Territory question

[cthegame]

How long time is enough for keeping a fish in a QT if I want to take it out so that I can have the less aggressive fish establish territory in the main tank.

Basically how much time is enough to make the fish in question forget about its old home so that when I put him back, he wont remember he was in that tank before..

Is 3 days enough?

 

[yote]

I would think that 3 days would be plenty.
Fish seem to forget things pretty quick.

 

[ReefKeeper]

i agree with yote, but i would do some re-aquascaping before adding the fish back to the tank.

 

[cthegame]

Thanks guys. I had my three cardinal fish all out because they were fighting. Kept them in the QT for 3 days and I just put them back. They seem to be swimming together for the first time ever. Guess it worked. But maybe they will fight again i dont know. Before they were fighting all the time. Two would gang up on the little one.

 

[Bifferwine]

I hope it works for you! Three cardinals SHOULD get along just fine...

 

[UnderwaterWorld]

good luck!

 

[MikMcgyver]

Hope they can all just get along.... I heard fish only have memory of about 3 min, but maybe thats just goldfish.. Saw it on mythbusters..

 

[HAWKS12thMAN]

Hope they can all just get along.... I heard fish only have memory of about 3 min, but maybe thats just goldfish.. Saw it on mythbusters..

I think fish are smarter than we give them credit for. Maybe its not intellegence (sp?) or memory, maybe its just instinct.

 

[cthegame]

I think fish are smarter than we give them credit for. Maybe its not intellegence (sp?) or memory, maybe its just instinct.

I agree. Sometimes i see my tang and I get this feeling he is completely aware of everything im doing. Sometimes he even likes to play hide and seek with me. I think its very possible that fish are smarter than we think. And i wouldnt be surprised if there are many different "intelligent" species in the ocean. More than on land. Not like us but maybe smart like dolphins, dogs, etc...

Even though im not sure for a fact, from observing my own fish, i would say that they have a better memory than just 3 mins.

 

[Bifferwine]

They definitely have a better memory than just three minutes. How else do you explain them swarming me whenever they see the turkey baster? (I use the turkey baster to target feed my corals).

 

[HAWKS12thMAN]

They definitely have a better memory than just three minutes. How else do you explain them swarming me whenever they see the turkey baster? (I use the turkey baster to target feed my corals).

Thats not the only thing you use a turkey baster for..... lol








































Dont have such a dirty mind, sucking cyno up too.

 

[chaosfinity]

I think fish definently have a longer memory than 3 minutes, in my high traffic area tank my fish used to be REALLY skiddish when you walked by now they come to front of the tank when you pass.

 

[Doc]

OK, fish need a bit more time than 3 minutes. changing the aquascaping is needed as well for fish who are more territorial than cardinalfish. My angelfish knew his home after 3 weeks. It took 2 months before I could add a smaller angel to the tank.

As for intelligence, well, their brains are SOOOO damn small, they cannot have too much intelligence. I agree they have instinct and can follow patterns of behavior, like schooling and feeding, but more than that...doubtful

-Doc