I just purchased some new fish, and yet again, I notice a strange ritual that goes on when you put the bag into the fish tank they are going in to.

What makes fish that are normally calm and peaceful go up and attack the bag containing the new fish? Like the zebra danios or the small peaceful bichir that doesn't even look at the other fish the wrong way? The celebes rainbow and the goldfish even went up for a closer look. It's strange how they check each other out through a thin film of plastic. I notice it every time I add new fish to any of my tanks, but really started watching this time.

You ought to see when I add fish to the 29 gallon. Even the same fish! Like when I move them to clean their aquarium or put in new decorations. The female betta attacks the bag like she wants to tear it to shreds. The parrots come out and nip the bag, and the eel and loach swim up to see whats inside like there is a surprise waiting for them.

It's quite an amusing thing to watch. Perhaps they are introducing themselves. ^_^ Yeah, that's what we'll chalk it up to.

Now of course, when I let them loose into the aquarium, the tank will return to it's happy equilibrium, like nothing ever happened.

Is there an attractant on the bag? :rolleyes: <_< I guess only the manufacturers will ever know. :rolleyes:

I'd say they're just trying to get the fish outta that dang plastic bag. :lol:

Seriously and yet funny and scary at the same time, I try to imagine what it would be like if actions I take in my tanks happened in my house. For example, suppose the roof lifted off and this giant net came in and chased me from room to room. .. and how about that vacuum, huh? Yikes! :unsure:

I have never seen agression through the bag, but when I brought home a few more neons and rummynose a while back everyone gathered around the bag. First one tetra will come and see the bag, and then get the others and they are all at the bag looking.

Its pretty funny! :lol:

I think they're kinda stupid, in a way, lol.

Every time I vacuum the gravel all the fish in the tank scatter except one lone black skirt, who attacks the tube over and over. Weird...

last time i added a fish like that my oscar ignored the bad completely but as soon as i let the fish out they went crazy so i had to release it

Tetra are pretty stupid compared to other fish in my opinion. They all get so excited at feeding time that I once had a neon go charging and run right into the geater- I thought he might be dead :sick: but he was okay!

When I vacuum gravel, my tetra scatter in all diredtions, But my catfish just sit and watch. Hmmm, there goes that hand again... Maybe because I've had all of them for a pretty long time they're just used to it. Who knows :?: I just found a reason to use that little smilie :D

Anyway, sometimes I actually have to gently herd the catfish away with my hand. They just get really excited after I vacuum because sometimes it unearths food that's really old YUMMY! :sick:

My oscars have never got used to water changes. They get really scared running into the glass it scares me they are crazy. Like the other day the tank was about half full while I changing the water and one of them went crazy and jumped and hit the lid on my 18" high tank thats a 9" jump scared the pants off of me to be honest.

I saw an angelfish attack a net!

I had a flathead catfish do that to me once, liked to jump and knock the cover off the tank on a weekly basis at about 1 am... talk about a bump in the night... Is that a cat-burgaler (sp?) or a catfish breaking in?

:lol: lol...I saw a bluegill eat a sticker (sand bur)!