My Foxface recognizes me

[Slocke]

Just here to tell an interesting story. I work a job that sometimes requires me to be gone for weeks. This has been the case recently as I have spent most of December on the road. In my second week gone, I got a worrying report from my dad, who comes over to feed my fish when I am gone. My foxface has been acting weird. Every time he approaches the tank, he freaks out and dashes around the tank. Now I know for many this isn't odd behavior; I've heard of people not having foxes in SPS tanks because they freak out and break the SPS. However, for my Badger, this is odd. Badger is a brave fox. Badger will eat nori from my hand. So when I get back, I meet with my dad, and we approach the tank together, and sure enough, there's a total freak out, and, concerningly, I see minor scratches on the side of the fox.

So I ask my reefing buds, and they don't have an answer, other than the scratches. There are no signs of issues; fins are unblemished and free of evidence of disease, and parameters are normal. So the next day I go to feed and... nothing. Badger is sitting at the front, impatiently waiting for food. Later, I feed nori, and I am eating it again before I can even get it on the clip. All weekend, it is bold and gluttonous, as usual. Until I leave again, and it is no longer me feeding...

So I have proof that those giant eyes are not only good for spotting danger but can also, in fact, recognize us. If you have similar experiences,please share!

 

[DietDr.Kelp]

My one spot foxface eats from my hand as well! I haven't tested it with anyone else feeding him, but I do think fish have the capacity to recognize individuals. Are you and your dad similar in height and build?

Fish (generally) have great eyesight—I have had fish start getting riled up when I pull out certain feeding tools from all the way across the room.

 

[Slocke]

My one spot foxface eats from my hand as well! I haven't tested it with anyone else feeding him, but I do think fish have the capacity to recognize individuals. Are you and your dad similar in height and build?

Fish (generally) have great eyesight—I have had fish start getting riled up when I pull out certain feeding tools from all the way across the room.

My dad is shorter and stockier.

I forgot to add that we tested it. While he hid behind a corner I approached the tank and nothing. Then I went behind the corner and he approached and the fox immediately retreated to the back of the tank.

 

[lubeck]

Yep. I have a fox as well but it happens to most of my fish if someone else try’s to feed - they bolt and hide. I say most because my clowns don’t care about anything. Recently got some chromis and believe they don’t care much q

I have a routine that when I’m ready to feed i start on one side and walk around to the other to put the pumps on feed mode ( I have a peninsula). Then walk back to the other side to get the baster. My copper band follows me the whole time. It’s hilarious

 

[DietDr.Kelp]

My dad is shorter and stockier.

I forgot to add that we tested it. While he hid behind a corner I approached the tank and nothing. Then I went behind the corner and he approached and the fox immediately retreated to the back of the tank.

I'll have to get my boyfriend to test it out with me! The fish seem generally fine with him coming up to the tank, but I rarely have him feed.

 

[JoJosReef]

Never had any doubt about my fish recognizing me. My office mates are in here all the time and some take over feeding while I am gone. They say the fish act completely different around me, which is true.

I also suspect they have facial recognition, and complex facial recognition at that. When I am wearing a mask, they are initially spooked, especially the foxface, but it seems if I stay there a minute they recognize my eyes and come out. My foxface would not come out for a stranger no matter how long they sat staring in front of the tank.

 

[DarthRaiderBob]

My fox knows exactly who I am and expects food every time I go near the tank. Not so much with my wife but he's certainly excited to see me until I'm not feeding, then he's off doing his thing and complaining mightily.

 

[Stang67]

 

[Utubereefer]

I was thinking the same thing. Have your tank sitter wear a Sam mask.
My fish will let me pet them at feeding time. I’ll have to see if they will do that for someone else.

 

[Naekuh]

Mine knows if it sees me its feeding time and camps the floating ring.
Then it also knows if it blows bubbles inside the ring, the food stays in the ring so it can pig out even more.
And it also knows since its the biggest fish, even my Tomini Tang can't get its way with him, so he rules the tank.

So yeah, they are smart, but they get REALLY REALLY BIG.. not NASO Tang big... but big enough to for me to feel i might want to relocate him out of my 150G lagoon, because he's that big.

 

[Lavey29]

Its when they start talking to you that you may need an intervention and professional help.

 

[UncommonSense]

I had a Black ghost knifefish (freshwater) for many, many years… I adopted it from a buddy when it eventually outgrew his system…

— for those of you that don’t know, these fish are effectively blind… primarily relying on weak electrical organs to “electrolocate” for navigation and hunting…

— this particular Black ghost knife was so tame that it would readily dart out to be hand fed, and even lay down in my hand… it did the same for the aforementioned buddy as well!

— however, every single person (aside from myself, and my buddy) whom put a hand in my tank would get a flight response from it; darting into a hiding place the instant a finger touched the water…

The only logical explanation I have is that each person emits a somewhat unique electrical frequency!

 

[Jungle Blue]

I had a Black ghost knifefish (freshwater) for many, many years… I adopted it from a buddy when it eventually outgrew his system…

— for those of you that don’t know, these fish are effectively blind… primarily relying on weak electrical organs to “electrolocate” for navigation and hunting…

— this particular Black ghost knife was so tame that it would readily dart out to be hand fed, and even lay down in my hand… it did the same for the aforementioned buddy as well!

— however, every single person (aside from myself, and my buddy) whom put a hand in my tank would get a flight response from it; darting into a hiding place the instant a finger touched the water…

The only logical explanation I have is that each person emits a somewhat unique electrical frequency!

kewlllll & confirmation regarding electromagnetic waves

 

[JayM]

My wife and I are the only people in the house everyday, and I do all of the tank feeding. That said, none of my fish typically hide when there's people around, but with God as my witness, most of them swim over to the "feeding spot" when I come into the room, the Foxface especially. He's always the first in line.

 

[Reginald Reefer III]

My Foxface is scared of his own shadow lol

 

[AlyciaMarie]

When someone else feeds Badger:

When @Slocke feeds badger:

 

[Naekuh]

I had a Black ghost knifefish (freshwater) for many, many years… I adopted it from a buddy when it eventually outgrew his system…

— for those of you that don’t know, these fish are effectively blind… primarily relying on weak electrical organs to “electrolocate” for navigation and hunting…

— this particular Black ghost knife was so tame that it would readily dart out to be hand fed, and even lay down in my hand… it did the same for the aforementioned buddy as well!

— however, every single person (aside from myself, and my buddy) whom put a hand in my tank would get a flight response from it; darting into a hiding place the instant a finger touched the water…

The only logical explanation I have is that each person emits a somewhat unique electrical frequency!

Oscars are the dogs in the fresh water fish world.

They are like porcupine puffers where you can train to do spins and sit on command even.

If you put your ear next to the glass i bet u can even hear them bark.

 

[Slocke]

I was doing maintenance today and my Midas swam over and started bobbing its head at the surface. So I stuck my finger near it and it scratched its head against me very odd, very cute.

 

[Nordy]

I had a Black ghost knifefish (freshwater) for many, many years… I adopted it from a buddy when it eventually outgrew his system…

— for those of you that don’t know, these fish are effectively blind… primarily relying on weak electrical organs to “electrolocate” for navigation and hunting…

— this particular Black ghost knife was so tame that it would readily dart out to be hand fed, and even lay down in my hand… it did the same for the aforementioned buddy as well!

— however, every single person (aside from myself, and my buddy) whom put a hand in my tank would get a flight response from it; darting into a hiding place the instant a finger touched the water…

The only logical explanation I have is that each person emits a somewhat unique electrical frequency!

I can believe that, humans in there nature put out that electromagnetic response. You can see it, and sense it. Tried for the first time to get my Foxface to eat nori from my hand. Almost got the purple tang interested. The Foxface (Cleopatra) went to a safe hideout and changed colors with the fins posed until I put it on there clip. What a neat fish though. We often sit and stare at each other. Very endearing behavior, Cleopatra is sweet, could be the tank boss soon if the purple tang doesn’t resign. Eats everything and then some! I believe in a varied diet, so I can always count on Cleopatra finishing whatever my 18 other picky kids won’t eat.

 

[litsoh]

Whenever I approach the tank with a cup in my hand my fish seem to know its feeding time. It started with my Threadfin Butterfly at first and then everyone from the Kole Tang to the wrasses and anthias took the hint. They’d all bunch up on the left side of the tank as I fed my other tanks first and then would follow me right to the feeding ring. The butterfly is definitely the one that’s the most used to me though. I can feed it by and and it always hangs around whenever I have my hand in the tank for cleaning.

I also have a Millet Butterfly in QT that will swim right up against the glass and shoot water out on occasion whenever I come by to feed. I think it may have been a puffer in its past life.