Observations re: aquatic animal behavior

[Spoonminnow]

I have no idea why I started throwing small pieces of bread to sunfish (small balls), but it seems they know when it's coming even as I walk down the hill to the pond. You can see the wakes converging to where they know I sit and park themselves parallel to one another in a large school in water 2"-1' deep. Here's what I've observed:

1. they slash at the bread balls like it was their last meal, bumping heads.
2. if the bread is almost on land at the water's edge, they swim on their side in 1" of water to grab bread sitting there!
3. a few dominant sunfish will chase others away from their circle even if it causes them to lose out on falling bread. Reminds me of males protecting the nest though in this case who knows what sex?
4. newborns to adults wait for bread to drop and for some reason highly value almost-zero protein starch
5. it used to be a dozen fish but which is now over 30 fish - some of which stay in the area day after day. Newborn fish try but fail because of mouths being to small. If they do manage to hold on, other sunfish will attack and steal the bread from their mouths.
6. today I fell from a slippery surface into the mud. Ya think that would deter the fish from coming back ?!! They had a good laugh and were present in the usual number in less than 4 minutes, the same locations as usual in a semicircle spanning eight feet.
7. amazing the speed of fish that zip towards an object it knows it wants to consume - and from as far as 4' away.
8. green sunfish could care less along with bass or crappie stocked in the pond.
9. it started with only one turtle getting into the act, but now there's three only a few feet away waiting for bread to be thrown on land or in water to shallow for the fish.
10. A turtle could be sunning itself on a far bank but enters the water immediately once it sees me on the dock, swimming over to claim it's spot. Only two of the turtles come completely on land right in front of me to claim a snack that didn't go close enough but back into the water's edge immediately once the delicacy is in their mouths.
11. fish will steal bread from their mouths if they face toward the pond too soon and have learned to either duck inside their shells or consume the bread first facing the shore. Dumb they are not!
12. Like dominant sunfish, there is one nasty turtle that nips the other two if they get too close causing them to scatter to deeper water. But like any animal that wants what it wants, they spread themselves away from that turtle head up staring at me. Interesting that my arm and hand motion of throwing bread near and far is not an issue. Expectations of a snack overrule.
13. bass may come near to see what the commotion is all about, but never attack the schooling fish. (They probably think it's the last meal for a few of them so let em enjoy it while they can.)

Nature is full of surprises such as trust, aggression, incredible bursts of speed, learned behavior, transmitted signals to other fish to converge to an area, not caring the size of a turtle which mouths they attack to steal food, how shallow the water they enter with backs completely out or swimming on their sides in an inch of water to consume something and most of all:
14. the fish could care less what those little white bread balls represent they attack with gusto - the more the better! - yet will ignore small lures cast to them at the same time. Even fish have priorities.
(BTW, I have to keep my two dogs away from me while feeding the aquatic animals or they're licking my ears begging for bits of bread. What's this animal attraction to starch?!!)

Figured this particular forum was general enough to write it here.

[Gone Fishin']

It's amazing how quickly they are trained to come when they see you approaching. And that they can see you approaching!

[silverside]

I wonder... if you baited a hook with bread and caught and released a fish, would they stop coming?

Sent from my SM-G960U using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app

[Spoonminnow]

I wonder... if you baited a hook with bread and caught and released a fish, would they stop coming?

Sent from my SM-G960U using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app

Doubt it. They've learned to trust that stimuli completely and only those caught might stay away for a short time. Herd (school) mentality seems to rule.

And yes, I can be coming down the hill 100' away and the wakes start to appear converging on the area. It's not as if there's no other goodies in the pond to eat !

Nick's Pond named after my beloved late father-in-law:

[ClearCreek]

Hatchery trout get very used to being fed at about the same time each day and when a hatchery employee approaches the pond or raceway they will start going into "feeding mode".

I think in your case the fish may be sensing you approaching by detecting you walking near the pond. This is way your grandfather or father or uncle always told you to walk gently and sneak up on the fish!!

ClearCreek

[deathb4disco]

14. the fish could care less what those little white bread balls represent ...

They represent food. Bread is a great bait. It's used all over the world to catch fish.

[Spoonminnow]

I think in your case the fish may be sensing you approaching by detecting you walking near the pond. This is way your grandfather or father or uncle always told you to walk gently and sneak up on the fish!!

Me walking or running down the hill get fish moving from a great distance due to water refraction. Never the need to sneak up especially when swinging my big feet over the edge of the above-water dock that I sit on. Bread represents WHAT food?? Size, shape (ease of swallowing) and fish-to-fish communication of a nice snack seems to be the ticket. And now of all things FOUR turtles seem interested!

Fish, turtles and dogs - omnivores all !

[Techno2000]

I had a big bag dry dog food I wanted to get rid.So I threw some out to some pigeons that where sitting on the telephone line. I did this for about a week just for the fun of it.After a while the pigeons would sit on my front doorstep waiting for me to come out the door...Lol

[deathb4disco]

Bread represents WHAT food??

[Spoonminnow]

Figures...