My GSP hates me

[Pufferfreak42]

I have Puff for close to 2 months now and he hates me. He comes to me during feeding time twice a day but that's it. Every other time I go near the tank, he goes nuts trying to get away from me. He goes to to the opposide side of the tank from where I am, trying to get out, splashing to the point of my thinking he's going to jump out. I don't think it's what I'm wearing as I don't wear bright clothes. My robe is a pale pink for example and there's a bright pink plant in the tank that don't seem to bother him. I'm heartbroken to the point of wanting to cry. Should I return him or find another home for him as I want him happy, not terrfied of his owner. I didn't think I was that ugly,

Any suggestions?

[Pufferpunk]

Possibly you don't have enough decor for him to feel safe out in the open. Can you post a FTS?

[Nick]

Spend a LOT of time around the tank. See if you can invest hours a day at this. Eventually he will get bored and tired of being in a continual panic when nothing is happening, and he should gradually stop the fleeing behavior.

[jus85411]

watch any sudden movements. my gsp seems to love all people but if theres a sudden movement when people are around he will splash and go to the back of the tank and look stressed out for a minute until he realizes theres nothing to be scared of. they are just skittish, just watch how fast you come up to the tank, move slow. mine comes to greet you, he will rub his body against your finger, but if you move that finger a little too quick he will jet away from you for a minute. as long as hes not trying to bite you and the glass is getting in the way i wouldnt say he hates you, hes just scared still.

[Pufferfreak42]

I will post some pictures this evening as there's too much glare during the day as I just tried taking some. You don't need to see me in the reflection. haha

His home is at the edge of the livingroom as you enter the kitchen. I'm going to see if I can move it next to my other tank. That way he will be closer to me and can probably interact with my other fished, through the glass of course.

I'm not a slow moving person so I keep forgetting how they get spooked from sudden movements so that's part of the problem I'm sure but even near the tank and not moving he just wants to get so far away from me, almost in panic mode. He's very active in the tank while I'm not near it so there's nothing physically wrong and boy, does he eat. He hasn't refused food since day one.

[sparks42]

I will admit, there have been times when I've pretty much peekaboo with Chomper, he seems to love it, i go "boo!" right in his face and he runs to the back of the tank and right back to me in a matter of about 5-10 seconds and then we do it again. He seems to enjoy it, he keeps coming back for more over and over again.
BUT if i do that out of absolutely nowhere, he will hide in the back for longer, one time i started him way too much and he was like a rock for 3 days straight.
And for me, it seems to be mainly quick arm movements that bug him, or anything else that goes really fast.

[cthoughts1]

Spend a LOT of time around the tank. See if you can invest hours a day at this. Eventually he will get bored and tired of being in a continual panic when nothing is happening, and he should gradually stop the fleeing behavior.

[Pufferfreak42]

Here's a current pic of the tank. I have a nice piece of driftwood in there for him to hide behind as well a couple of plants. The other two pics are of ornaments from my other tank. I will choose one of those tomorrow to move into Puff's tank. I just need to get the current inhabitants to move. More than likely it will be the log one as the cave currently have Convict cichlid fry in there.

It could be the sudden movements but he don't mind at when he thinks it's mealtime. Funny how they know when dinner is approaching. I love Puff and I want him happy, that's of the utmost importance to me.

Well, I tried uploading the pictures but the file is too large. I have no idea how to make the kb's smaller so I was able to add them to my album. The one under Puff. How to you attach pictures here from your album or is that possible?

[CarmenH]

LOL, I don't know how to resize pics either...I'm sure I could learn...but it's easier to put them in my gallery, then upload it to a message via the "TPF Gall Img" button above the box where you write a message Feel free to mock me

[Pufferfreak42]

Here's the pics I mentioned above. Thanks so much for your help CarmenH.

[BeachORama]

My 2 cents:

My GSP is VERY GRUMPY in the mornings and if I go near his tank he goes NUTS (just like you describe) like he's flipping out and trying to jump out! (My solution: I leave him alone in his grumpiness til he wakes up more.)

He does this until noontime and then starts overcoming his grumpiness.

I don't think he hates me... just not a morning person, uh i mean fish. lol!

HE enjoys when I come to him until late in the evening and is quite happy.

Guess he's more a night guy like me.

[pufferpuggirl]

I'm sure that Puff doesn't hate you, but it's possible that he's just a little skittish and your quick movements frighten him. I would put the tank somewhere that's not going to get alot of traffic going by. I would also take the advice that Nick gave you -- spend more time by the tank, and just ignore him when he splashes. You don't have to look at him the entire time you are by his tank, but just sit there, reading or something, so that you can spend about an hour there, enough time for Puff to calm down, and then maybe he will realise that your presence isn't anything to freak out about. I definitely would spend more time there so that he doesn't just equate your presence with food, and therefore gets used to you being there.
That's just my thoughts on the situation.

[Pufferfreak42]

Update:

Around 2 weeks ago I moved his home next to the couch so I'm now less than 2 feet away from him. I installed a blue light so it's not so bright in the evening but things have gotten worse. He was pretty active on his original location but now that he's closer to me he spends most of the day in the lower corner, near the bubbler. When I lean over to look as him, he either moves away or freaks out. I don't get off the couch on that side so I don't startle him but nothing is helping and it really saddens me. He's more active in the evening, after 7pm as he knows it's soon dinner time. I used to be able to watch him eat but now when I watch he stops eating and swims away. From reading all the great stories here of how interactive owners are with their puffers, I realize I won't have that with mine and it breaks my heart.

I've decided to find him a new home. I want another one, maybe an older one as I still want a puffer but it's not fair to him being miserable and me feeling quilty and sad. I never had a pet or been around others pets that are afraid of me. It really sucks.

Thanks for allowing me to vent.

[J-P]

just curious what are your feeding habbits? I ask because I took my fish off food for 3 days and now they know who feeds them. No more running away when I enter the room. They know it is feeding time.

[Pufferfreak42]

He gets a tiny freeze dried shrimp and bloodworms twice daily. Every other day he gets either a snail or fresh shrimp as a treat. He knows when it's mealtime and that's the only time he's interested in me. Other than that, he wants nothing to do with me. I don't want to have him go without food in order to get used to me. He should be used to my being around by now.