How To Figure Out If Telescope Is Blind

[number20121]

I sometimes wonder to what degree Blacky Fishie is vision impaired. Either she is completely DURRRHURRRR or she really has a very hard time finding food, because Chibi finds the food 10 times faster and accurately.

There is like a PILE of food in Blacky Fishie's area, and she tries to eat it, but misses it. It is like she is randomly trying to pick up food.

I don't think she is completely blind, because she can see me when I'm in front of the tank, and she comes begging. Or maybe the other fish tell her that I'm there LOL

But seriously, I know that even if she and Chibi were by themselves in a tank, I'd STILL have to give BF special care because even Chibi would gobble most of the food up before Blacky Fishie realizes what is happening.

[Hidr]

Same thing with my Hendryx but as long as he is growing and I see him eat i don't worry about it. He is also why I like to feed 2-3 times a day gives him better odds of getting enough to eat.

[number20121]

Same here, I feed all my fish 2 or 3 times a day, and at least at one of these feeding times I put the breeder net in for Blacky Fishie. I put it in sideways so she can swim in and out, put a bunch of pellets in there and then carefully guide her in there with my hand.

Funny when Hugo tries to get the pellets from below then, and hits her nose into the net which makes the pellets inside the net bounce LOL

[Quvantine]

It always seems that way with my black moor, everytime I feed her she swims around randomly hoping to catch some floating food. She's never had as much trouble as that though as I always see her eat, even with two single tailed fish in the tank aswell.

[Sakura]

I think telescopes can see things farther away, but not closer to them. All my telescopes (especially Loki and Grindle) look at me and react to my presence near the tank. But then when there's a piece of food right in front of them, they smell it but totally miss it almost every time! They're all picking up on hand feeding pretty quick though. Grindle was the quickest learner, and Chiba has been the slowest.

[caitie]

Yeah my Coquin also has a hard time getting the food but I know he's not completely blind, first because he always knows exactly where I stand in front of the tank and he can follow my finger perfectly. The second reason I know he isn't blind is that over the years I've had at least 2 blind fish and they have a very different way of swimming, you can't miss it when you see it. It is almost like they are being very careful not to knock into things. Also blind fish have a tendency to swim right against the glass of the tank.

I also feed 2 small meals in their tank so that Coquin gets enough but since he is always foraging in the gravel and Hercules doesn't then I feel he gets his share of the food.

[enesta]

My black moor seems twice as blind as my orange telescope, just like yours. She'll come beg for food, but when it's in there has a much harder time finding it.

[jody]

Just throwing this out there(I've been wrong before). I know with peepers it seems like the angle he can suck up pellets doesn't align with his eyes pointing downward where he can see the food. He seems to see it far away but when he gets close he can't see exactly where it is.

[number20121]

Blacky Fishie got the whole idea of hand feeding too, but then started to come to the surface outside feeding time and gobble air and taught this to all the other fish

So I'm trying to get her used to eating from the bottom. I don't mind the breeder net, if it wasn't that it is too big to just open the lid and put it in. I have to actually lift the whole right side of the HOOD to get the breeder net in and out.

I could leave it in there but I don't like how it looks and I don't need the telescopes take their eyes out on one of the corners.

You all know how they are.

I suppose Chibi has less problems because her eyes aren't as buggy as Blacky Fishie's.

[Quvantine]

What about soaking flakes or pellets first so they sink? I usually feed them flakes or peas, anything that sinks to the bottom and they all get a fair share because of it, especially considering the black moor spends most of her time looking around for extra food on the bottom. I haven't needed to handfeed yet. The breeding net sounds like a lot of hassel

[number20121]

I am using sinking pellets and peas and all that good stuff. But she just keeps missing it. Silly little fish!

[dogsbykat]

When I got Constantine and Philomena, I was worried that Philomena would be at a disadvantage because Constantine has smaller eyes and a single tail. Turns out, she is very efficient about finding food, while he tends to come to the top going "Durrrr, can I have some too?!"

[flutterbudget]

My ranchu is like that too. He will see the food and race for it, but once he gets close he can't see staight down past his chubby cheeks so he totally misses it. It looks like he goes, "food! food! food???" Poor guy.

[mjbubbles]

Fluffy (ryukin) has been doing that too, lately. I've been feeding him less, and now he seems to swim around randomly picking up gravel, rather than honing in on the actual food.

DUUHH!

[kukana d]

I think if they are blind their eyes also get milky looking,and it's pretty noticeable. It was like that w/ 1 of my fish,anyway

[shellbell4ever]

I agree with above if they are blind I think you see a difference in their eye other than that I think most of the telescope eyes are farsighted I know mine had a hard time finding food right in front of their faces

[Sakura]

Blacky Fishie got the whole idea of hand feeding too, but then started to come to the surface outside feeding time and gobble air and taught this to all the other fish

So I'm trying to get her used to eating from the bottom. I don't mind the breeder net, if it wasn't that it is too big to just open the lid and put it in. I have to actually lift the whole right side of the HOOD to get the breeder net in and out.

I could leave it in there but I don't like how it looks and I don't need the telescopes take their eyes out on one of the corners.

You all know how they are.

I suppose Chibi has less problems because her eyes aren't as buggy as Blacky Fishie's.

You don't have to hand-feed at the surface. I am training my new fish to hand-feed lower in the water by bringing my hand to them rather than making them come to the top. Hopefully this will keep them from surface gulping.

[Sakura]

Just throwing this out there(I've been wrong before). I know with peepers it seems like the angle he can suck up pellets doesn't align with his eyes pointing downward where he can see the food. He seems to see it far away but when he gets close he can't see exactly where it is.

That's what I've noticed with all my telescopes too Jody

[number20121]

Blacky Fishie got the whole idea of hand feeding too, but then started to come to the surface outside feeding time and gobble air and taught this to all the other fish

So I'm trying to get her used to eating from the bottom. I don't mind the breeder net, if it wasn't that it is too big to just open the lid and put it in. I have to actually lift the whole right side of the HOOD to get the breeder net in and out.

I could leave it in there but I don't like how it looks and I don't need the telescopes take their eyes out on one of the corners.

You all know how they are.

I suppose Chibi has less problems because her eyes aren't as buggy as Blacky Fishie's.

You don't have to hand-feed at the surface. I am training my new fish to hand-feed lower in the water by bringing my hand to them rather than making them come to the top. Hopefully this will keep them from surface gulping.

Now guess who swims past my hand and up to the surface.

I tried doing the lower in the water thing but apparently she is convinced that you can't eat there. I gotta admit that this is my fault because back then when I started hand feeding her I never though about the air gulping thing and fed her at the surface, thinking that the less I got my hands in the water, the better for the fish.

The best way for her to get the food so far still is the breeder net, which is a pain in the rear for me. But it is worth it. I just hope I can find an easier way because that would be nice too.

Edited December 7, 2010 by Oerba Yun Fang

[Sakura]

I tried doing the lower in the water thing but apparently she is convinced that you can't eat there.

I have the same problem with my ryukins! They get so eager to eat that they come straight up to the surface and "beg".

[Capt Dave]

Just throwing this out there(I've been wrong before). I know with peepers it seems like the angle he can suck up pellets doesn't align with his eyes pointing downward where he can see the food. He seems to see it far away but when he gets close he can't see exactly where it is.

That's what I've noticed with all my telescopes too Jody

x3

[Jeana727]

Reading this made me go feed my fish & watch my new Moor!! Yep, he seems to smell the food but wasn't great at going in for the attack. So I dropped some REAL close & he snagged a bit or two. Then I held a piece in my fingers down under the water & he ate it! This is great cause he's a brand new addition. Glad I saw this post so I knew to make extra sure he got his share!!!

[number20121]

Reading this made me go feed my fish & watch my new Moor!! Yep, he seems to smell the food but wasn't great at going in for the attack. So I dropped some REAL close & he snagged a bit or two. Then I held a piece in my fingers down under the water & he ate it! This is great cause he's a brand new addition. Glad I saw this post so I knew to make extra sure he got his share!!!

Well I am glad that my question could help you and your fish!