# Fish personality?



## Dragonbeards (Dec 14, 2008)

Do fish have personalities? That is, are they like turtles, which have the personality of a rock, or are they like dogs, with lots of personality? And do they recognize their owner? It seems whenever I go near my bichir, and he is awake, he sees me and does tricks of sorts; he does flips in the water, turns around, and stuff like that. Just curious I guess...


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## fishboy (Feb 26, 2005)

A fish likes it's owner because it wants to be fed and they can develop unique behaviors also if doing them well result in the possibility of being fed.

As far as behavior goes there certainly are some fish which are more territorial and others that are more passive. They do vary fish to fish especially in no schooling varieties(at least in my experience).

So as long as the behaviors don't harm anything in your tank, I guess they're good "personality" traits.


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## Dragonbeards (Dec 14, 2008)

So, they (the fish) can recognize their owner, because they now he/she is the one that feeds it? And my bichir is doing this because he knows that he can possibly be fed. Interesting. I think it is cool to watch; my bichir is so cool.


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## fishboy (Feb 26, 2005)

yea, when I had my dwarf puffer he hid from me until he realized that when I was around he got bloodworms. When he connected me to food every time I was in the room he was glued to the front. Same thing with my old goldfish but sometimes I think anything that moved attracted them.


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## justintrask (Jun 29, 2008)

fish have a ton of personality.

especially bichirs. They are some of the most personable fish around aside from puffers and oscars IMO.

They learn who their owner is very easily, and will often follow them around the room. Some can even be trained to eat from your hand.

My arowana spooks and hides whenever ANYONE is around, but as soon as I'm around, he's awesome and personable.


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## SkylarrRyann (Jan 11, 2009)

I think that fish, as well as snails have personalities. We used to have a little guy named Xander. He was a betta. Had him for 5 years. Quite a character he was, always eating out of my hands and doing tricks constantly when ever I was around. He was such a sweetheart. We also had a snail who I guess didn't like life. He was suicidal, I'm not kidding! Every morning my then boyfriend (now hubby) and I would get out of bed and find the yellow mystery snail out of the tank onto the kitchen counter! NEVER failed! Every morning he was on the kitchen counter. Weird!


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## <3~Pleco~<3 (Jan 31, 2009)

I have found that all types of fish have their own personality, whether its shy, or crazy. Most of my fish are constantly active, I don't have any that hide - even my BN doesn't hide.
My fish eat out of my hand, and aren't afraid of my hand while I fix a plant and what not.
I love my fish.... i wish I could pet them.... lol kidding. thats what my puppy is for.


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## Hydr0 JoE (Jan 13, 2009)

my 55 gallon really likes when im around, and im thinking its cuz they know i feed them, they dont stop and watch anyone else but me, even when im sitting next to ppl looking at my tank, all the fish will swim around my side


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## jones57742 (Sep 8, 2007)

Dragonbeards said:


> Do fish have personalities?


Yes many species do.




Dragonbeards said:


> And do they recognize their owner?


Yes many species do.

TR


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## Mew_chan (Jan 28, 2009)

fish definately have personalities  All my bettas are awsome and come to me when ever I am near the tank.. I hand feed them all too so now If I put my hand or anything in the tank I get attacked  My male betta otto is particularily funny... he doesnt seem to look for food in my hand but just rams it constantly until his mouth happens to hit the food  They go especially mad when I feed them black worms... 

I also used to have a pond full of white clouds a few years ago... at first they used to swim away from me when ever I was near but then I started sticking my toes in the water when ever I feed them and eventually they learnt that I wasnt a threat and would even pick at them... it tickled


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## aspects (Feb 1, 2009)

I think it really depends on the fish. Most smaller colorful fish are just plain boring. But when you start getting into some bigger species you will notice some are almost puppy like. 
I know of a guy who's RTC will come up to him in his pond and roll over for a belly rub right in front of him.


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## Kurtfr0 (Nov 2, 2008)

theres not many Personable fish, no im not talking about them getting to the top of the tank for food, I don't think thats personable, just wanting food.

personality I say cichlids dominate by force. Most of them have uniqe ones.

but theres others no doubt.


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## Buggy (Oct 17, 2006)

I've had a few fish with distinct personalities and as aspects said, it seems the bigger species that tend to be loners have more then others. Could be because the smaller fish tend to school and therefor don't "need" the one on one interaction with a person where as the larger fish identify with you as another loner.

The one fish I had that really had the most personality was a Chinese Hi Fin shark. He became my baby. I could pet him, stroke his fins, rub his belly and he would kiss my arm when I put my hands in the tank. No, he wasn't just looking for food, he knew where the food was...he would go up and down my arm sucking on it. Good thing he wasn't very big or I would have had some very impressive hickies! LOL
Unfortunately he died of unknown causes a few months ago. Since then my blood parrot has taken over the "personality" leadership. I won't go into her particular personality since kids may be reading this but you can image! My husbands golden dojo is a very personable fish also. His favorite thing to do is sit in your cupped hand while sucking on a tubifex worm cube. I can even pick him up and move him around the tank and he just sits back and enjoys the ride.

Most of my fish will eat from my hand and follow me around when I move but these three are the only ones that ever allowed getting touchy.


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## Dragonbeards (Dec 14, 2008)

Wow Buggy. Sounds like you are getting up close an personal with your fish. Thats awesome. I haven't tried hand feeding my bichir (named Snake, after the video game character) yet, but I think that might be next. As I hear, they are really easy to get to be hand fed. Anyways, I wish I could have an Oscar. There is a fancy oscar (hes HUGE!) at my LFS, and he seems to have a lot of personality. Dad puts his foot down at $50 fish however...


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## Hydr0 JoE (Jan 13, 2009)

thats really cool Buggy, how did you get him use to you? did you just have ur hand in the tank until he warmed up to you? i want to try to train my elephant nose to eat out of my hand


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## aspects (Feb 1, 2009)

Dragonbeards said:


> Wow Buggy. Sounds like you are getting up close an personal with your fish. Thats awesome. I haven't tried hand feeding my bichir (named Snake, after the video game character) yet, but I think that might be next. As I hear, they are really easy to get to be hand fed. Anyways, I wish I could have an Oscar. There is a fancy oscar (hes HUGE!) at my LFS, and he seems to have a lot of personality. Dad puts his foot down at $50 fish however...


try either a RD or a guapote like a jaguar. almost all mine are little puppies


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