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View Full Version : My fish are afraid of me.


crobattt
03/24/2012, 09:35 AM
So i keep seeing peoples tank where the fish will follow them for food, but in my tank i have to sit completely still watch mine, but if i make the slightest movement they will zoom away and hide in the rocks.. is there anything i can do to fix this?...

crobattt
03/24/2012, 09:37 AM
oh and fish have been in the tank for 2m+

rssjsb
03/24/2012, 10:07 AM
Need more information because there are a lot of things that can make fish skittish.

What fish do you have? How big is your tank? Do you have a lot of rock in your tank? What's your lighting? Where in the house is your tank?

windyridge
03/24/2012, 10:19 AM
Tagging along, I have a Tomini tang like that but the rest of the fish are fine.

xris
03/24/2012, 07:51 PM
Try feeding with a turkey baster. That's how I got mine to swim towards me when I come around. :p

Lynnmw1208
03/25/2012, 08:29 AM
when you feed make sure you still remain right next to the tank. my fish got used to this and now come up to the front when they see me thinking I will feed them. :) I swear they can tell the difference between people because they hide for my husband!

rpjaws74
03/25/2012, 10:08 AM
Usually if you have your tank in a high traffic area and you have people or kids that go up to the aquarium and tap the glass sometimes this will happen. But they eventually get over it in time

Dr Colliebreath
03/25/2012, 11:15 AM
My experience is that some will get over it and some won't. Most of my fish crowd the closest corner of my tank any time I am in sight. In some respects, it is detrimental because I would prefer to watch them swimming around acting like fish on a reef rather than a bunch of starving beggars.

When I do maintenance or other things in the tank besides feeding, some of the fish just hang around my hands, others swim about but keep their distance, and one or two hide back in the rocks. If one is skittish and darts away, the others will do so as well but they get over it quickly.

Give them time, and your bolder fish will get used to you and stay around you.

gobolts23
03/25/2012, 11:18 AM
I generally stand on a chair and feed them...then watch from above as they eat. over time the fish will recognize that you approaching the tank means feeding time. that is when they will follow you to one end of the aquarium to the other.

davocean
03/25/2012, 11:54 AM
If you use the same feeding containers/turkey basters most will come to recognize those containers to the point that just picking them up draws my fish to the corner I feed at, (I also feed from the same spot) and I agree, stand there after feeding for a bit unless you have a new fish that seems too scared to eat or something.
My fish are so used to me now it's hard to get a pic of anything w/out them swarming in front of the camera.

Daniel Reef
03/25/2012, 12:14 PM
starving beggars!!! LOL

SushiGirl
03/25/2012, 02:32 PM
I swear they can tell the difference between people because they hide for my husband!

2 of my 3 follow me or hang out in front of my face when I'm looking at the tank. For my boyfriend (who never feeds), they don't do that, they just swim around and ignore him. The 3rd fish (yellow coris wrasse) is a nervous nellie and won't come out if anything is in the tank (hand, baster, tweezers), but will come forward as long as it thinks my attention is elsewhere (spot feeding or just standing still) and will follow the magfloat IF my boyfriend is using it (not if I do, if I use it he flips out of the water, hits the lights, scares himself, then buries himself...and no, I don't make sudden movements). When other people come over and put their faces at the tank, they all go to the back and peek out LOL.

You have to walk by our tank to get anywhere but the kitchen or garage, so it's high traffic.

Heck, one of ours (Orbic cardinal nicknamed "puppy dog" because he follows me everywhere) likes to hang out in the Portal and watch us LOL.

JackiB
03/25/2012, 04:13 PM
My experience is that some will get over it and some won't. Most of my fish crowd the closest corner of my tank any time I am in sight. In some respects, it is detrimental because I would prefer to watch them swimming around acting like fish on a reef rather than a bunch of starving beggars.

When I do maintenance or other things in the tank besides feeding, some of the fish just hang around my hands, others swim about but keep their distance, and one or two hide back in the rocks. If one is skittish and darts away, the others will do so as well but they get over it quickly.

Give them time, and your bolder fish will get used to you and stay around you.

Agreed! That is exactly what mine do too. I have to sit far away if I want to watch them, otherwise they just follow my face around the tank!

Greg 45
03/25/2012, 04:28 PM
Get a cardboard cutout of dale E. Jr. and leave it in front of the tank

Squidmotron
03/25/2012, 05:27 PM
Maybe stop wearing the shark costume and randomly lunging at the front of the display tank while emitting bloodcurdling screams.

SushiGirl
03/25/2012, 05:29 PM
Get a cardboard cutout of dale E. Jr. and leave it in front of the tank

They're trying to NOT scare them :lmao:

My cardinal always follows my face. I'll try to look at something with the magnifying glass and there's his giant eye in it.

maukings
03/25/2012, 08:58 PM
it's just a matter of associating your presence with food and being in that general area often.

jluz1106
03/25/2012, 09:06 PM
maybe they think you're ugly

Daniel Reef
03/25/2012, 09:40 PM
maybe they think you're ugly

lol

Dr Colliebreath
03/25/2012, 10:36 PM
I agree with standing around the tank while the fish eat so they associate you with food plus they are less cautious when food is available.

I sometimes have to move away after feeding because some of the fish won't chase food if I am there as they are waiting for something they like better.

blennielove
03/26/2012, 03:58 PM
My Tomini Tang was very shy for several months, first in QT, then in display. I would wait until I can see her face and then I would put a few pellets in. I then slowly increased what I would have to see of her before I put more pellets in. Now, she will come out when I look at the tank, with or without food.

fdonophan
03/26/2012, 04:10 PM
I also feed at the same corner, or if I use a turkey baster, it's always the same one. As soon I come close they swarm whatever corner I am standing at as well.

I can't even sit close to my tank to examine things anymore because my yellow tang will follow me and hover directly in front of wherever my face is blocking my view!

runintoluck
03/26/2012, 07:34 PM
Mine were also like the op's at first. They get spooked by sudden movements but are all little doggies when they know its feeding time.