Re: [GSAS-Member] Fish & temperature

["A JACOBSON" <amjacobson52@msn.com>]

In an effort to more closely mimic nature, I do exactly the opposite with my 
fish.  I vary feeding times, I vary feeding methods & foods.  I watch them 
forage for sometimes hours afterwards.  They seem occupied (rather than just 
hanging around for the next meal) and my tanks are cleaner.  The foraging keeps 
them occupied, and I hope, more content.

I do the same thing with my parrot & cockatiels.  Since foraging would be a 
major occupier of their intelligence & effort in the wild, I present all sorts 
of foraging opportunities for them -- puzzle feeders where they have to work 
hard to get to the goodies, foraging multilayered stacks where they have to 
push under, through, etc. various layers of cloth, or junk mail, etc., to get 
to the treats -- also have to forage through grass pellets to find seeds, etc.  
They seem to enjoy their foraging opportunities more than the pellets set out 
in dishes.  I also vary what they will find in their foraging attempts -- 
sometimes it will be red pepper heaven for 3 days, followed by slivered almonds 
for 2, then broccoli slaw for another 3 days.  Foraging opportunities also vary 
by locations.

Anita
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: John Ruhland<mailto:john@drruhland.com> 
  To: Greater Seattle Aquarium Society member 
chat<mailto:gsas-member@thekrib.com> 
  Sent: Saturday, April 02, 2005 9:21 AM
  Subject: Re: [GSAS-Member] Fish & temperature


  Most of the fish in my tanks are cichlids. Part of it must be that they 
  are in new environs here. Most I have for about one month now. I tend 
  to overfeed as well, so they don't spend most of their day just 
  anticipating being fed. I do often wonder if it is fair to keep them in 
  these tiny (relatively) tanks. It always makes me sad to see parrots in 
  small cages where they can't fly, for the same reason. My young child 
  sometimes says "I need more space." What if fish could speak to us - 
  what would they say?

  To minimize the chance that this confinement is torture, I'm trying to 
  at least make sure the fish can count on their meals - using automatic 
  feeders for one of their feedings per day - so they can count on that, 
  and feeding them by hand once per day. Of course, prisoners have that 
  in most cases.

  My oscar could eat three or four times per day, I'm sure. Do fish live 
  longer if they are thinner, like humans?

  John



  On Apr 2, 2005, at 7:48 AM, 
auntie.fran@netzero.net<mailto:auntie.fran@netzero.net> wrote:


  That's an interesting observation, John.  Are those fish by chance 
  cichlids?  We have three tanks and the only one that are, as you say, 
  skittish, are the cichlids.  The other two either ignore us or beg for 
  food.


  Growing old is inevitable; growing up is optional.

  -- John Ruhland <john@drruhland.com<mailto:john@drruhland.com>> wrote:
  I've been reading a bit about prisoners rights, criminal justice, etc.
  Our fish are kind of like penned prisoners. Other than my Oscar, most
  of my
  fish tend to be skittish when I walk by, except when they are hungry.
  I put a bit of epsom salts in all the tanks to help them relax a bit.
  John




  On Apr 1, 2005, at 8:05 PM, DELPHILABS@aol.com<mailto:DELPHILABS@aol.com> 
wrote:

  Hello all,

  I am glad that I started this thread -- some good  observations.

  My own theory is that our fish in tanks are much more stressed  than in
  nature.  Try as we might, the environments we create are no  substitute
  for nature.
     I think that our aquarium fish are much more  susceptible to disease
  than
  the same fish in nature.  Sudden temp changes  could be the straw that
  breaks
  the camels back.

  Also, using Clay's fine analogy, the kid that lives in the  Pacific
  Northwest
  and is in and out of doors all day long is much more robust  and
  acclimated
  to endure a wide range of temp change.  A kid that spent his  whole
  life in
  Hawaii puts on a coat when it gets below 70 degrees.  Maybe  if we
  cycled the
  temperatures in our aquariums the fish would become more  tolerant?

  This is fun, how about a couple more? Has anyone had a fish  that hangs
  around a hot heater like you would expect of a cold blooded reptile?
  I've never
  seen that in my tanks.

  Also, my observation diving all over the world, is that most  species
  are
  always in pairs (or schools) in nature.  You especially see  this in
  Butterfly's
  and Angels. I used to keep a lot of single fish when I did  saltwater
  aquaria
  years ago.  If I ever get back into it, I will ALWAYS try  to get
  pairs.  I
  wonder if any of my fish ever died from "loneliness"   :-(
  Keith

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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  Keith Anderson
  Olympia, WA

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  Dr. John F. Ruhland
  The Natural Health Medical Clinic
  4002 - 25th Avenue S, Seattle, WA 98108
  206-723-4891
  www.drruhland.com<http://www.drruhland.com/>
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  Dr. John F. Ruhland
  The Natural Health Medical Clinic
  4002 - 25th Avenue S, Seattle, WA 98108
  206-723-4891
  www.drruhland.com<http://www.drruhland.com/>
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