Yes fish anticipate food

[Angela]

I used to work in a restaurant that had an outside pond. We were the
"Guardians of the fish" and loved to be in that position as we really cared
for them.

In time, we just moved the water by tapping the surface and the fish came to
be hand fed.

Fish are not stupid! We always fed them pond pellets and never encouraged
bread. They waggled their tails and came to the surface with mouths open,
to get their meal from our fingers. OK some were more nervous, but most were
calm and quite happy - Ok so it seemed - I don't have the ability to read
fish minds!!
Right or wrong, there were times we fed them crunched up short/digestive
biscuits when we briefly ran out of the pellets. They still came to us for
manual feeding and seemed to thrive on it.

[me]

I agree - I have a mollie (ok, not a goldfish) that will come to the
feeding corner of the tank any time it sees my hand come up to anywhere
near that side of the tank. The other mollie in the tank doesn't, but
this one does... every day!
If I were to stick my finger in the water, it would try to eat directly
off my fingers.


Angela wrote:
> I used to work in a restaurant that had an outside pond. We were the
> "Guardians of the fish" and loved to be in that position as we really cared
> for them.
>
> In time, we just moved the water by tapping the surface and the fish came to
> be hand fed.
>
> Fish are not stupid! We always fed them pond pellets and never encouraged
> bread. They waggled their tails and came to the surface with mouths open,
> to get their meal from our fingers. OK some were more nervous, but most were
> calm and quite happy - Ok so it seemed - I don't have the ability to read
> fish minds!!
> Right or wrong, there were times we fed them crunched up short/digestive
> biscuits when we briefly ran out of the pellets. They still came to us for
> manual feeding and seemed to thrive on it.
>
>

[Jan]

"me" > wrote in message
...
>I agree - I have a mollie (ok, not a goldfish) that will come to the
>feeding corner of the tank any time it sees my hand come up to anywhere
>near that side of the tank. The other mollie in the tank doesn't, but this
>one does... every day!
> If I were to stick my finger in the water, it would try to eat directly
> off my fingers.

My betta does the same. When he sees my hands above the water, he comes to
the surface to feed. If he doesn't see a pellet among the plants, I show him
the way and he follows my finger.

I also had another betta that would jump for food. I put a piece of frozen
shrimp on a toothpick, and he jumped out of the water to get it. I stopped
doing this though, for I feared the betta would learn to jump out of his
bowl. (This isn't anticipation, but still a curious fact though...)

> Angela wrote:
>> I used to work in a restaurant that had an outside pond. We were the
>> "Guardians of the fish" and loved to be in that position as we really
>> cared for them.
>>
>> In time, we just moved the water by tapping the surface and the fish came
>> to be hand fed.
>>
>> Fish are not stupid! We always fed them pond pellets and never
>> encouraged bread. They waggled their tails and came to the surface with
>> mouths open, to get their meal from our fingers. OK some were more
>> nervous, but most were calm and quite happy - Ok so it seemed - I don't
>> have the ability to read fish minds!!
>> Right or wrong, there were times we fed them crunched up short/digestive
>> biscuits when we briefly ran out of the pellets. They still came to us
>> for manual feeding and seemed to thrive on it.

[lgb]

In article >,
says...
> My betta does the same. When he sees my hands above the water, he comes to
> the surface to feed. If he doesn't see a pellet among the plants, I show him
> the way and he follows my finger.
>
Mine does that too. Cracks me up :-). Follow the pointing finger!

--
BNSF = Build Now, Seep Forever

[Tom Puskar]

I've got several aquariums ranging from a 300 gallon indoor "pond" to a 100
gallon and down to 10 gallons. They are all in one room and when the fish
hear me come into the room (OK I'll admit I talk to them!) they all come to
the surface to get fed. No tapping needed! They really are a hoot to
watch!

Tom in Howell, NJ


"Angela" > wrote in message
. ..
>I used to work in a restaurant that had an outside pond. We were the
>"Guardians of the fish" and loved to be in that position as we really cared
>for them.
>
> In time, we just moved the water by tapping the surface and the fish came
> to be hand fed.
>
> Fish are not stupid! We always fed them pond pellets and never encouraged
> bread. They waggled their tails and came to the surface with mouths open,
> to get their meal from our fingers. OK some were more nervous, but most
> were calm and quite happy - Ok so it seemed - I don't have the ability to
> read fish minds!!
> Right or wrong, there were times we fed them crunched up short/digestive
> biscuits when we briefly ran out of the pellets. They still came to us for
> manual feeding and seemed to thrive on it.
>

[Logic316]

lgb wrote:
> In article >,
> says...
>
>>My betta does the same. When he sees my hands above the water, he comes to
>>the surface to feed. If he doesn't see a pellet among the plants, I show him
>>the way and he follows my finger.
>>
>
> Mine does that too. Cracks me up :-). Follow the pointing finger!

Same here! Betta's are awesome. Now if only we can teach cats how to
understand the concept of pointing. All they do is just sit there and
look at your finger :-?

- Logic316



"We are ready for any unforeseen event that may or may not occur."
-- Vice President Al Gore, 9/22/97

[Andy Slater]

I am the only one who feeds our black moors.

If *I* enter the room near meal times they head for the corner of the
tank where I put the food... but they usually ignore other people.

--
Andy Slater

[DrGong]

My fish know when I come home for lunch, I turn on the lights, and they
race to the surface to feed...the know when the lights turn on, its
feeding time, and they will sit there for a few mins waiting for food
before giving up if they are on a day i am fasting them....

[Geezer From The Freezer]

Andy Slater wrote:
> I am the only one who feeds our black moors.
>
> If *I* enter the room near meal times they head for the corner of the
> tank where I put the food... but they usually ignore other people.
>

Andy,

I have 9 moors, and they huddle together bashing each other in a frenzy
even though they are in a huge tank. Feeding time is so funny :)
Got some great pictures of it too