NetMax
December 30th 03, 05:05 PM
"High Flight" > wrote in message
...
> I have a young, probably male, German Ram in a 10g with 5 White Clouds.
> I've had a breeding pair before, but this guy behaves differently in
that
> he approaches the glass EVERY time I'm in his view. I know cichlids
are
> renowned for paying attention to what goes on outside the tank, but is
> this guy's behavior at all unusual? It occurs irrespective of feeding.
>
> If I put my ugly mug too close to the glass, he'll back off a little,
> while turning and keeping his body broadside. His blue spot fades,
which
> might indicate stress, right? When I back off just a foot, the robust
> color returns. Think he's perceiving me as a threat and trying to
chase
> me away?
>
> Jack
From my limited experience:
While all (or most) cichlids have very good facial recognition, some of
them will only keep you in their attention span long enough to determine
if there is food forthcoming, or if there is any threat potential. A few
are very shy and hide from our arrival, but most will be very curious and
attentive (to varying degrees). Occasionally I've found one which is
completely enraptured with the face looking in at them, and will not
leave the glass while you are there. These extra-curious fish are not
exclusively cichlids (although very commonly), and of the cichlids, I
find the larger species exhibit more of this 'curiosity'. Also
carnivores tend to appear more thoughtful, as they are more likely to
exercise the parts of their brain judging risk and tactics. Familiarity
also increases their comfort level and their willingness to park at the
glass to study you. The fish at the top of the pecking order are also
more likely to 'stand up' to you and stare you down.
Rams are IME mostly disinterested in people once they establish there is
no food involved, so your Ram is in a special class. While you have his
attention, you can see what tricks you can teach him. For example, train
him to go up or down by the colour of the fish food container. In a red
container, keep sinking pellets which you drop into the right side of the
tank. In a yellow container keep floating flakes, which you drop into
the left side of the tank. When you are finished studying him at any
particular time, show him the container and see where in the tank he
goes. If trained, he will get the jump on his minnow tank-mates, so he
won't complain. However, drop a mate in there and you might lose his
interest ;~) Have fun.
NetMax
...
> I have a young, probably male, German Ram in a 10g with 5 White Clouds.
> I've had a breeding pair before, but this guy behaves differently in
that
> he approaches the glass EVERY time I'm in his view. I know cichlids
are
> renowned for paying attention to what goes on outside the tank, but is
> this guy's behavior at all unusual? It occurs irrespective of feeding.
>
> If I put my ugly mug too close to the glass, he'll back off a little,
> while turning and keeping his body broadside. His blue spot fades,
which
> might indicate stress, right? When I back off just a foot, the robust
> color returns. Think he's perceiving me as a threat and trying to
chase
> me away?
>
> Jack
From my limited experience:
While all (or most) cichlids have very good facial recognition, some of
them will only keep you in their attention span long enough to determine
if there is food forthcoming, or if there is any threat potential. A few
are very shy and hide from our arrival, but most will be very curious and
attentive (to varying degrees). Occasionally I've found one which is
completely enraptured with the face looking in at them, and will not
leave the glass while you are there. These extra-curious fish are not
exclusively cichlids (although very commonly), and of the cichlids, I
find the larger species exhibit more of this 'curiosity'. Also
carnivores tend to appear more thoughtful, as they are more likely to
exercise the parts of their brain judging risk and tactics. Familiarity
also increases their comfort level and their willingness to park at the
glass to study you. The fish at the top of the pecking order are also
more likely to 'stand up' to you and stare you down.
Rams are IME mostly disinterested in people once they establish there is
no food involved, so your Ram is in a special class. While you have his
attention, you can see what tricks you can teach him. For example, train
him to go up or down by the colour of the fish food container. In a red
container, keep sinking pellets which you drop into the right side of the
tank. In a yellow container keep floating flakes, which you drop into
the left side of the tank. When you are finished studying him at any
particular time, show him the container and see where in the tank he
goes. If trained, he will get the jump on his minnow tank-mates, so he
won't complain. However, drop a mate in there and you might lose his
interest ;~) Have fun.
NetMax