Petting fish

Basile · 08-12-2009, 07:43 AM

I've been meaning to ask this question for a while now, but i waited till i knew enough. I've seen the videos, the pictures and comment about people petting their fish. From what i've red putting your hands in a tank is a risk both ways.You can catch somethings and the fish can be stressed and other elements can be brought to them and spell their demise.

So the question stand , is petting your fish a good idea.

Bounce · 08-12-2009, 08:01 AM

What if my dog pets my fish?

Basile · 08-12-2009, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bounce

What if my dog pets my fish?

I guess its still goes in the petting cathegory, lol.

Basile · 08-12-2009, 08:19 AM

I personally voted no , because when ever i feed and ding or dong nip at my finger, slime is taken from them and it can't be good , they loose protection against deseases i think. That my take on it. Anybody feel the same or different.

BigAl07 · 08-12-2009, 09:07 AM

It's not a good idea but I know many people do it all the time. You're potentially introducing something into their "Closed" environment that can harm them in addition to potentially introducing something into your BODY (either via bite/sting or open wound) that could harm you.

Ultimately it's your call because it your tank but remember Mother Nature takes care of her own and sometimes that's not to OUR benefit

Basile · 08-12-2009, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigAl07

It's not a good idea but I know many people do it all the time. You're potentially introducing something into their "Closed" environment that can harm them in addition to potentially introducing something into your BODY (either via bite/sting or open wound) that could harm you.

Ultimately it's your call because it your tank but remember Mother Nature takes care of her own and sometimes that's not to OUR benefit

I couldn't of said it better!Actually i did say that but with a different format lol, but the last bit is so thrue.

I rather pet my cat he's fluffy, soft, warm, still, i spent more money on the fishes than on Basile which i adore and embrasses all the time. I guess we're all fascinated by them or we wouldn't do what we do. The miracle of life we seek i guess. I'm spending too much time in the zen garden these days i think lol.

seafansar · 08-12-2009, 09:35 AM

Oh I pet my tenneti tang all the time! lol. Well at least when company is over. He doesn't seem to mind and I really don't think I'm hurting him. I mean I can't exactly force him to let me pet him and I barely touch him. Plus I put my hands in my tank so often, not introducing something bad or whatnot is an impossible task for me. I just make sure my hands/arms are relatively clean before doing so.

BTW, I like petting my cats better! Little fur balls!

acemow · 08-12-2009, 11:27 PM

I normally use gloves that I keep washed and air dry them. I do put my hand in tank, always wash well before and after, my right hand and forearm are very dry because since I got tank, I stopped using lotion on that area of my arm...oh well, small price to pay

fishmama67 · 08-13-2009, 11:05 AM

Don't pet da fish! At least without gloves! It is bad for their complexions! LOL

sneaks03 · 08-13-2009, 11:12 AM

I think it is bad for them because of the reasons Al and Basile stated. But that is not to say if a fish looks dead I would not put my hand in there an nudge him/her. Washed in R/O water of course and washed after I am done.

jcgardner · 08-13-2009, 11:50 AM

I voted no as I don't pet my fish. I do on the rare occassion let my son hold the tuxedo urchin, thought is his favorite critter in the aquarium. I think it causes to much stress to touch the fish. I try to keep my hands out of the aquarium as much as possible.

elmafioso52988 · 08-13-2009, 11:59 AM

lol. Lucky I wish I could pet my fish. The just run away fro me. :-)

sneaks03 · 08-13-2009, 12:02 PM

If I wanted to I am sure my clowns would let me. Every time I am in the tank they are swimming around my arm being curious. Once the female rubbed up against it like a cat.

bandr1002 · 08-13-2009, 02:28 PM

the only benefit i see to being able to pet them.... if you ever need to catch one, they trust you enough to. other than that i don't see the benifit at all.

seafansar · 08-13-2009, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bandr1002

the only benefit i see to being able to pet them.... if you ever need to catch one, they trust you enough to. other than that i don't see the benifit at all.

That is very true. Any fish that will let me pet them, I can catch very easily. They tend to be the more aggressive ones about food and such, so they don't think much about going into a trap with food in it.

View Poll Results: Petting your fish or critter
Its not a good idea	23	42.59%
I do it all the time	7	12.96%
i did but no longer	2	3.70%
i pet my cat or dog instead	22	40.74%
Voters: 54. You may not vote on this poll

08-12-2009, 07:43 AM	#1 (permalink)
Basile Golden Moray Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Gatineau/Ottawa canada Posts: 2,022 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Petting fish I've been meaning to ask this question for a while now, but i waited till i knew enough. I've seen the videos, the pictures and comment about people petting their fish. From what i've red putting your hands in a tank is a risk both ways.You can catch somethings and the fish can be stressed and other elements can be brought to them and spell their demise. So the question stand , is petting your fish a good idea. __________________ My Rockwork Macroalgae Club. My slow 65 g build up Combination fish and Anemone 65g- Aquamedic 2X250wMH-T5 -Recirculating Octopus 150DNW- 2X Vortech Mp40W gen2 powerheads-Eheim 1262 910GPH return - Little fishes Carbon&Phosban reactors,GHL controllers and Dosing pump and ME!

08-12-2009, 08:01 AM	#2 (permalink)
Bounce Bryozoan Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 51 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Petting fish What if my dog pets my fish?

08-12-2009, 08:19 AM	#4 (permalink)
Basile Golden Moray Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Gatineau/Ottawa canada Posts: 2,022 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Petting fish I personally voted no , because when ever i feed and ding or dong nip at my finger, slime is taken from them and it can't be good , they loose protection against deseases i think. That my take on it. Anybody feel the same or different. __________________ My Rockwork Macroalgae Club. My slow 65 g build up Combination fish and Anemone 65g- Aquamedic 2X250wMH-T5 -Recirculating Octopus 150DNW- 2X Vortech Mp40W gen2 powerheads-Eheim 1262 910GPH return - Little fishes Carbon&Phosban reactors,GHL controllers and Dosing pump and ME!

08-12-2009, 09:07 AM	#5 (permalink)
BigAl07 Do I look as lost as I am Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Waynesville, North Carolina Posts: 21,549 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Petting fish It's not a good idea but I know many people do it all the time. You're potentially introducing something into their "Closed" environment that can harm them in addition to potentially introducing something into your BODY (either via bite/sting or open wound) that could harm you. Ultimately it's your call because it your tank but remember Mother Nature takes care of her own and sometimes that's not to OUR benefit __________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ *Live Rock Rubble will do the SAME thing as Bio-Balls and is NOT a suitable replacement for BIO-BALLS in a Reef System! It's ALL gotta go!!* Nitrate (NO3) reduction is directly proportional to percentage of Water Change. Allen's home-made formula...currentNO3-((%WC.01)currentNO3)=finalNO3 (thanks Luukosian) This means if you change 50% of your total water volume (That's EVERYTHING) you'll get a net reduction of (NO3) somewhere around 50%. Ask me about how to increase your REEF budget without going without FOOD!!* Big Al's 10g Julie's (BigAl's Gal) 6g NanoCube Gone but not forgotten BigAl's Slow 90g Tank Chronicle Allens OFFICE 12g Nano-Reef

08-12-2009, 09:35 AM	#7 (permalink)
seafansar Elegance coral Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Deltona, FL Posts: 1,186 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Petting fish Oh I pet my tenneti tang all the time! lol. Well at least when company is over. He doesn't seem to mind and I really don't think I'm hurting him. I mean I can't exactly force him to let me pet him and I barely touch him. Plus I put my hands in my tank so often, not introducing something bad or whatnot is an impossible task for me. I just make sure my hands/arms are relatively clean before doing so. BTW, I like petting my cats better! Little fur balls! __________________ -Sara SW since Jan. '08 150 gallon SPS reef 20 gallon BTA/clown tank 90 gallon bowfront mixed reef 45 gallon cube 150 tank thread 45 cube thread My Reefnook

08-12-2009, 11:27 PM	#8 (permalink)
acemow Sea Pen Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Cape Coral, Florida Posts: 335 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Petting fish I normally use gloves that I keep washed and air dry them. I do put my hand in tank, always wash well before and after, my right hand and forearm are very dry because since I got tank, I stopped using lotion on that area of my arm...oh well, small price to pay __________________ Wow!!What a cool obsession!! My 75 g thread http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...llon-tank.html

08-13-2009, 11:05 AM	#9 (permalink)
fishmama67 Star Polyps Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Kennewick WA Posts: 173 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Petting fish Don't pet da fish! At least without gloves! It is bad for their complexions! LOL __________________ Step1: We admitted we were powerless over saltwater and aquatic life, that our lives had become unmanageable without an aquarium." Step2: Came to believe that we could and would harness the ocean in a glass box. (no matter how long it took!) OK, I'm workin' on step 2!

08-13-2009, 11:12 AM	#10 (permalink)
sneaks03 Neon dottyback Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Valdosta, Ga. Posts: 622 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Petting fish I think it is bad for them because of the reasons Al and Basile stated. But that is not to say if a fish looks dead I would not put my hand in there an nudge him/her. Washed in R/O water of course and washed after I am done. __________________ Jonathan 55g FOWLR Wet/Dry Trickle Filter with external overflow Gamma UV Sterilizer 8w Korallia 3 and 2 2 Ocillaris Clownfish 6 Dwarf Blue Leg Hermit Crabs 4 Mexican Turbo Snails 5 Tube Worms 10 Nassarius snails 1 Emerald Crab 1 Sandsifting Star

08-13-2009, 11:50 AM	#11 (permalink)
jcgardner Ricordea Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: arizona Posts: 182 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Petting fish I voted no as I don't pet my fish. I do on the rare occassion let my son hold the tuxedo urchin, thought is his favorite critter in the aquarium. I think it causes to much stress to touch the fish. I try to keep my hands out of the aquarium as much as possible.

08-13-2009, 11:59 AM	#12 (permalink)
elmafioso52988 Limpet Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 140 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Petting fish lol. Lucky I wish I could pet my fish. The just run away fro me. :-)

08-13-2009, 12:02 PM	#13 (permalink)
sneaks03 Neon dottyback Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Valdosta, Ga. Posts: 622 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Petting fish If I wanted to I am sure my clowns would let me. Every time I am in the tank they are swimming around my arm being curious. Once the female rubbed up against it like a cat. __________________ Jonathan 55g FOWLR Wet/Dry Trickle Filter with external overflow Gamma UV Sterilizer 8w Korallia 3 and 2 2 Ocillaris Clownfish 6 Dwarf Blue Leg Hermit Crabs 4 Mexican Turbo Snails 5 Tube Worms 10 Nassarius snails 1 Emerald Crab 1 Sandsifting Star

08-13-2009, 02:28 PM	#14 (permalink)
bandr1002 Tuxedo Urchin Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 276 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Petting fish the only benefit i see to being able to pet them.... if you ever need to catch one, they trust you enough to. other than that i don't see the benifit at all. __________________ Too often, we lose sight of life's simple pleasures........ Remember, when someone annoys you, It takes 42 muscles in your face to frown BUT, it only takes 4 muscles to extend your arm and smack the living crap out of em.

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