knight2255
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Is this usually all done while in quarantine?
What are some other methods/secrets?
What are some other methods/secrets?
How to train reef safe w/caution fish to eat prepared foods?
- Thread starter knight2255
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And mine as well.
Squidmotron
New member
Hmmm..
It's actually totally possible to train the taste preference of a wide variety of animals. I'm not suggesting you can change the very *nature* of animals or that you can guarantee coral dietary abstience, but teaching animals to prefer certain foods is both possible and proven experimentally. Some animals even quasi-imprint their taste preferences when their young and prefer those foods until there is a food shortage of some sort.
However, I doubt anyone has the this breadth of knowledge w/ angel or butterfly fish. It would make for a fascinating experiment, though, to see if giving certain diets to certain fish reduces coral snacking.
...
Just FYI, given complete control of *your* diet for about 4 weeks time, I can completely change your preferences for salt, sugar, fat, oil, bitter, and spicy foods. Contary to popular belief, it is in your "nature" to learn to like what you eat over time. It is a powerful and important evolutionary tool.
It's actually totally possible to train the taste preference of a wide variety of animals. I'm not suggesting you can change the very *nature* of animals or that you can guarantee coral dietary abstience, but teaching animals to prefer certain foods is both possible and proven experimentally. Some animals even quasi-imprint their taste preferences when their young and prefer those foods until there is a food shortage of some sort.
However, I doubt anyone has the this breadth of knowledge w/ angel or butterfly fish. It would make for a fascinating experiment, though, to see if giving certain diets to certain fish reduces coral snacking.
...
Just FYI, given complete control of *your* diet for about 4 weeks time, I can completely change your preferences for salt, sugar, fat, oil, bitter, and spicy foods. Contary to popular belief, it is in your "nature" to learn to like what you eat over time. It is a powerful and important evolutionary tool.
I disagree with the last post. With cautionary reef safe fish, they have in their instincts to eat coral. Are all these fish going to eat coral? No. Many have said they have had angels as model citizens for their tank. But some just turn out of nowhere and start eating them.
But to change their eating habits and then placing them infront of their natural food, im a little skeptical. To me that would be like teaching a tiger to eat vegatables as a cub and them putting the tiger into a herd of gazzelles.
But to change their eating habits and then placing them infront of their natural food, im a little skeptical. To me that would be like teaching a tiger to eat vegatables as a cub and them putting the tiger into a herd of gazzelles.
Squidmotron
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I disagree that you do.
Well Im sorry you feel that way lol
Squidmotron
New member
I'm not really saying you can change the inherent nature of animals anyway and "teach a lion to eat tofu" a la Futurama (classic episode). I'm just theorizing that a fish's dietary preference can be influenced by environmental factors, just as many other animals' can.
The notion that an animal's behavior is determined by complete chance, though, doesn't sit with me right either. And that's the attitude you see here. There seems to be a prevailing notion here that angel fish just randomly decide one day to eat corals. Or they don't. It's all just completely random. Or is it? Is it not possible we are observing behavior changes without all the data or incomplete understanding?
And if it's all just completely random than we have to also accept it's in the fish's nature to *not* eat coral. Randomly, apparently.
I think projects like the one where we tabulate people's angel fish and their likelihood of eating coral are great. We are already noticing trends among species. Admittedly it's a small sample of data that doesn't even overcome standard deviation. But it'll only get better. And maybe over time we can start to correlate more things, which is a start.
I'm just saying I don't think it's impossible that if a fish's diet has a particular set of foodstuffs/nutrients that it may influence his preference for eating other foods -- like coral -- later. Is this really that preposterous of a notion?
Admittedly, I'm new. It's totally possible that there could be mounds of data that proves I've wrong. Controlled studies that show definitively than an angel fish's diet has no effect on its desire to eat coral. So, point me in the right direction if this is the case.
Well I have a full mixed reef. I have spent lots of money on coral. Probably close to $600 for whats currently in my tank and thats with getting deals. I was considering getting a flame angel. But there is that thing with them that angels can eat coral. So I decided to do research. I read on Reef Central. I googled it. I went to local shops that I can trust the answer. And here is what came about after my study:
Angels will nip on rock for algae. People have had all types of angels, whether pigmy or not, where they are perfect citizens, where they were good for years and one day start eating on corals, or as soon as they were introduced to the tank they immediately introduced to the tank they started nipping on corals. Now to say the idea is ridiculous that an angel has a 50/50 chance of not going after your coral isnt crazy. Each fish is different. And to know what they will do in a reef tank is unknown until you place them there. Now that is something you have to decide if you want to chance. Im not chancing hundreds of dollars of coral for 1 fish. If you want to, be my guest.
But your talking about changing an animal's instinct, im not saying its impossible. We do it with dogs. Or cats. But generally this is done over years of training and observation. And while you are able to keep your eyes on them. You think when you leave for work or go to sleep, there isnt a good chance instinct isnt going to kick in and say...oh im hungry, im not gonna eat the coral, Ill just wait.
This is no more different than ORA mandarins. I have had one. Your changing their natural eating habits. But does it work? Sure, but not all the time. And in fact they will still hunt for pods all day. So speaking of changing their diet or influencing it, doesnt mean instinct will never kick in. Cause it most likely will. Yes ORA mandarins are all a crap shoot. If you wish to disagree with that, I can give you my whole experience, or better yet...use the search feature or google.
Angels will nip on rock for algae. People have had all types of angels, whether pigmy or not, where they are perfect citizens, where they were good for years and one day start eating on corals, or as soon as they were introduced to the tank they immediately introduced to the tank they started nipping on corals. Now to say the idea is ridiculous that an angel has a 50/50 chance of not going after your coral isnt crazy. Each fish is different. And to know what they will do in a reef tank is unknown until you place them there. Now that is something you have to decide if you want to chance. Im not chancing hundreds of dollars of coral for 1 fish. If you want to, be my guest.
But your talking about changing an animal's instinct, im not saying its impossible. We do it with dogs. Or cats. But generally this is done over years of training and observation. And while you are able to keep your eyes on them. You think when you leave for work or go to sleep, there isnt a good chance instinct isnt going to kick in and say...oh im hungry, im not gonna eat the coral, Ill just wait.
This is no more different than ORA mandarins. I have had one. Your changing their natural eating habits. But does it work? Sure, but not all the time. And in fact they will still hunt for pods all day. So speaking of changing their diet or influencing it, doesnt mean instinct will never kick in. Cause it most likely will. Yes ORA mandarins are all a crap shoot. If you wish to disagree with that, I can give you my whole experience, or better yet...use the search feature or google.
Squidmotron
New member
I have no problem agreeing with most of that.
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