly it took 8 stitches to
put my thumb back together.

Luckily, I was never bitten by my black piranha ( S. rhombaeus) . Most
piranha aren't too bad, but Rhoms deserve their reputation as very dangerous
fish. They can easily take off a finger, or remove a golf ball-sized chunk
of meat with one bite.

Limnophile

"Danya" > wrote in message
om...
> when i was younger i had this goldfish (in a bowl, oooh the cruelty!)
> that lived for 3 years. i used to pet him.
>
> now i like to catch my slow fish (i.e. sonny jr, the guppy) and pet
> them. i caught the other guppies and have petted them too. and i
> think i caught one of my swordtails once. actually, when i bought my
> corys, the net was in the other room so i just put my hand in the bag
> and got them out that way. they didn't seem to mind. it's probably
> not as rough and hard as a stupid net.
>
> so anyway, is it mean to catch the fish and pet/play with them? have
> you ever petted/played with your fish?
>
> one time i had my hand just dangling in the tank (when i had my 10
> gal.) and my swordtail started trying to suck food/algae off my hand.
> haha, what a dork!

[Dick]

On 23 Aug 2004 19:48:20 -0700, (Danya) wrote:

>when i was younger i had this goldfish (in a bowl, oooh the cruelty!)
>that lived for 3 years. i used to pet him.
>
>now i like to catch my slow fish (i.e. sonny jr, the guppy) and pet
>them. i caught the other guppies and have petted them too. and i
>think i caught one of my swordtails once. actually, when i bought my
>corys, the net was in the other room so i just put my hand in the bag
>and got them out that way. they didn't seem to mind. it's probably
>not as rough and hard as a stupid net.
>
>so anyway, is it mean to catch the fish and pet/play with them? have
>you ever petted/played with your fish?
>
>one time i had my hand just dangling in the tank (when i had my 10
>gal.) and my swordtail started trying to suck food/algae off my hand.
>haha, what a dork!

I can't say I touch my fish, but several of my fish do touch me. I
have 8 Siamese Algae Eaters, about 4", in a 75 gallon tank. When ever
I have my arm in the tank they gather around and nibble at it. They
have no fear of my hand. I have cupped them, one at a time, in the
palm of my hand. I also note a sense of play if I touch one with my
finger it moves away, but not far. Its strange because I have SAEs in
another tank and they show no interest in my hand or arm.

Black Mollies also seem attracted to my hand. They don't move away,
but then don't get so close as the SAEs. I have one large black
angelfish that watches for me. At feeding time she moves to the side
opposite where I put the flake food and waits for me to put a few
flakes in front of her nose. She doesn't shy away, but seems to
expect this special service.

dick

[Adam Savage]

Well, I dont pet them as such, but in my cichlid tank, the acaras and pendex
cichlids seem to love taking pellets/prawns out of my fingers. ALthough they
often just go for the fingers! At the moment, the largest is around 3", so
not too big a bite, and no teeth so far....Also, the cichlids seem to follow
my hand if I wave it in front of the tank - maybe its a food-reflex
thing.....

Adam S


"Dick" > wrote in message
...
> On 23 Aug 2004 19:48:20 -0700, (Danya) wrote:
>
> >when i was younger i had this goldfish (in a bowl, oooh the cruelty!)
> >that lived for 3 years. i used to pet him.
> >
> >now i like to catch my slow fish (i.e. sonny jr, the guppy) and pet
> >them. i caught the other guppies and have petted them too. and i
> >think i caught one of my swordtails once. actually, when i bought my
> >corys, the net was in the other room so i just put my hand in the bag
> >and got them out that way. they didn't seem to mind. it's probably
> >not as rough and hard as a stupid net.
> >
> >so anyway, is it mean to catch the fish and pet/play with them? have
> >you ever petted/played with your fish?
> >
> >one time i had my hand just dangling in the tank (when i had my 10
> >gal.) and my swordtail started trying to suck food/algae off my hand.
> >haha, what a dork!
>
> I can't say I touch my fish, but several of my fish do touch me. I
> have 8 Siamese Algae Eaters, about 4", in a 75 gallon tank. When ever
> I have my arm in the tank they gather around and nibble at it. They
> have no fear of my hand. I have cupped them, one at a time, in the
> palm of my hand. I also note a sense of play if I touch one with my
> finger it moves away, but not far. Its strange because I have SAEs in
> another tank and they show no interest in my hand or arm.
>
> Black Mollies also seem attracted to my hand. They don't move away,
> but then don't get so close as the SAEs. I have one large black
> angelfish that watches for me. At feeding time she moves to the side
> opposite where I put the flake food and waits for me to put a few
> flakes in front of her nose. She doesn't shy away, but seems to
> expect this special service.
>
> dick

[RedForeman ©®]

|| now i like to catch my slow fish (i.e. sonny jr, the guppy) and pet
|| them. i caught the other guppies and have petted them too. and i
|| think i caught one of my swordtails once. actually, when i bought my
|| corys, the net was in the other room so i just put my hand in the bag
|| and got them out that way. they didn't seem to mind. it's probably
|| not as rough and hard as a stupid net.
||
|| so anyway, is it mean to catch the fish and pet/play with them? have
|| you ever petted/played with your fish?
||
|| one time i had my hand just dangling in the tank (when i had my 10
|| gal.) and my swordtail started trying to suck food/algae off my hand.
|| haha, what a dork!

There are some fish that I'd say it's not a good idea to rub their slime
coating off, but my bristlenose actually will come into my hand and let me
pet her.... If I put my hand in there long enough, she'll find her way to my
palm and latch on.... petting takes place here and there, but carefully....

--
| RedForeman ©® fabricator and creator of the ratbike streetfighter!!!
| ==========================
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| ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·.¸. ><((((º> ·´¯`·. , .·´¯`·.. ><((((º>
| for any questions you may have....
| www.gmail.com

[Geezer From The Freezer]

Limnophile wrote:
>
> Touching fish with your hands is not recommended,. Doing so can remove
> their natural slime coat and make them vulnerable to viral and bacterial
> infections.
>
> You should only move them with a net. They might try to get food from your
> hands, or taste your skin out of curiosity, but you shouldn't have direct
> contact with them if you can avoid it.

I'd rather move/catch my fish with wet clean hands than a net anyday! Nets
are harsher on their slimecoats than wet hands.

[Danya]

"RedForeman ©®" > wrote in message >...
> There are some fish that I'd say it's not a good idea to rub their slime
> coating off, but my bristlenose actually will come into my hand and let me
> pet her.... If I put my hand in there long enough, she'll find her way to my
> palm and latch on.... petting takes place here and there, but carefully....

oops, well i'll remember that from now on. gosh i'm such a dork! ok
i seriously need to actually WORK today, so if you see any more
messages from me, tell me to go to work. haha.

[Vicki S]

I don't pet my fish but every time I put my hand in the tank I get lots
of fish kisses. I do hand feed my fish every day so they are not afraid
of me when I have to work in the tank.

Vicki


"It is well that war is so terrible, else we would grow fond of it."

~ Robert E. Lee~

Visit me on line at
http://shamrock4u.250free.com

webtv users can view photos at
news:alt.discuss.clubs.public.nature.photography.w ewela

To send e-mail delete webtv.net and add msn.com
(put to Vicki in subject line or my spam filter will discard)

[sophie]

In message >, Vicki S
> writes
>I don't pet my fish but every time I put my hand in the tank I get lots
>of fish kisses.

and there was me thinking I was being chewed! kisses sounds so much
better.

>I do hand feed my fish every day so they are not afraid
>of me when I have to work in the tank.
>
>Vicki
>
>
>"It is well that war is so terrible, else we would grow fond of it."
>
>~ Robert E. Lee~
>
>Visit me on line at
>http://shamrock4u.250free.com
>
>webtv users can view photos at
>news:alt.discuss.clubs.public.nature.photography.w ewela
>
>To send e-mail delete webtv.net and add msn.com
>(put to Vicki in subject line or my spam filter will discard)
>

--
sophie

[Adam Savage]

Its a good job you dont have to work in a tank with a piranha or 4, then
isnt it?????
But yeah, its cool feeding fish from your hand and getting nips...

Adam S


"Vicki S" > wrote in message
...
> I don't pet my fish but every time I put my hand in the tank I get lots
> of fish kisses. I do hand feed my fish every day so they are not afraid
> of me when I have to work in the tank.
>
> Vicki
>
>
> "It is well that war is so terrible, else we would grow fond of it."
>
> ~ Robert E. Lee~
>
> Visit me on line at
> http://shamrock4u.250free.com
>
> webtv users can view photos at
> news:alt.discuss.clubs.public.nature.photography.w ewela
>
> To send e-mail delete webtv.net and add msn.com
> (put to Vicki in subject line or my spam filter will discard)
>

[Dustin The-Wind]

I play tag with my Blood Parrots.
(A game they seem to constantly play with each other)
The largest has left the tank chasing my retreating hand. I think she
does this to declare victory, cause I always end up quitting to wipe the
water off my face from the splash.

I stopped playing with my Oscars when the female drew blood from my
knuckles. I didn't notice the eggs..oops!

My experience with Pearl Gouramis is that they're just plain nosey. I
had one I had to keep taking out of the net as I would try to remove
other fish. Same with the Paradise Fish.

But it's the Borneo Suckers that cause me the grief. They seem to have
no fear. I lost two that I didn't see. This is before I realized .. just
cause they were no where in sight when I picked up the rock to move it,
doesn't mean they won't glide up on it before I sit back down .. and if
one is sitting in the spot where I want to move the rock, it takes more
than one nudge with my finger before the little sucker will move .. for
a second before coming back .. so they have successfully trained me not
to try to redecorate THEIR tank!

<"}}}><

[Vicki S]

Sophie said...

>and there was me thinking I was being
>chewed! kisses sounds so much better.

Hehehe...ya chewed is right on. But I like kisses so much better.
Angels don't do much damage, nor do discus but rest assured that if I
had larger fish I would find another way to feed them.

Vicki


"It is well that war is so terrible, else we would grow fond of it."

~ Robert E. Lee~

Visit me on line at
http://shamrock4u.250free.com

webtv users can view photos at
news:alt.discuss.clubs.public.nature.photography.w ewela

To send e-mail delete webtv.net and add msn.com
(put to Vicki in subject line or my spam filter will discard)