Can/Do small tropical fish....?

Question

Recognize your face eventually??
Eat goldfish flakes??(we just got them last night after an untimely goldfish death and we forgot t. fish food. Gettin some today though. They ate the flakes just wanna know if it's okay for them)
Hurt each other?(there are three in a tank together now. Two are my sisters an they seem to be fine. I'm getting a tank for my own today)
Need companionship??(since mine will be alone)
Like any other food than pellets/worms??
Change color using certain food?(I'm against the color chips in fish food to enhance color. But if there's a safe one I might get it. But will it work??)

If u can answer any, great! All?? Awesome!!

Thanks again!

P.S. - The reason I'm not using google is because that's a LOT of questions and I don't have the time to look them all up. That's why I'm hoping someone here has tropical fish who can help :) thanks again!

Answer 1

1) Yes. Not only your face, they can recognize the very sounds you make. There have been studies on this very issue, and a blind goldfish was even able to react and tell when his owner walked into a room! It is easier to see in larger fish, but small fish do this as well.



2) If you just got them, they don't often eat well the first night anyway, and you just end up polluting the tank in overfeeding. If you do feel the need to feed them, a small pinch of goldfish food is perfectly fine.



3-4). Depends on the species. Some fish cannot stand another of the same fish in a confined tank, others are very social fish that require companions of the same species. "Small tropical fish" can be any number of hundreds of different types of fish and more specific details are needed to answer this.



5) Again, what species are we talking about here? Some are insectivores, some herbivores, some omnivores, etc. Some pellets are well balanced for a specific species, and can be a great staple diet. but variety is always nice. Most of the cheap brands are well, cheap. They might be nutritionally lacking and then a variety is absolutely necessary.



6) Nutrition, light, health, age, sex, environment, etc can all impact the color of a fish. The "color enhancing foods" are often a gimmick rip off and not always the best thing to feed your pet, especially the cheap brands. Research the needs of your specific fish, provide those needs, and you will see a very bright and active fish. Again, more specifics cannot be provided without knowing the species.



Other things to research common to ALL fish and of UTMOST IMPORTANCE: fish tank cycle.

Read about it, test you water, and do the needed water changes since you will be "cycling with fish" to avoid issues known as "new tank syndrome."

Answer 2

What "small tropical fish" species do you mean exactly? You know, there are hundreds in the trade. And all of these questions should have been answered BEFORE you bought the fish.



Here are my answers, in no particular order:

- Some of the small tropical fish live in schools or shoals, so they have to be kept in groups of 5+. Some of the small tropical fish are territiorial and will fight with rival males and some will even fight with females. So in most cases "three of them in a tank" doesn't work.



- Food also depends on the species. Get good quailty food (: Some fish can eat veggies some need bloodworms ans such to have a healty diet, it depends on the species. All fish need a varied diet though.



- Instead of color enhancing food try to make your fish tank as comfortable for the fish as possible. Make sure you have enough space for them, their tank is cycled (http://www.fishlore.com/NitrogenCycle.htm), if they are schooling species, they have enough companions, etc etc. Most fish prefer dark substrate, they need hiding places - some need more, some are OK with less. Make sure the water is the required temperature. A healthy fish that is happy in its tank has bright colors whereas stressed fish tend to look pale. This works much better colored food. (In stores there are certain species that look so pale because of stress that noone ever buys them - unless someone is specifically looking for them. In a good tank some can get back their original color within minutes.)A dark background can hide the cables behind the tank and enhance the color of the fish.



- Look at the profile of the fish (in several places: websites, forums book to ensure you have the correct information) BEFORE you go back to the store buying anything: you can start here: http://www.seriouslyfish.com/ or here: http://www.fishlore.com/freshwaterfish.htm



- And yes, even schooling fish that normally mind their own business can recognise the person who brings food (:

Answer 3

i don't think small fish can recognize your face, but surely a big oscar could just because its eyes are bigger. I'm not really sure.

yes, they can eat goldfish flakes, but it's best to get food suited for them specifically.

yes, they can hurt each other. depends on what kinds you get.

most small tropical are schooling fish and feel more comfortable in a school. it depends what species.

a variety of foods is good for them. if you're talking freeze dried blood worms, that is a treat food because it doesn't contain a lot of nutrients like flakes or pellets.

yes, some quality flake foods affect the color of the fish, but more importantly, water quality is more important.

Answer 4

You cant rely on people on here to answer all your questions some dont have a clue and will just answer for the points You need to research before you get fish .

Yes they can recognize you My Oscar follows me round his tank and will barge into the tank if i ignore him.

Goldfish flakes are ok as a one off .But i prefer to feed good Quality Pellets to my fish Hikari are a good make .

Some Tropical fish need keeping on there own some need Groups Schools or Shoals

You can Feed Blood worm Brine shrimp even meal worms if you want .

Color enhancing foods don't work as much as they claim they do



You may want to work out why your Goldfish died as unless it was in its 30s it should not of died ..