Question about fish

[Sadie]

I have an aquarium with 3 goldfish in it. Every morning when I turn on the hood light, the fish freak out. It's weird, I never would have guessed you could tell when a fish was scared, but they swim over to the corner and cower behind one of their plants for the next few minutes, fins swishing madly. It makes me feel terrible! Am I doing something wrong? Is this normal fish behavior?

I'm feeling like this is a totally stupid question, but it does make me feel bad.

[Golightly]

Fish don't have eyelids.

Imagine being your dark bedroom and having someone turn on the light all of sudden, and find that you can't close your eyes.

Try turning on the hood light after you have turned the light on in the room for several minutes, so they can adjust more easily.

Check out KoiVet (http://www.koivet.com/). They have all kinds of info about goldfish and koi and can help out with any other problems.

If you're into fish, it's fun to look at the pictures and stuff too. :)

Good luck with your "wet pets"!

[Sadie]

Thanks Golightly! I checked that site out, there is some good information. DH and I did a fair amount of research before we decided to get fish, but I hadn't read anywhere about such a reaction to light. I'll have to try for a more gradual exposure in the morning.

[Golightly]

You're welcome!

I don't have fish anymore... Charlotte and Gus met a tragic fate due to a pH crash in their tank when I went to my parents' for Christmas a few years ago.

Caring for them was such a fickle process, but they were actually excellent companions, very interactive. Gus would get all excited whenever I walked into the room and wag his little body and come up towards the surface. He even allowed me to pet his head. I was devastated when they died. They had gotten pretty big by that point too. I would have needed two hands to pick up Gus (not that I ever did!)

Oh, and Goldfish Connection (http://www.goldfishconnection.com/) is another good site to visit.