# Playing dead?!



## AJerman (Nov 7, 2007)

So, you guys may remember my post about my fish being retarded. I'm telling you, it's true, I've found further proof. I've been meaning to post this for you guys for a laugh for a while, but I keep forgetting to get a good pic until today.

Whenever I clean my tank, my RBP goes into his rock and lays on his side like he's playing dead. I've NEVER seen a fish do this. Anyone ever see this before, or is my fish really that unique?

In this pic it looks like he's sneaking in the back and had to lay down to get in, but he does it all the time when he isn't pinned down by the rock. He'll just lay on his side while I clean the tank.










What a stupid fish.


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## Σņįġmã (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi 
When I had 4 reds one of them use to do the same as what yours does (play-dead) think its down to the fish as a individual,the other 3 when I cleaned the tank didn't care but that 1 sh*t it.+that was the skittish of the 4 always pail looking.


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## AJerman (Nov 7, 2007)

Σņįġmã said:


> Hi
> When I had 4 reds one of them use to do the same as what yours does (play-dead) think its down to the fish as a individual,the other 3 when I cleaned the tank didn't care but that 1 sh*t it.+that was the skittish of the 4 always pail looking.


Sounds about right. This fish is incredibly skittish. If he's out of his rock when I walk towards the tank he starts swimming back and forth and slamming into the sides.









And I swear he's got the eyesight of a hawk. He'll run and hide if I move on the other side of the room 15 feet away.


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## NTcaribe (Apr 8, 2004)

thats funny as hell


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## notaverage (Sep 10, 2005)

Thats interesting.
ANy more pics?


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## SERRAPYGO (Feb 4, 2003)

Funny! Piranhas are too stupid (or primitive) to play dead in the true sense. But it seems this one has found a way to feel secure. I've had piranhas do things like this in the past.


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## NakedSavage (Apr 9, 2008)

the only time my rbs played dead is when i first got them, the very first time i put them in there new tank they just nose dived right to the bottom and layed there still as a rock! Scared the sh*t outa me for a few mins then i stuck my hand in thinking they wer dead, and they shot away..... never done it again


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## HENNESSY (Jun 26, 2008)

i got 11 rbp last week. 3 of them did the same thing, playing dead, and they got sucked towards the water filter pipeline. i tapped them with my fish net, then the skirmished off. all is well. i think they are shy, or they might be the weaker link.


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## pcrose (Mar 9, 2003)

never knew fish really did this.


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## AJerman (Nov 7, 2007)

Well at least I'm glad to know he's not the only one that does it. He's definitely one weird fish sometimes, but he's getting better actually. Since my last water change I propped the rock up a little more so he can still go in, but he isn't as secluded, and now he seems to stay out of it more. In fact, as I look over right now, he's floating around by the back corner. I have even been able to walk up to the tank while he's out of the rock without him darting around like a maniac sometimes. I'm determined that one day he'll be a friendly and social fish.

I'd just never seen a fish do this. *shrug*



NakedSavage said:


> the only time my rbs played dead is when i first got them, the very first time i put them in there new tank they just nose dived right to the bottom and layed there still as a rock! Scared the sh*t outa me for a few mins then i stuck my hand in thinking they wer dead, and they shot away..... never done it again


Yeah, I've seen fish do stuff like that when you first drop them in. It's just the shock of the new tank. Lot's of stress, temperature change, and water parameter changes. Lots of times fish will lay at the bottom for a while before they start swimming around.

Here's another pic of him out since someone asked, I stressed him out a bit going back and forth with the camera trying to get a pic, so he's a bit pale:










I'm glad he's staying out of the rock now. I don't like how his fins are folded from being in such a small area. I know it's not a big deal, but it doesn't look good either way.


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## t_rabBit (Jun 30, 2008)

Thats pretty funny, any more pics?


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## notaverage (Sep 10, 2005)

I meant more pics of him hiding.


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## joeytoad83 (Sep 10, 2004)

thats hillarious.


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## bernokarl (Mar 26, 2007)

Do Not criticize this guy this is very true of RBP WILL PLAY DEAD . 
When I sold My Shoal... In transit my Reds Played dead so bad I thought they were dead LOL .

I Also had a Vampire Tetra also do this .

YES REDS WILL PLAY DEAD/LYE ON THERE SIDE .


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## Ahmed (Jun 23, 2007)

They're really not that retarted you know... that's their defence mechanism when they are threatened.


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## AJerman (Nov 7, 2007)

Ahmed said:


> They're really not that retarted you know... that's their defence mechanism when they are threatened.


No, mine really is, not just because of this. You'd have to read some of my previous threads, haha.


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