Do you have a fish tank at home? Have you noticed they often chase each other? Many theories try to explain why fish chase each other. Watching them is a lot of fun, but it’s even better to understand the reason why they do that!
Tank fish tend to chase each other for 4 main reasons:
1) COUPLING. It’s the first thing that comes to mind when we see a pair of fish swimming fast, one after the other. When there are males and females together in the tank, this behaviour is likely to be a simple coupling ritual. No reason to panic!
2) INCOMPATIBLE PERSONALITIES. Not all fish get along! Like all living beings, fish also have their friends and frenemies, and there are species that tend to be dominant, even to the point of behaving violently towards shy, vulnerable species. For instance, a fighting fish can never be left in the same tank with bright-coloured fish with conspicuous tales, as they might be taken for rival males.
3) COMPETITION FOR FOOD. Food and hunger always play dirty tricks! Different species obviously have different energy needs, and if food is insufficient, there is a risk of leaving some fish without it, which may make them turn against each other. To ensure daily food supply, try Ferplast’s Chef Pro automatic food dispenser. Chef Pro ensures constant food dispensing and comes with four different dosing devices for all types of food, be it in granules or flakes, to fulfil the needs of the different species of fish that live in the same tank.
4) TERRITORIALITY. If the tank is too small or if there are obstacles inside (such as decorations, branches, leaves, plants and various objects), fish have little room to swim, and will try to create their own sheltered area the best way they can – by chasing away their own peers. This is surely a source of stress for all the inhabitants of the tank.