Funny Dwarf Gourami Behavior... Freaked Me Out For A While

[eaglesaquarium]

So, I came home from work today, and since I haven't treated my fish to frozen bloodworms in quite some time I figured today would be a good day. So, I put some tank water into a recycled water bottle and placed the bloodworms in to defrost. Then I sat down to watch the fish closely as I always do.

The fish did their normal thing, the guppies and glofish came right to the top looking for the food. The harlequins got a little closer to the top, but not to the very top. Then I noticed my dwarf gourami start to head up to the surface. It doesn't do this very often, but I've seen it before a few times in the month I had it. Then, I saw it come to the surface and gulp air. No big deal. Then it did it again. And then again. And again! I started to worry! That was very peculiar. I haven't seen it do this before. Then it seemed to try to jump out of the water! I freaked out a little. I started to worry about oxygen levels, but none of the other fish were acting so strange.


Then I looked right above where the gourami was and there were the bloodworms! I put the water bottle on top of the glass lid like always, but for the first time the gourami was clued in to the procedure enough and the gourami was jumping out of the water to get at the bloodworms! I went from panic to laughing hysterically.


Anybody else have some crazy fish behavior stories?

 

[trianglekitty]

So, I came home from work today, and since I haven't treated my fish to frozen bloodworms in quite some time I figured today would be a good day. So, I put some tank water into a recycled water bottle and placed the bloodworms in to defrost. Then I sat down to watch the fish closely as I always do.

The fish did their normal thing, the guppies and glofish came right to the top looking for the food. The harlequins got a little closer to the top, but not to the very top. Then I noticed my dwarf gourami start to head up to the surface. It doesn't do this very often, but I've seen it before a few times in the month I had it. Then, I saw it come to the surface and gulp air. No big deal. Then it did it again. And then again. And again! I started to worry! That was very peculiar. I haven't seen it do this before. Then it seemed to try to jump out of the water! I freaked out a little. I started to worry about oxygen levels, but none of the other fish were acting so strange.


Then I looked right above where the gourami was and there were the bloodworms! I put the water bottle on top of the glass lid like always, but for the first time the gourami was clued in to the procedure enough and the gourami was jumping out of the water to get at the bloodworms! I went from panic to laughing hysterically.


Anybody else have some crazy fish behavior stories?

Ah, that's kind of adorable!

The first time I did a water change with my new python assembly, one of my guppies tried to swim UP the stream of water when I was refilling the tank. I had the water going at a good clip too, but he was like a salmon swimming against the current...he was really booking it. He made it all the way into the tube outlet before I saw him and yanked the tube back out of the water. Since then he tries this at every water change, and it's always just that one guppy.

 

[willowstwin]

I don't think this is as cool as that, but, every morning when I turn on the tank lights, I like to do a roll call to make sure none of them are dead (Im paranoid), so I gently rap my fingers on the front of the tank and all the guppys swim to where my hand is and all the tetras swim to the glass at the bottom front of the tank so I can count them all.

My dwarf gourami comes to the front of the tank when I put my face up to the glass, he'll then follow my face - he only does this with me

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I don't think it's paranoia at all to do a roll call. I do it every time (and yes, I mean EVERY time) I look at my tank. I count them over and over and over. I check them out to see if any are showing signs of distress (torn fins, white spots , fatness, skinniness, lethargy, apathy to my presence , etc.). I think that is a part of proper fishkeeping. You can't notice changes in behavior if you aren't tuned in to their behavior, nor can you be a proper pet owner unless you constantly monitor them for disease or injuries.

 

[willowstwin]

its true that they all have different personalities. One of my guppies is extremely lazy. I'll tap on the glass and he'll turn and look at me then turn his back on me as if to say "naff off I'm sleeping!" then when I do it again he begrudgingly comes to the front. He's all quick to the front when he sees me pick up the flake box though