Has anyone else trained their fish to do tricks?

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the loach

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That video is great, she's a quick learner for sure !

This vid has some marine fish doing tricks, the puffer in the first part is probably thinking those folks are crazy as he really doesn't do anything but in the second clip there is a fish swimming through hoops..
 
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fishorama

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That makes me think of a club friend's "foster" puffer that would jump out of the water for food, so cute! Good find the loach!

OK, Kris, I think Althea might need another hoop or 2 (working up to more!). The starter second hoop just a bit high or lower than her wheel, say by a third or 1/4 of the diameter. She'll get that in no time! Then gradually add more hoops at different heights...how long is your tank? Like an up & down version of the slalom agility thing with a mid-tank above the surface leap. I bet she can do it, especially if it's only a small-ish jump...at first!

I'm also trying to think of a 1 inch worm "ball feeder" so she has something else to do. It needs to be lightweight so she can push it. Maybe an actual ping pong ball with worm sized holes drilled into it (but sanded edges so she doesn't get hurt, maybe a Dremel?). I don't know how "floaty" ping pong balls might be.

I'm loving this!
 
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the loach

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Most impressive one so far? This Betta jumps through a hoop !

Like the suggestions Fishorama.
 

fishorama

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Cool vid, good find! I'm not sure it's more impressive than the slalom GF, lol, I really like that 1!

I've been giving the hoops some thought. I think rather than the wheel, rings of angel size would be good, ~5 or 6 inches. I've been trying to figure out a way so the rings have a rigid rod so it doesn't move in any water movement or if Althea bumps it. & it should be adjustable for height & spacing between rings. Not a permanent tank fixture but brought out at "show time", or as Althea will think of it, blood worm time. But you can still have a "non-circus" tank when you're not playing/training.

My idea involves a slightly longer than tank length of narrow wood (~1/2 to 1 inch wide) with notches at each end to fit on the rim. Holes would be drilled at intervals to fit the rods & allow for vertical adjustments, like a clothespin-like clip to hold it in place. Also extra holes can be drilled as she learns with more rings.

The narrow wood piece will still allow your arm & the all-important syringe'o'worms to fit in the lid opening (do you have a lid?).

When I had birds, 1 of their toys was golf ball whiffle balls, those might be too big & heavy...with too large holes for worms for Althea... but maybe if the worms were slightly thawed syringed inside a ping pong ball & frozen again or live blackworms. That would allow a longer period of play time & you could prepare several balls to keep in the freezer...

Still thinking. Fun stuff!
 

the loach

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Yes, those look similar to the GF videos I was remembering, the loach. TY for finding them. But I seem to think the were "super bowl" or "world cup" versions as well...I don't know that I'd seen the "baby whales" before, fun stuff!
Was this the video Fishorama? Goldfish scoring goals... but the other goldfish isn't in the goal though ;)

 

FreshyFresh

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I've grabbed my hatchets out of mid-air, or had them fly out, bounce off me and right back into the tank during water changes. Kinda trick like. No training required!:rolleyes:
 
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