View Full Version : Iv'e never had such a shock.
mickey
08-10-2003, 7:30 PM
Last week my friend asked me to look after his fish tanks while he went on vacation, i agreed no problem.
The first night he was gone i went around to his house to feed the fish, i was on the last tank [he has 6] a 100g housing a breeding pair of 10 inch oscars, when i noticed a peice of debris in the bottom of the tank, not thinking i put my hand in to retrieve it,
then all of a sudden a large SPLASH followed by an intense pressure on my index finger, i quickly pulled my hand from the water, fearing the worst when i saw the large male hanging from my index finger.
I shook him off and he fortunately landed back in the tank and the only thing injured was my pride.
I certainly won't be putting my hand in anyone elses fish tanks again that's for sure.
Has anyone else had a fish attack them like this or was it just a one off, i can put my hand in my own tanks no problem.
Cheers.
Rocketman
08-10-2003, 7:45 PM
If it counts, I was cleaning the tanks at work today, (it took 5 hours...) when I was 'bit' by a Parrot fish. It was more of a nip though, and only after he found out he couldn't bit the gravel vac.
I have been attacked by my Blood Parrots more times than I can count. Thank goodness that they don't hurt at all. I would be bleeding just cleaning the tank.
BigFishDude
08-10-2003, 9:01 PM
I had a paradise fish that would jump out of the water and bite (more like nibble) my fingers.
125gJoe
08-11-2003, 1:14 AM
We had Red Tiger Oscars in our water garden/pond in the backyard. The laid eggs and would protect them to the extreme! If you walked within two feet or so, they would jump towards your feet and attack! One actually jumped out..... The eggs didn't hatch.
PeteSC
08-11-2003, 2:52 PM
My Oscar used to bite me if I wasn't careful with my hand in the tank. I usually keep track of it when I had my hand in the tank............but occasionally would get distracted and get a surprise! No injury.....just kind of startling!
Usually when vacumning the tank it makes one pass at the vacumn tube....and gives up.
JSchmidt
08-12-2003, 4:22 PM
I had a betta that would charge and nip (if you can call it that) my hand. The first time it surprised, but I found it kind of funny after that... this little fish trying to take on big ol' me. Gotta admire that kind of spunk!
Jim
dave76
08-12-2003, 4:24 PM
I had a couple of mollies that would nip me whenever I put my hand in the tank.
Tightdog1
08-12-2003, 6:53 PM
my blue acara breeding pair loves to bite me esp when they are watching over their eggs. the female is especially aggressive towards me she bites on me and shakes her body trying to rip some skin off but it never happens. it doesnt hurt or draw blood but its kinda tickles and is funny.
what really hurts tho is when a 9" pacu gets a hold of your finger. i had heard that pacus got strong jaws, so i was like maybe if they get hungry enough they would nibble on me. so i didnt feed them for a few days and i stuck the tip of my finger in the tank. in like 2 seconds they came up to the surface and locked his jaws around the tip of my finger at first it jsut barely hurt, but he kept on my finger and i could feel him biting harder and harder then i felt his teeth dig into my skin and i ripped my hand outta the tank with the red-bellied pacu still attached and after a few seconds of being outta the water he let go and flopped on the floor i quickly tried to pick him up but he was slippery and flopping everywhere, i eventually got a good hold of him and threw him back in the tank, he was fine, only out for like 10 seconds. after i lookd at muy finger it started toi bleed from like 4 little holes in the tip of my finger, now i never even get my fingers close to the pacus when they are hungry. learned my lesson.
Any 1 else been bitten by a pacu?
Andy16
08-12-2003, 10:00 PM
Good idea tightdog. If i ever want my fish to attck me i just wont feed them for a while:D But really why would you want it to try and attack you lol?
Tiger15
08-13-2003, 6:00 AM
Many egg laying cichlids will attack, but they don't usually hurt because their crushing teeth are deep inside their throat. I won't try that with pirahna though!
Mbuna has sharp teeth on their lips and they can hurt, but mouth brooder don't have a permanent nest to protect and they rarely ever attack human hand.
I had just put a feeder in the tank of our newly aquired Red Oscars. I had one hand resting on the side of the tank lid, with my fingers sitting above the open water (I hadn't shut the lid yet). I was talking to my husband watching the fish. Next thing I knew, the male jumped up and grabbed my middle finger. It didn't hurt, but man, the shock of it. I could feel his mouth on the finger for quite some time too! It cracked me up.
My Rams will attack and nip my hand if they have eggs in the tank.
Alex
Also, we now have a Jaguar Cichlid. He is the meanest fish I've ever seen. The whole time my husband and I were cleaning our tank, he was attacking his hand, the algea sponge and the vaccuum. When I was trying to get the filter tube from the bottom of the tank, he went right after me!!
I told my husband, it's his job to clean the tank now!
dave76
08-13-2003, 8:27 AM
when rams attack...... heh.
gotta watch those jags, if he is bigger than a juvi he will have teeth!
Really??? I was told they don't get teeth! I better warn my husband then! Thanks!
dave76
08-13-2003, 10:02 AM
all guapotes have psuedo canines they use them to hold prey in thier mouth.
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=14684
if you look at the first shot of the female in this thread, (third pic) you can see what I believe to be the tops of her teeth. I dont know if thats what they are or not for sure but i know that they do have teeth.