Got bitten by my jerk fish during cleaning

[PascalKrypt]

Yesterday I did some largescale maintenance on the plants, trimming and replanting and so on. Removed almost all of the surface cover so there would be more light for the stem plants.
Well apparently Zhou the paradise fish did not take kindly to those changes.

Today I stuck my hands in to replant the cuttings that had been uprooted by the loaches overnight - a ritual that repeats itself 3 to 4 days until they've taken root properly - but the tank is quite deep and my whole arm needs to go in to reach the floor. I suddenly felt this sharp sting in the backside of my upper arm. I'm used to the dojos nibbling and feelings me up during maintenance but this was decidedly less pleasant.
I pull my arm away and there is mr. Ice, flaring at me swimming in circles around my fingers. I took my net and rather ticked off put him in time-out. He trashed about for half a minute before calming down.

When I was done I tested a few more times sticking in my fingers and when he sharked near, swung the net at him. After a minute or two he went back to ignoring me in favour of floating tidbits.

Pst. That's the first time that's ever happened. Guess mr. grumpy didn't like my revamp

This ever happen to anyone else?

 

[Addictedtobettas]

Yesterday I did some largescale maintenance on the plants, trimming and replanting and so on. Removed almost all of the surface cover so there would be more light for the stem plants.
Well apparently Zhou the paradise fish did not take kindly to those changes.

Today I stuck my hands in to replant the cuttings that had been uprooted by the loaches overnight - a ritual that repeats itself 3 to 4 days until they've taken root properly - but the tank is quite deep and my whole arm needs to go in to reach the floor. I suddenly felt this sharp sting in the backside of my upper arm. I'm used to the dojos nibbling and feelings me up during maintenance but this was decidedly less pleasant.
I pull my arm away and there is mr. Ice, flaring at me swimming in circles around my fingers. I took my net and rather ticked off put him in time-out. He trashed about for half a minute before calming down.

When I was done I tested a few more times sticking in my fingers and when he sharked near, swung the net at him. After a minute or two he went back to ignoring me in favour of floating tidbits.

Pst. That's the first time that's ever happened. Guess mr. grumpy didn't like my revamp

This ever happen to anyone else?

My female betta jumped 4-6 inches to bite my arm and hurl herself out of the tank, two separate times. She now goes in a cup during any tank adjustments or wc.

Then my black angel started nipping me when I’d go to feed the adf. My small yips of AAAGGH did not amuse the other creatures in the house. But it’s shocking when suddenly you feel a little NIP in the midst of calm waters.

My hubby asked me why I would keep fish after the betta incidents, as I’d frantically holler ‘oh my god oh my god, stay still, please be ok’ to that dang fish flopping around on the table or floor.

Gets the heart pumping.

 

[Sprinkle]

That did happen to me. My convict female laid eggs and when she was guarding the eggs, I had to put my hand in there in order to plant my new plants and she attacked me! She bit me, it was kind of a nibble, but still, cute.

 

[Pythia]

oof! that is weird, I've never really experienced anything like that but maybe I'll try what you did with the net to give a time out to your fish when I see mine not behaving... hehehe...

 

[Sprinkle]

oof! that is weird, I've never really experienced anything like that but maybe I'll try what you did with the net to give a time out to your fish when I see mine not behaving... hehehe...

Yes, wind up a fish and make it bite you
Some of my livebearers get to nibble on me on purpose lol

 

[PascalKrypt]

That did happen to me. My convict female laid eggs and when she was guarding the eggs, I had to put my hand in there in order to plant my new plants and she attacked me! She bit me, it was kind of a nibble, but still, cute.

Well that makes sense though, that actually seems like a solid reason!

There's nibbling and there's biting. As I said I'm used to nibbling from my Dojos but that's just a weird feeling. This felt like being stung by an insect. I guess there's also a huge difference between sifters and predatory fish used to large prey...

 

[AngryRainbow]

My female blood parrot has taken on the nasty habit of attacking me anytime my hands are in the tank now. It used to only be after redecorating similar to your Paradise fish, but it's evolved into an every time ordeal. Thankfully she can mostly just "gum" me with her mouth, but every now and then she gets a few good pinches in.

 

[StarGirl]

I was trying to save the snail that climbed onto the rock the GBR had eggs on. The male was pecking it really bad. So I reached in to move the snail and he pecked me really bad. Sorry snail I guess that was a bad choice.

 

[pagoda]

I get the occasional headbutt or tail whip...but so far no biting by anyone...yet

....I suspect that I have now probably tempted fate....

 

[Feohw]

My pearl gourami used to suck my fingers. My whiptail will too. The only time my pearl bit me was a surprise. I put my fingers in front of him expecting him to suck them as he usually would. And when I stick my fingers in the water my bettas will bite me.

Then I was bitten by my Bolivian ram Samson. I was doing tank maintenance and didn't realize he was guarding eggs. I stuck my hand in to remove some moss and felt a very slight pinch. I looked in the front of the tank and Sam was clutching onto my finger while Delilah (the mother) ran for the hills.

 

[PascalKrypt]

My pearl gourami used to suck my fingers. My whiptail will too. The only time my pearl bit me was a surprise. I put my fingers in front of him expecting him to suck them as he usually would. And when I stick my fingers in the water my bettas will bite me.

Then I was bitten by my Bolivian ram Samson. I was doing tank maintenance and didn't realize he was guarding eggs. I stuck my hand in to remove some moss and felt a very slight pinch. I looked in the front of the tank and Sam was clutching onto my finger while Delilah (the mother) ran for the hills.

Oh really? My pearls don't do that
This was really my first time being bitten, I can stick my fingers in my betta sorority no problem.

Love the Samson & Delilah names btw! Poor parents

My female blood parrot has taken on the nasty habit of attacking me anytime my hands are in the tank now. It used to only be after redecorating similar to your Paradise fish, but it's evolved into an every time ordeal. Thankfully she can mostly just "gum" me with her mouth, but every now and then she gets a few good pinches in.

I'll take this as a warning, guess I'm doing some 'training' the coming weeks to make this doesn't become a habit.

 

[AngryRainbow]

Oh really? My pearls don't do that
This was really my first time being bitten, I can stick my fingers in my betta sorority no problem.

Love the Samson & Delilah names btw! Poor parents


I'll take this as a warning, guess I'm doing some 'training' the coming weeks to make this doesn't become a habit.

If you figure out an effective training method let me know! I'd love to put an end to it. So far when I see her coming at me I'll wave my hand around to try and dissuade her but it doesn't help much.

I'm not sure your Paradise fish will follow in a similar manner though I have heard Paradise fish can be aggressive. I think mine is just becoming sexually mature (she's somewhere around 1.5-2 yrs atm) and living up to the hype of bp being aggressive. Which is unfortunate, until now I thought I lucked out and got a nice one

 

[jinjerJOSH22]

My Firemouth Cichlid got me once when I rescaped my 50, not sure if it was just the surprise but it actually hurt

Just about all my Gourami nip me while I feed frozen foods but that just tickles

 

[Sprinkle]

My Firemouth Cichlid got me once when I rescaped my 50, not sure if it was just the surprise but it actually hurt

Just about all my Gourami nip me while I feed frozen foods but that just tickles

My convict female actually scared me when she gave me a bite.

 

[Corydork]

Yesterday I did some largescale maintenance on the plants, trimming and replanting and so on. Removed almost all of the surface cover so there would be more light for the stem plants.
Well apparently Zhou the paradise fish did not take kindly to those changes.

Today I stuck my hands in to replant the cuttings that had been uprooted by the loaches overnight - a ritual that repeats itself 3 to 4 days until they've taken root properly - but the tank is quite deep and my whole arm needs to go in to reach the floor. I suddenly felt this sharp sting in the backside of my upper arm. I'm used to the dojos nibbling and feelings me up during maintenance but this was decidedly less pleasant.
I pull my arm away and there is mr. Ice, flaring at me swimming in circles around my fingers. I took my net and rather ticked off put him in time-out. He trashed about for half a minute before calming down.

When I was done I tested a few more times sticking in my fingers and when he sharked near, swung the net at him. After a minute or two he went back to ignoring me in favour of floating tidbits.

Pst. That's the first time that's ever happened. Guess mr. grumpy didn't like my revamp

This ever happen to anyone else?

I used to have a few brichardis and emphasize some skin taken off when a female got territorial during a water change. The first couple times it happens it scares just about anyone.

 

[A201]

This guy bit me numerous times with those nasty teeth, so I wasn't too upset trading him.

 

[PascalKrypt]

If you figure out an effective training method let me know! I'd love to put an end to it. So far when I see her coming at me I'll wave my hand around to try and dissuade her but it doesn't help much.

I'm not sure your Paradise fish will follow in a similar manner though I have heard Paradise fish can be aggressive. I think mine is just becoming sexually mature (she's somewhere around 1.5-2 yrs atm) and living up to the hype of bp being aggressive. Which is unfortunate, until now I thought I lucked out and got a nice one

I will! I've heard plenty of people train bettas and paradise are similarly fearless and curious so I can't see why it wouldn't work. I've got plenty experience training dogs

The strange thing is, he's usually really nice. He lives in a community with all the big no-nos: male apistos, larger gourami, betta. I never have any fights or even scrapes, they have a peaceful hierarchy - though Zhou is the king of that hill, I guess.
It caught me so off guard that I thought I'd somehow stuck my arm into a pointy plant or something.

My Firemouth Cichlid got me once when I rescaped my 50, not sure if it was just the surprise but it actually hurt

Just about all my Gourami nip me while I feed frozen foods but that just tickles

Hmm, I guess it may be because I don't handfeed any fish except my Dojos due to cross-contamination risks.

This guy bit me numerous times with those nasty teeth, so I wasn't too upset trading him.
View attachment 675397

Oh wow. Yes, that does seem like a problem!

 

[Sputnik]

There is a reason I pipet feed my female betta! If she is hungry she chomps down on the tip and practically tugs it out of my hand.
P.S. She is always hungry

 

[Lakefish]

The female Australoheros ceibal I had a few years ago drew blood on my hand once during tank cleaning. She was a bit less four inches long, and had "spawned" (so she thought) with her male severum tankmate, so she was guarding the clutch. Warding her off with the net just ticked her off more.
That murdery female is someone else's problem now, took her to the LFS a year or so later when I had to dismantle the tank. Hope they are enjoying her sunny personality

 

[MissPanda]

My gbr does this every single time I clean the tank. That's his house and he don't want my grubby hands in there.

 

[Cheesecake]

None of my fish are big enough or have the proper mouth structure to bite, but my !@#$# turtle bit me while I was feeding him. I guess no one ever told him "Don't bite the hand that feeds you."

 

[david1978]

My Oscar bit anything you put in the tank. Your hand, the heater, filter tube. He was a lot of fun. Kept the kids from stucking their fingers in it.

 

[Cheesecake]

My Oscar bit anything you put in the tank. Your hand, the heater, filter tube. He was a lot of fun. Kept the kids from stucking their fingers in it.

Or maybe if they had been bad, you just say "Go stick your hand in the oscar tank."

 

[david1978]

Or maybe if they had been bad, you just say "Go stick your hand in the oscar tank."

He was big enough I would of been afraid they would of lost a finger.

 

[Pythia]

None of my fish are big enough or have the proper mouth structure to bite, but my !@#$# turtle bit me while I was feeding him. I guess no one ever told him "Don't bite the hand that feeds you."

I had a turtle that would try to bite me every time I tried to clean it's tank. (He was a marine turtle.)

 

[PascalKrypt]

Well problems seems to be resolved! I did a ton of stuff in that tank today, must have spent at least a full hour spread across the day with my hands in the tank, fiddling with cups and plants and the filter outlet and moving wood around. Lowered the water level to 10". Zhou came by to check on me several times but not a mean flare or glint. In fact he was begging me for food from time to time, instead.

Lesson learnt?

 

[LifeGivesYouLemonOscars]

Bite um back lol