Am I traumatizing my shortnose?

Im temporarily housing one of my baby gar at work in a 5 gallon. Since I cant keep a second tank for feeders, I bought a floating nursery insert and I keep some extra rosies in there. I dont want to gorge my gar, and I know if I let the rosies into the tank, he will eat them immediately.

My gar spends all day next to the inner tank and when a rosie gets close to the side, he tries to snap at it. Do you think im doing any psychological damage to my gar, or gar as tough mentally as they are physically. This gar is about 4 inches long now. I will be stepping him up to a 10 or 20 gal next month.

Dont laugh at my sharpie background!!! I have limited resources at work.



Heres a head closeup-

My gar spends all day next to the inner tank and when a rosie gets close to the side, he tries to snap at it. Do you think im doing any psychological damage to my gar, or gar as tough mentally as they are physically.

Gar are basically pretty dumb. I think they can learn certain behaviors but they don't analyze things enough to be traumatized or psychologically warped. Neither do they have emotions, hence their feelings can't get hurt.

In other words, you can mess with him as much as you want - invent ways to trick him and amuse yourself, all free of guilt!

Gar are basically pretty dumb. I think they can learn certain behaviors but they don't analyze things enough to be traumatized or psychologically warped. Neither do they have emotions, hence their feelings can't get hurt.

In other words, you can mess with him as much as you want - invent ways to trick him and amuse yourself, all free of guilt!

I don't think I would call them 'dumb'.They are a predator and that takes a bit of mental ability..Maybe 'mentally special' would be a better word...

But yeah that little tic tac sized brain in there will not be overly traumatized or psychologically warped if it gets 'frustrated' a bit..If anything it likely keeps that tic tac on overdrive and working.. which for a predatory fish can't really be viewed as a bad thing. It is good 'enrichment' if nothing else.

There was this guy once who trained his gar to do math problems. He would snap his jaw shut the correct number of times in answer to simple addition and subtraction problems.

How come you never see reruns of The Gong Show?

Im temporarily housing one of my baby gar at work in a 5 gallon. Since I cant keep a second tank for feeders, I bought a floating nursery insert and I keep some extra rosies in there. I dont want to gorge my gar, and I know if I let the rosies into the tank, he will eat them immediately.

My gar spends all day next to the inner tank and when a rosie gets close to the side, he tries to snap at it. Do you think im doing any psychological damage to my gar, or gar as tough mentally as they are physically.

What about those poor rosies? They're gonna think they are immune from gar attacks...then you'll let them loose. Boy are the in for a surprise.

What about those poor rosies? They're gonna think they are immune from gar attacks...then you'll let them loose. Boy are the in for a surprise.

Payback's a bitch, ain't it

What about those poor rosies? They're gonna think they are immune from gar attacks...

I expect the rosies to be traumatized. In fact, when I buy them I "offer to take" retarded or otherwise disabled rosies.

I expect the rosies to be traumatized. In fact, when I buy them I "offer to take" retarded or otherwise disabled rosies.

Well thats the whole lot of them. They may just be worse than hatchery trout.

My pickerel tank is about 1.5" from another tank containing small fish. The pickerels spend a lot of time on that side of the tank, staring into the other tank. They seem none the worse for wear.

you can mess with him as much as you want - invent ways to trick him and amuse yourself, all free of guilt!

Ive added to his exercise regimen by letting him chase a laser pointer around the floor of the tank.

Ive added to his exercise regimen by letting him chase a laser pointer around the floor of the tank.

I like it!