Fishes are aquatic animals that can be found in many water bodies around the world. They are cold-blooded, and there are different varieties of fishes. Fishes are adorable creatures that you can keep as a pet. Fishes interact underwater using acoustic communication. Acoustic communication is the transmission of acoustic signals from one fish to another. The sound that fishes make is dependent on their species.
If you keep a fish pet, you must have noticed that sometimes when you approach its aquarium, it tends to stare at you. Most fishes do that because they recognize you as their owner and as source of food to them. Some other fishes love to see you entertain them with treats. So, they come out to stare at you each time you approach their aquarium.
If you spend time bonding with your pet fish, there are certain things you will learn about their behaviors, from their body movements to when they crave food to when they are sick.
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If you have a fish pet, the following tips will help you learn more about the different behaviors of fishes and what they mean.
- If your fish is hiding, it is quite natural for it to behave that way if that’s the first time you are introducing it into your aquarium. Just make sure your aquarium contains all the necessary things it needs to survive. And then make sure the size of your aquarium will comfortably accommodate it. If you create a healthy environment for it, it will stop hiding over time.
- For a always-fighting fish, it is a sign that you placed it in an environment with other fishes that it is not compatible with. Some fishes are very territorial, and they defend their territory by trying to fight. Before placing a new fish pet in your aquarium, make sure it is compatible with other fishes in there. If you want your aquarium to be peaceful for your fishes, make sure you restrict top feeders from bottom-feeders so that there won’t be a competition for food, also ensure that the size of your aquarium is large enough to house all your fishes, even create a lot of hiding spaces for those fishes in your aquarium that are submissive and then constantly change the scenery of your aquarium each time you want to add a new fish to prevent territorial claims of older fishes.
- For fishes that swim erratically, it is just a clear sign that they are exercising or playing, but if they do it often, it could be that the water quality is unhealthy for it. If you notice that, try testing the pH level of your water, the ammonia, and nitrates content in it too. If you run the test and nothing is wrong, it could be that the reason for your fish’s erratic behavior is a parasite.
- If you notice that your fish look tired, it could be that the water temperature is not favorable for it. Inspect your heater to make sure it is at the right level. Your fish may also be tired because it was overfed.
- If your fish is always sitting on the bottom of your aquarium, it is pretty standard for fishes like catfish that are natural bottom feeders. If you notice that your fish that is not a bottom feeder is always sitting at the bottom of your aquarium, it could be that it has a disease. To tackle this, try to quarantine it. Your fish may be suffering from a swim bladder infection that is caused by poor quality water. While you are quarantining your diseased fish, make sure you feed it with foods like peas that are easy to digest.
6. Another behavior you will notice among fishes is when you find a fish gasping for air at the surface of the aquarium. If you see your fish doing this, it is caused by a lack of enough oxygen in the water or poor quality water. You should test the water and get an aerator for your aquarium so that maximum oxygen would be available for the fishes in your aquarium.
A lot of fish owners don’t know that they can have fun playing with their fish. If you take your time to entertain your fish, it will do the same in return. Entertaining your fish doesn’t require much from you; it will also help you discover new things about your fishes.
Below are simple ways you can entertain your fish. Check them out.
- Place floating decorations in your aquarium. This will give your fishes something to play with if; you have a betta fish, you can buy betta logs for it to play with. Fake or real plants are other floating decorations you can give your fishes to play with. This will trigger them to want to know what these decorations. When you put these floating decorations in your aquarium, make sure you create enough space for your fishes to reach the surface of the aquarium for air.
- Put new items outside your aquarium for your fish to investigate. This is another fantastic way of playing with your fish. When you do this, make sure you don’t unnecessarily stress your fish just because you want to play with it.
- You can also play with your fish, especially a betta fish, to swim through hoops for treats. Let your hoops be large enough to allow your fish to swim through without any form of limitation.
Conclusion
Your fish may just be having a good time staring at you. Just enjoy the moment whenever it does. Some fishes stare at you when they feel excited to have you around them.
Spend enough time playing with your fish, and it will teach you a lot about how best to meet its needs.
We are sure the tips we shared earlier in this article about playing with your fish were helpful. Practice them so you can build a good relationship with your fish pet.
Don’t stress your fish just because you want to play with it. Ensure you do everything in moderation. Constantly monitor your fish’s behavior.