Common Pleco

[morgan]

Hi, I have just come back from a 2 week holiday. I had an automatic feeder and two holiday blocks and everything was fine, except my Apple snail died. I think it's time was up anyway.I will miss it. The other fish (Mollies and Platies) have carried on as normal. My Common Pleco is acting differently. Previously it would come out for fairly long periods of time but would retreat if it saw you looking at it. I wear glasses for close up things so maybe it could see the tank light reflection. Since my holiday it has been acting weird (but cute) it hovers in the water looking right at me and doesn't move away when it sees me. In fact it has winked at me a few times. It never, ever did that before. At first I was concerned in case it had an irritated eye but on close inspection the eyes look absolutely fine. I can only conclude that it missed me! Would anyone agree? Or is it a bad case of andromorphism? (Think that's the word)

 

[freddyk]

Well, the way I see it, if you think he missed you and like that idea, the actual facts don't really matter. IMO he's saying please feed me, I'm starvin!

 

[SirMinion]

If the fish sees you as a regular source of food, he may well recognise you and seem pleased to see you.

...and the word you're looking for is 'anthropomorphism' - the placing of human emotions or attributes on a non-human creature or object.

 

[morgan]

Thanks for the replies. It was kind of a silly question but it has definitely never stared and winked before. I do like to think it likes me, I certainly like it (don't know if it is a he or she).That's why I am keeping it even though it was supposed to be a Bristlenose but is actually a Common or a Gibby! It is going to cost me a lot in upgrades. Thanks for telling me the right word, it sort of sounded right but not quite!