Training fish like dogs..It works!

aastretch64 · 01/21/2008, 04:30 PM

For the last 3 months or so my two Ocellaris clowns have been trying to host in my Goniorpora. At first it was every couple days, then every hours, then it was all the time. So much so that the goniopora closed for almost 4 days straight. Since I hand feed all my fish, I decided to try an experiment. Most said it couldn't be done, but whether it was just coincidence, or maybe luck, I think it worked!

When it was time to eat, I did the usually hand feeding. This time I started to move my hand toward my frogspawn. Frogspawn being less delicate then the Goniopora, seemed like a good choice. When my clowns would follow my hand I would slowly push them backward into the frogspawn. After doing this for about a week I noticed that the clowns did not bother the Gonipora as much. Then a few days later it was less. Finally, 3 day ago, I got home from work, and what do I see, my cute little Nemos surfing in my frogspawn. Those little guys looked so relaxed, as if being soothed by the frogspawn.

Now, one clown still every once in a while will poke his little head into the Gonipora, but it doesn't smother it. Just peeks in and leaves.

This just goes to show you that a fish, if willing to change can be trained to do anything, even get a job and pay the reef tank bills. Well maybe not that...

Alex

01/21/2008, 04:30 PM	#1
aastretch64 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Franklin Park, IL Posts: 384	Training fish like dogs..It works! For the last 3 months or so my two Ocellaris clowns have been trying to host in my Goniorpora. At first it was every couple days, then every hours, then it was all the time. So much so that the goniopora closed for almost 4 days straight. Since I hand feed all my fish, I decided to try an experiment. Most said it couldn't be done, but whether it was just coincidence, or maybe luck, I think it worked! When it was time to eat, I did the usually hand feeding. This time I started to move my hand toward my frogspawn. Frogspawn being less delicate then the Goniopora, seemed like a good choice. When my clowns would follow my hand I would slowly push them backward into the frogspawn. After doing this for about a week I noticed that the clowns did not bother the Gonipora as much. Then a few days later it was less. Finally, 3 day ago, I got home from work, and what do I see, my cute little Nemos surfing in my frogspawn. Those little guys looked so relaxed, as if being soothed by the frogspawn. Now, one clown still every once in a while will poke his little head into the Gonipora, but it doesn't smother it. Just peeks in and leaves. This just goes to show you that a fish, if willing to change can be trained to do anything, even get a job and pay the reef tank bills. Well maybe not that... Alex