# Do fish need any kind of entertainment?!



## darkyputz (Nov 18, 2015)

Hello...

Just wondering, if have to place things in the Tank to give them some entertainment....
Not sure...but my dog as an example would die without toys...
Are fish so simple, that they are just about food and matting?
Sorry if this question is just dumb...

Thx for your thoughts


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## Mischa0218 (Nov 19, 2015)

Not dumb. Many fish will actually start to recognize you as their owner over time. I had a blood parrot that loved to be hand fed and play with ping-pong (food safe-think beer pong) balls. I also had a convict that would pick up bits of gravel and spit it at the glass until I sat in front of it. If you happen to have a marine tank, puffers are like puppy dogs and love to see you in front of the aquarium!


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## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

Fish will def. get bored. And when they do some will chew tails, or torment other fish etc. They dont neccisarily need toys in the conventional sense, but they do amuse each other, or will do things that are entertaining to fish. Think places to hide, or things to swim through etc. I just saw a video the other day of a betta tank where they put a hampster tube inside. The girlie fish loved swimming through it.


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## darkyputz (Nov 18, 2015)

Ok...good to know...cause i already build kind of an adventure park for my free ranging chickens outside to keep them happy which they love...so i thought i should do stuff for the fish as well...but wanted to be sure, that i am not getting some kind of awkward by doing that for empty brained species...
So Caves and loops are good? Or just changing objects in the water to explore once in the blue moon?
I now, that they spawn on the "food corner" when i am in the room...but they dont want to be petted SMILE
So i will get something done as soon i am master about the green water...this is my primary right now...
Attached my current setup...
One tank with 5 white pipe peaces and a clay flower pot, a sponge filter and a powerhead filter
The other with some "rocks" plus the two filter...in addition a grow some efeutute from that water in hope to reduce some nitrates...


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## Mischa0218 (Nov 19, 2015)

Eeessshhh....invest in a uv sterilizer for that....and do partial water changes. Are you fully cycled?


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

A bubble wall is another entertainment piece that my guppies used to love. They would attack the bubbles, dart in and out and around, and were in general more lively when the air was turned on.


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## SansyFrance (Feb 3, 2016)

I've found that having a hide in my tanks with several different entrances that the fish can swim in and out of entertains several of my fish species really well!


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## darkyputz (Nov 18, 2015)

Thx so much fir the reply...

I found out for my fish now, that a powerhead that shoots with small bubbles entertain my group very well...also they enjoy the stream...they swim to it from the quite side and "jump" into it and enjoy the ride down to the end of the tank...
It is just getting to crowded soon in the tank, so i hope it warms up soon, so that the gang can move out to their summer home


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## insight2663 (Feb 6, 2021)

some fish love to play. I have a 8 inch red devil ciclid and three green terros. I bat moss balls around and they love chasing them. Stick a net in the tank and they think it is play time.


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## saa.abdi (Jun 18, 2021)

It depends on what kind of fish you keep. But in general, fish only need a good and healthy tank ecosystem with aquatic plants to entertain them.


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