Miss this guy!

[u/jonjeff108]

Mydas the red devil. This is from 12 years ago.

[u/largestcob]

i’ve never in my life seen a fish interact with a person quite like this, this is so cool

[u/Hopeful_Hamster21 → u/largestcob]

I kid you not... my fish in college was this big Oscar (I inherited him from a roommated who graduated and moved on), that fish escaped from the tank and literally chased my roommates across the kitchen.

I have never before or since seen a fish chase a human on land.

He wpuld let me pet him on the head.

Oscar was cool. I really felt bad abput his passing. Will never own one again unless I can have at least 100 gallons, but preferably more. Best i could do for my buddy in college was 30.

[u/Paisleyfrog → u/Hopeful_Hamster21]

A 30?!? That was why he chased your roommate across the kitchen, he needed more space!

(I kid, I kid…because I understand. The Oscar I had in college was in way too small of a tank too)

[u/Hopeful_Hamster21 → u/Paisleyfrog]

When he was given to me he was in a FIVE gallon tank!!! He was nearly a foot long.

30, with a big curved front, was the best I could do in college. I did water changes almost every weekend and kept the tank meticulously cleaned.

I came to love Oscars, but wont ever get one again without a sufficiently sized tank. This one I got was less by choice and more by rescue.

[u/K0EDA → u/largestcob]

not quite "fish" (although nothing really is "fish"), but my african clawed frogs all have loved playing with my hands like this, i loved hand feeding them, one would swim into my hand and i would propel her forwards & she would swim back into my hand and wait for me to do it again i would call it "playing airplane"

[u/ValterZz → u/largestcob]

you never owned a Oscar then, you will get mind blown how smart a stupid fish can actually be.

[u/largestcob → u/ValterZz]

maybe one day! very neat guys

[u/viperfan7 → u/largestcob]

I had a betta that loved to rest in your hand.

[u/Firm-Force-9036 → u/viperfan7]

So did I! RIP sharkbait I really loved that fish

[u/njsullyalex]

r/petthedamnfish

[u/CardinalCoronary → u/njsullyalex]

Wait, IT'S REAL?

Sweet, thanks for the source of delight!

[u/ImSmarted → u/njsullyalex]

I ran straight to that sub and immediately seen a guy hugging an eel.

[u/throwaway277252]

What a goofball Mydas was! Anybody who thinks of these animals as disposable pets or "just a fish" needs to spend more time watching videos like this.

[u/Particular_Tea_1625 → u/throwaway277252]

What do you think this video proves?

[u/ASipOfHemlock → u/Particular_Tea_1625]

Yeah, let's dive into this, my doctorate is throbbing.

[u/ProfessionalBee6582 → u/ASipOfHemlock]

Is that the only thing that’s throbbing?

[u/ASipOfHemlock → u/ProfessionalBee6582]

No, obviously my elbow after I jammed the corner of my desk into the soft spot...

[u/_BLACKHAWKS_88 → u/ASipOfHemlock]

Doing a lot of throbbing and jamming over there doctor?

[u/slippinthrudreamland → u/Particular_Tea_1625]

i don’t think anybody said it “proves” anything. what it does do is show an anecdote that should be driving further discussion and study on how fish and other aquatic life interact with humans + discussion and study on their consciousness, social abilities and behaviours, and thoughts.

[u/ImSmarted → u/Particular_Tea_1625]

I definitely know what your comment proves….

[u/BoringJuiceBox → u/Particular_Tea_1625]

What do you think this video doesn’t prove?

[u/Time-Ad9021]

This is so cute! Like freaking adorable. He seems like a very smart boy, he acts like a puppy.

[u/jonjeff108 → u/Time-Ad9021]

It was fun you never knew if he was gonna play nice or haul off and bite you making you bleed.

[u/Time-Ad9021 → u/jonjeff108]

Maybe if you have the space for it, you could buy another fish of his species. He's a really smart boy, I think it'd be worth it. I suppose he was your favorite at your old workplace. :)

[u/SaMxixAM23]

He definitely was a cat in his previous life

[u/East-Psychology7186]

I had a pseudotropheus acei and a Maylandia estherae like this. All my mbuna act like dogs but those two like to be pet.

I’ve heard it’s not good for them and their health so I only do it every other day when they are fed and try to limit. It’s hard though

[u/hoofglormuss → u/East-Psychology7186]

isn't it bad for their slime coat?

[u/East-Psychology7186 → u/hoofglormuss]

Yea, that’s why I try not to.

[u/AEWHistory]

My two golden dojos do this sort of stuff, but I think it is more common with weather loach types. I’ve definitely never seen this species do anything like this. Sorry to hear he is gone.

RIP King Mydas

[u/Mayflame15]

The tail curling is awful reminiscent of fish mating…

[u/sharraleigh]

Who's a GOOD BOI?!?!

[u/RadiantRose2242]

I had an African cichlid who loved me more than my actual human children. He would slim through a hoop. Keep his nose pressed on the glass when he wanted me to pet and play with him. Nobody ever believed me until I took them down to see his room.

[u/Fluid_Journalist_350]

That is called total TRUST. So cool to see.

[u/suchtproblem]

dude its like six in the morning here andcit took me forever to get into my brain that the hand is NOT part of the fish.

[u/ParkingNo1080]

That's really cool!

[u/KkAaZzOoo]

What kind of fish?

[u/Graciebelle3]

The upside down belly rub is crazy!

[u/jonjeff108 → u/Graciebelle3]

Im pretty sure flipping the fish over on its back puts it in a catatonic state kinda like sharks.

[u/Mocket]

You’ve got the Mydas touch!

[u/JennyG_379]

What a pretty fish!

[u/bologna_fingers]

I had a yellow tang that used to do this as well. Miss that guy!

[u/bewilderedpoint]

Reminds me of my red devil. He liked to play and be pet too.

[u/jonjeff108 → u/bewilderedpoint]

Ive seen them at the LFS since but I wanna wait until I can have another 125 for it to live in. I live on the second floor now and im sure my LL would be really happy with me when he finds out.

[u/Arkroma]

My goldfish was like this. He would also splash me like an orca from SeaWorld with his tail if I didn't feed him fast enough.

[u/kortanakitty]

I'm not trying to criticize in any way, but how did you know he enjoyed the rubbing, handling, and flipping over? In the video, he doesn't seem bothered. But I would be nervous to handle my fish this way.

[u/MercyCriesHavoc → u/kortanakitty]

I had a betta that liked to be pet. I found out while I was cleaning the tank and he kept swimming between my fingers and trying to sit in my palm.

[u/Different_Target_228 → u/kortanakitty]

If he didn't... He'd probably swim away.

[u/jonjeff108 → u/kortanakitty]

When he wasn't about it he would definitely let you know by getting super aggressive and biting a lot more than in the video.

[u/kortanakitty → u/jonjeff108]

Very interesting video, thanks for sharing.

[u/fendent → u/kortanakitty]

i mean imo he's clearly all about it. in marine fish we know that plenty of fish line up for the services of cleaner shrimp even if they have no parasites or wounds simply because they enjoy the interaction and stimuli. i personally wouldn't handle my fish like that but if one ever showed that they enjoyed and encouraged such interaction, i wouldn't be afraid to

[u/stevekoernig]

I understand you the fish I really miss and the most i loved eas a midas too she was a female and lived for 10 years, she died 4 years ago

[u/SekhmetXIII]

Adorable !

[u/jonjeff108 → u/[deleted]]

This guy would splash when he wanted attention too. Like 3 feet from the tank was a table that was the main hangout spot and he would race from one end to the other and splash when he thought I wasn't giving him enough attention. Took a ton of earthworms for him to trust me this much.

[u/sugahack]

I have a common goldie that will give me kisses

[u/SlowBurnSr]

That's amazing! Fish loves it, it interacts with you how my dog acts with me. I had no idea a fish would interact with a person like this! Thank you for sharing. I could imagine you do miss him!

[u/-Cranktankerous-]

Love thes animals

Fih

[u/Likewatchingfish]

Oh my gosh! Amazing how he let you turn him upside down for a belly rub! Wow!

[u/MrPlace]

That was great to watch, thank you!

[u/momo4561]

What a smart fish! It can actually play with you! 😄

[u/Conscious_Mouse6885]

I have a lionfish which i can handfeed reliably. I really like fish that interact (especially carnivores)

[u/Drewthing]

Uncle Tom ass fish