Fish Enrichment

Fish are extremely sensitive to smells. You just have to figure out which one to use, for what.

Well I tried to get a reaction from my killi by holding up the bright blue cap from the bloodworm container in front of the glass, seeing if she'd try to nibble it. Nothing.

I decided I should try sticking something INSIDE the tank. I found a random pair of tweezers(you know, those super cheap ones for eyelashes or whatever) and stuck the end you usually hold in and waggled it a bit. Eventually she came over and took a nip, upon which I immediately rewarded her with bloodworms. Let's hope she learns!

Well I tried to get a reaction from my killi by holding up the bright blue cap from the bloodworm container in front of the glass, seeing if she'd try to nibble it. Nothing.

I decided I should try sticking something INSIDE the tank. I found a random pair of tweezers(you know, those super cheap ones for eyelashes or whatever) and stuck the end you usually hold in and waggled it a bit. Eventually she came over and took a nip, upon which I immediately rewarded her with bloodworms. Let's hope she learns!

I sort of taught my banded killies to take food from my fingers. I say sort of because they still nibble my fingers a bit more than they do the food but they have the right idea at least.

I sort of taught my banded killies to take food from my fingers. I say sort of because they still nibble my fingers a bit more than they do the food but they have the right idea at least.

I had banded killies yank an earthworm out of my hands today. Lol they'll eat anything!

I had banded killies yank an earthworm out of my hands today. Lol they'll eat anything!

They will, which is why I never add feeder minnows randomly anymore, if bandeds get one a bit too big to eat... well, the poor minnow will face a painful end as they tear its fins apart anyways. They don't do that with most fish, thankfully, just with feeders a bit too large to eat directly.

They will, which is why I never add feeder minnows randomly anymore, if bandeds get one a bit too big to eat... well, the poor minnow will face a painful end as they tear its fins apart anyways. They don't do that with most fish, thankfully, just with feeders a bit too large to eat directly.

You feed feeder minnows to Banded killifish? Pardon me but this sounds strange.

You feed feeder minnows to Banded killifish? Pardon me but this sounds strange.

Well, feeder guppies mainly, and i was feeding them to the sunfish that was in their with the killies before i moved him but the killies liked them too. As with all my fish feeders are a treat, the main food is frozen. They love guppies.

Well she seems to be a fast learner. I tried the tweezers method again last night and she tugged on them immediately, giving her a small amount of food(not as much as usual...read on as to why). I did it again, this time offering no food when she tugged it. Then I did it a third time, this time rewarding her another small amount of food. This third time, however, she didn't immediately tug. It took her a few minutes before she finally did(during the time she'd swim in close to inspect, then ignore it, moving closer each time she inspected). You guys think she was being a little more wary since she didn't get food the one time she tugged?

Since this topic has to do with a recent topic of the same nature, I've merged them here.

I've seen bluegills learn to tell the difference between a fly with a hook in it and natural insects after being caught and released, sometimes rising to an insect only inches from my fly. Some even remember and continue to ignore artificial flys weeks later. We call those Big Ones.

My son taught a goldfish to follow a laser pointer through a hoop. It lost it's training very quickly if not reinforced frequently. Not a natural activity and doubtful it enhanced the fish's life.

Enrich a fish's life by giving it a few of its own kind to interact with, a natural habitat and add lots of live food for them to hunt.

I've seen bluegills learn to tell the difference between a fly with a hook in it and natural insects after being caught and released, sometimes rising to an insect only inches from my fly. Some even remember and continue to ignore artificial flys weeks later. We call those Big Ones.

My son taught a goldfish to follow a laser pointer through a hoop. It lost it's training very quickly if not reinforced frequently. Not a natural activity and doubtful it enhanced the fish's life.

Enrich a fish's life by giving it a few of its own kind to interact with, a natural habitat and add lots of live food for them to hunt.

The last time I housed this killie with another killie, the one was extremely aggressive towards it and even tore up her tail fin. she was very shy. and when there were smaller killies with her she chased them!