Certain fish species can sometimes become aggressive and hard to control. Fish that don't live in the right environment tend to be very aggressive. It's essential that you know why certain species are aggressive before you add them to your aquarium.
The most common signs of fighting are gill flaring, ramming or fin nipping. If you do not see your fish actively fighting, you may see other signs, including missing scales, torn fins, or increased hiding. Severe signs include lethargy, decreased appetite, prolonged hiding periods, and sudden death.
Stressed fish hide when they feel threatened. This might be because of aggressive tank mates, or it might be because they share a tank with another dominant member of their species. Watch for other fish chasing them when they come out of hiding and you might better understand the problem.
While protecting their regions, fish often display aggressive behavior against their intruders. The territory owner strikes at competing fish directly ending in a bite, or a bump. Such aggressive behavior is seen in large juveniles, females and other fish of the same kind from the same area.
A recent study conducted by a biology professor at Case Western Reserve University reveals that environment size and complexity has a direct impact on aggressive behavior in aquarium fish.
It shouldn't surprise you that fish fight over the same things that people do: food, mates, territory and so forth. It's a good thing fish aren't religious or political. Most aggression in the aquarium occurs over territory. Many species swim wherever they want and are fancy-free.
Strange Swimming: When fish are stressed, they often develop odd swimming patterns. If your fish is swimming frantically without going anywhere, crashing at the bottom of his tank, rubbing himself on gravel or rocks, or locking his fins at his side, he may be experiencing significant stress.
Things like split fins, changes in behavior among your fish, changes in territory, scratches and scrapes, missing scales, and obvious wounds are all signs of fighting.
Even fish that are typically docile fish may chase others because of constant stress. This could be due to incompatible tank mates, poor water conditions, or an overcrowded tank. When fish chase each other, it may look like they are playing, but this behavior is a warning sign.
Not only can your aquarium fish hear you speak, but they can also respond to certain sounds, differentiate different types of music, and speak back to you through their body language.
Why Is My Fish Swimming Upside Down? If your fish is swimming upside down, it has a problem with its swim bladder. Your fish has stopped being able to control its swim bladder and has got stuck with too much air inside it. The reason for this could be constipation, a poor diet, eating habits, or an infection.
The signals provoked a 'fright response' in fish they knew, including freezing, dashing about and then shoaling tightly together. Fish use this behavior to defend themselves against predators.
Abnormal behaviors such as loss of appetite, difficulty swimming and rubbing against tank objects are often symptoms of disease and they should not be ignored – as soon as you notice your fish displaying behavioral changes it is imperative that you take action to determine the cause of those changes.
Your fish exhibit certain natural changes and behaviours that tell us when they require attention, like changes to their aquarium water, when they are hungry, when they are mating, etc. While some of their behaviours should not flag any concerns, some actions are a cry for help.
To prevent your fish from feeling blue, it's important to add plants to nibble on and cages to swim through into their tanks. Not only will this make their environment more aesthetically pleasing, it will provide them with plenty of entertainment, thus decreasing stress and even promoting brain growth.
Fish become frustrated and unhappy when kept in cramped bowls or tanks. House fish in a large filtered tank. All tanks should have a pump to keep water flowing continuously.
If ammonia and nitrite levels in your tank are high, your fish will become lethargic and weak, laying on the bottom of the tank and not eating. The fish's gills will be burnt by the ammonia, causing bleeding and preventing the fish from breathing, and the fish will often clamp its fins.
When a fish senses this kind of danger, it triggers a short-term alarm reaction by releasing hormones, including adrenalin for its locomotory muscles. This will give it a shot of energy to escape quickly. The fish also releases cortisol.
Some spend all their time eating, sleeping, and swimming near the bottom. Others seem inactive during the daytime because they are nocturnal. If odd behavior starts suddenly, however, it may be the result of a disease such as a swim bladder infection. Water quality or diet issues usually cause infection.
While fish do not sleep in the same way that land mammals sleep, most fish do rest. Research shows that fish may reduce their activity and metabolism while remaining alert to danger. Some fish float in place, some wedge themselves into a secure spot in the mud or coral, and some even locate a suitable nest.
Yes they do. At the aquarium I work at, specific fish will come to me during feeding time and will stay close to me to allow a tickle on the pectoral and ventral sides. They seem to enjoy it. However this is not uncommon even in the wild.
Since sound doesn't travel well between air and water, loud talking or screaming will be barely noticeable to the fish underwater. They won't get spooked or scared.