Mine is a wee baby (about 10-11 inches), but is too smart for his (my?) own good.
He (she?) quickly learned to watch my hands when I would feed, and would jump as I prepared to toss in the food pellets. I realized that if I waited with my hand on the lid handle, it would jump, bang it's head, and realize waiting for the pellets to hit the water was a good idea.
Within 2 weeks it realized that my right hand held the food, so it would wait patiently, no longer jumping, until I opened the lid; I'd do this with my left hand and toss in pellets with my right hand. For about 3 weeks it was able to latch onto the first finger of my right hand because it knew that's where the food was coming from.
I tried to be very careful, but it finally made the leap from tank to floor, and though it is fine, I am wondering what ways you have found to accomplish water changes in an unplumbed tank, without your fish leaping out. I am also amazed that anyone can keep them in a pool without instant death!
I have started letting the lid rest on my hand while I siphon the bottom (clean bottom), but I wonder if there might be something more secure.
[EDIT; I have a large plastic floating plant in the tank to give some distraction/comfort above.
He (she?) quickly learned to watch my hands when I would feed, and would jump as I prepared to toss in the food pellets. I realized that if I waited with my hand on the lid handle, it would jump, bang it's head, and realize waiting for the pellets to hit the water was a good idea.
Within 2 weeks it realized that my right hand held the food, so it would wait patiently, no longer jumping, until I opened the lid; I'd do this with my left hand and toss in pellets with my right hand. For about 3 weeks it was able to latch onto the first finger of my right hand because it knew that's where the food was coming from.
I tried to be very careful, but it finally made the leap from tank to floor, and though it is fine, I am wondering what ways you have found to accomplish water changes in an unplumbed tank, without your fish leaping out. I am also amazed that anyone can keep them in a pool without instant death!
I have started letting the lid rest on my hand while I siphon the bottom (clean bottom), but I wonder if there might be something more secure.
[EDIT; I have a large plastic floating plant in the tank to give some distraction/comfort above.
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