Dominant fish refuses to let 'runt' of aquarium leave the water to feed in Secret Life of the Zoo - Daily Mail

Dominant fish refuses to let 'runt' of aquarium leave the water to feed in Secret Life of the Zoo - Daily Mail

Dominant fish refuses to let 'runt' of aquarium leave the water to feed in Secret Life of the Zoo - Daily Mail

Posted: 14 Feb 2020 12:00 AM PST

A mudskipper fish who needed 'urgent help to gain weight' after being bullied by the 'dominant' fish in Secret Life of the Zoo left viewers close to tears. 

Last night's episode of the Channel 4 show focused on Chester zoo's aquarium, where strongest male Arnie refused to let 'runt' Danny feed.

And with Danny wasting away and at risk of being bullied or even starved to death, angry viewers were quick to take to Twitter. 

'If this land fish thing don't start eating I might just have to cry,' wrote one, while a second penned: 'Asking for a friend, is it normal to be angry at a fish for bullying another fish?'

Staff at Chester Zoo told how mudskipper Arnie (pictured) is the 'dominant' male in the aquarium's tank, and bullies 'runt' Danny, preventing him from getting food

Staff at Chester Zoo told how mudskipper Arnie (pictured) is the 'dominant' male in the aquarium's tank, and bullies 'runt' Danny, preventing him from getting food

The staff described Danny (pictured) as the 'sweetest fish' in the entire aquarium, before explaining he spends the majority of the time at the bottom of the tank due to bully, Arnie

The staff described Danny (pictured) as the 'sweetest fish' in the entire aquarium, before explaining he spends the majority of the time at the bottom of the tank due to bully, Arnie

Viewers took to Twitter during the episode, with one commenting: 'If this land fish thing don't start eating I might just have to cry' (pictured)

Viewers took to Twitter during the episode, with one commenting: 'If this land fish thing don't start eating I might just have to cry' (pictured)

Staff member Hannah explained: 'The weirdest thing about mudskippers is that they live, for most of the time, outside of the water. They breathe air and they're land-dwelling fish - and it is possible to drown a mudskipper.'

Armed with pectoral fins especially adapted for life on land, dwarf Indian mudskippers live among the fresh water swamps of South East Asia. 

With a clear group structure, they signal their dominance by flashing a huge flag-like fin. 

'Mudskippers are full of attitude. Very territorial,' said Andrea, another member of staff concerned for Danny's welfare. 'You always have somebody who is king of the entire tank - and then you get the one at the bottom, who doesn't do very well.'

'Danny is one of the sweetest fish we have in the entire aquarium.'

Hannah added: 'Danny is a bit skinny, a little bit runty maybe. He spends a lot of time in the water - that means he's the lowest in the group.'

The team weighed both fish, and discovered Arnie was double the size of Danny, who was wasting away (pictured together)

The team weighed both fish, and discovered Arnie was double the size of Danny, who was wasting away (pictured together)

Viewers were quick to take to Twitter, with one suggesting: 'Separate Danny from Arnie and feed them' (pictured)

Viewers were quick to take to Twitter, with one suggesting: 'Separate Danny from Arnie and feed them' (pictured)

But on top of the rock, holding prime territory, is Arnie.

'Arnie is totally dominant over the rest of the group,' said Hannah. 'There's no questioning he's the mudskipper in charge.'

Andrea continued: 'All the ladies in the tank like him, all the men in the tank want to be like him - so they're all perched on the branches next to him.'  

'At feeding time Arnie is straight up there, buries his face in the food and just eats as much as he wants.'

However, the one that doesn't have the courage to challenge him to actually feed is Danny.  

'Whenever he tries to come up to the feeding stations, Arnie is straight on him and doesn't let him get any food,' explained Andrea.

'It gets to the point Danny is trying to leave the water to take a gulp of air and Arnie is already on him. That means he spends a lot of the time at the bottom of the tank and not getting access to the food he needs to be healthy.'

The staff explained the moment Danny (pictured) tries to leave the water to take a gulp, Arnie is already on him

The staff explained the moment Danny (pictured) tries to leave the water to take a gulp, Arnie is already on him 

After increasing the temperature of the tank, Danny finally claimed top position on the rock (pictured)

After increasing the temperature of the tank, Danny finally claimed top position on the rock (pictured)

Concerned for Danny, the team monitor his weight, which is 4.2g, while Arnie is weighed for comparison, too.

'He is a bit of a beast,' said Andrea. 'Normally mudskippers weigh about 6g, but he weighs about eight. He is more or less double his weight.

'At the moment, Danny looks like his head's too big for his body because his body is so small.'  

In need of urgent help to gain weight so he doesn't waste away, the staff come up with a plan - to increase the temperature in the tank.

'Hopefully everybody's metabolism will increase a little bit, which means everyone will be more active and moving around more,' explained Hannah. 

'This means at feeding times, Arnie could be distracted by other mudskippers. That could give Danny a chance to sneak in and get the food he needs.'

And four days after the heater was switched on, Danny finally claimed top spot and tucked into a bumper feast of mashed blood worm. 

However, those who tuned in suggested other ways in which Danny could've been fed quicker. 

'Little more the team can do? Put Danny in a different tank till he gains weight. There, simple,' wrote one, while a second commented: 'Poor Danny.' 

A third suggested: 'Separate Danny from Arnie and feed him then.'

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

This fish is worth $300,000 - New York Post

This fish is worth $300,000 - New York Post This fish is worth $300,000 - New York Post Posted: 05 Jun 2016 12:00 AM PDT With exacting precision, the surgeon inserted the scalpel above the eyeball and cut out a snotty deposit of fatty tissue. The routine eye-lift was nearly complete when suddenly the patient awoke, suffocating, and began to flop about on the table. The audience gasped. Knowing time was of the essence, the surgeon scooped up the patient in his arms, raced across the stage, and dropped her into a tank of water. She revived. Because she was a fish. Yes, fish eye-lifts exist. As do fin jobs and tail tucks. The operating theater was a mall in Jakarta, Indonesia, where a pet expo was under way. As for the patient, she survived, her formerly droopy eyes now bright and perky. A good thing, too, as this was no ordinary goldfish but rather an Asian arowana, the world's most expensive aquarium denizen, rumored to sell for as mu
Read more

NilocG Launches New Website for the Only All-in-One Thrive Fertilization Solution for Planted Aquariums - PRNewswire

Image
NilocG Launches New Website for the Only All-in-One Thrive Fertilization Solution for Planted Aquariums - PRNewswire NilocG Launches New Website for the Only All-in-One Thrive Fertilization Solution for Planted Aquariums - PRNewswire Posted: 11 Mar 2021 02:00 AM PST ALBANY, Ore. , March 11, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- NilocG launches a new website for planted tank enthusiasts to gather and make THRIVE, a plant fertilizer that assures planted tank aquascapes flourish while eliminating the need for multiple products more readily available online. The company also takes it a step further in the industry, making its flagship product easy to dose, super-concentrated, and an all-in-one solution based on an effective EL dosing method with all essential micro and macronutrients. Continue Reading Thrive fertilizer: North America's most trusted aquarium plant fertilizer Colin Grice , CEO, a self-described planted tank lover, re
Read more

Catching Dory: selling aquarium fish supports coastal livelihoods in Indonesia | npj Ocean Sustainability - Nature.com

Image
Abstract The global marine aquarium trade has created new local markets across the planet, including in Indonesia, now the second-largest exporting country of marine aquarium fish in the world. Participating in the global aquarium trade has been touted as a potentially sustainable addition to fisher livelihoods, but scant data exist showing the numbers of fish coming off the reef and how those fish contribute to income. To determine how participants in the trade incorporate aquarium species in their livelihoods, we examine source-level aquarium fish collecting and trading data in the Banggai Archipelago, a region in Central Sulawesi that has become a significant source for popular aquarium, also known as ornamental, fish species. Using a sustainable livelihoods lens, we examine this data to understand how participants in the aquarium trade both contribute to as well as benefit from the trade and consider how their participation relates to emerging Blue Justice principles. From one year
Read more